Mont Ventoux

It's the best we've probably got in this country, but nothing much can prepare you for the Alps or Pyranees. Having said that, the kilotogo Peaks ride looks pretty fearsome.

Holme Moss:

Ventoux:

Climbybike.com is awesome.

oh, fuck!

someone just posted this on my facebook:

"To put it in perspective:

First 3.5 miles are like the Cat & Fiddle. It's essentially like the first half going up from the Macc Direction.

Then it's 11 miles of 9% - 3 times harder than the Cat & Fiddle and 50% longer!... Read more

Good luck!"

Quite. I was outside The Bar last friday, telling a mate I was planning to do the Ventoux in September, some bloke nearby mentioned he'd done it last year. Then spent 5+ mins telling me in great detail exactly how hard it was.

green with envy.
good luck!

Not too scary pics....

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Nah it all looks so easy.....

YouTube - Lance Armstrong attack on Mt. Ventoux 2000 Tour de France

There is no way that that guy wasn't on drugs

Nah it all looks so easy.....

YouTube - Lance Armstrong attack on Mt. Ventoux 2000 Tour de France

There is no way that that guy wasn't on drugs

tosser.

lance armstrong i mean. i fucking hate him

green with envy.
good luck!

come come come!

Nes, here's the route around Ventoux I mentioned yesterday.

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=12525

And a piccy

am too excited..

hold on holdon it says 50% gradient..wtf??!! is that real??

no longer excited. now feel sick. is it real? ronnie are you trying to kill me?

hold on holdon it says 50% gradient..wtf??!! is that real??

I fucking hope not !

why does it say it then?? i am very confused...did you look at the gradient and elevation?? it must be true non?

Think I've sussed it. If you zoom in on the bit that's meant to have 50% gradient, the road takes a sharp chicane type bend. The route goes across country not the road at that point, so is not accurate.

We'll find out for ourselves in a few weeks.

watching that descent today made me feel VERY afraid.

Poor Jens Voight. We'll be taking it a lot easier than them.

Just a quick hijack, i'm out at ventoux for the tour this year.. fancied having a pop at it if i can rent a half decent bike from somewhere in the area? anyone know if this is possible. oh and i will have come directly from four nights at benicassim festival... pure folly?

there's a bike shop in Bedoin on the main street that does bike hire, some ok bikes nothing amazing.

There's also a bike shop that does bike hire in Malaucenne, on the northern side. They had Bianchis for hire I think.

wish i had gone out tonight now. it didn't rain, was just scared of making this cold worse if it did. bollocks. need to do holme moss loads more before the ventoux i'm thinking.

I am gonna take a week off work and do some rides every day, can anyone think of some good/evil climbs that I could try? they don't have to be near here I could go on a little holiday...alpe d'huez maybe!!!hmm maybe not.

I wish I'd fucking stayed at home !

Lake District has plenty of evil climbs. Base yourself around Hawkshead.

am not thinking of the tourmalet...ben is there and i might go and catch him...might not though...need to check $

i just got back.

the stage was amazing to watch. the 24 hour drive back was not! neither was riding up the ventoux twice on thursday and sleeping in a dusty car park with no shower. (just had one in manchester 900 miles later).

i will post up some pics in a few days when i have them...

the ventoux was hard, but not that hard. personally the galibier and the alp felt harder last week (but i did them as part of the marmotte route). nes, you will be sound the way you climbed over holme moss.
(the long road over from staleybridge is better training than the steeper one imho).

disclaimer - there was no wind up there in the last few days - that could prove tough!

thanks x x x

the rides that you have been doing (if they are all like that one i came out on) are fine. just find, long grinding climbs that go on and on.
i think the ventoux is alot in the mind, the start is hard, treat those parts of steepness with respect, but when it eases off - hammer down for the last 4km!!! (till the finish ramp which felt like a wall).

i have a map i can give you that is laminated if there are any drinks or owt soon.
also...the cycling in the area is amazing - maybe better than the alps, less cars and not as expensive, next time i go on a foreign trip it will be to there, so many quality cols (jas-du-madame (east of ventoux)) looks amazing - and hard.

the area is pretty arid, and very hot last week so that made things tougher. but the beautiful smell of lavender everywhere was a nice change to car fumes. you must also go to sault, lovely, perfect for coffee and croissants.

sault

We're planning on doing this loop the first day, then climb up it the day after.....

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=12525