Day 7 Mount Ventoux

Stop at Bedoin on the way to Ventoux

Group Picture at Bedoin in front of the cycling museum

View of Mont Ventoux at the start of the ride

 

 

 

Kilometre	Average gradient	Kilometre	Average gradient
1	1.9%	12	10.1%
2	2.8%	13	9.2%
3	3.8%	14	9.4%
4	5.8%	15	8.8%
5	5.6%	16	6.9%
6	3.1%	17	6.6%
7	8.6%	18	6.8%
8	9.4%	19	7.4%
9	10.5%	20	8.3%
10	10.1%	21	9.1%
11	9.3%	22	10.0%

After a rest day self imposed ( I did not do Col de Mandeline on 16 July 2015 ) I enjoyed a car ride up the Mountain and coffee and an apple tart and great views of the French Alps and Mont Blanc in the distance. It was then a 4 plus hour drive to Malaucene ,  a town at the foot of the climb . We settled in and had a lovely dinner at the Hotel Blueberry where we are staying .Nice rooms but with the hot weather and no fans , the room we are in is warm. We climb  Mont Ventoux on Friday morning the 17 July 2015 . It is lengendary for cyclist because of the Tom Simpson story and the role it has played in TDF races over the years. I am looking forward to the climb and hopefully the rest day helps.




Colin Lewis remembers his teammate Tom Simpson on the anniversary of his death from cyclingtips on Vimeo.

It is a highlight of the tour and a very daunting climb with the gradient on the climb averaging 7.9% and many kms at 10% .There is also the high winds at the top and the name Ventoux is thought to come form the word Venteux which means windy in French. The winds average 90kph 240 days of the year and has recorded the highest wind speed of 320Kph.

We set off after breakfast and headed to a small village called Biacon and after pictures headed for the climb up Mont Ventoux , a 21 km climb .It was slow going and I estimate I took over 2 and a quarter hours to climb it stopping for water and the Tom Simpson memorial. Whilst slow I did find the ride bearable even with some high gradients of 10%. There were many cyclist on the road to Ventoux and it was a great experience to have done it .As all climbs it was slow going but I managed to keep a steady pace up and not have too many breaks . istopped at about the 20km mark and had some water from the support car Kim was driving and again 6 kms from the stop at a café . I did take pictures at the Bob Simpson memorial about 1.5 km from the top. I averaged just over 15kph with the downhill leg and I think I took about 2.15 to 2.20 to climb to the top. Whilst tiring it wasn't as tough as the Col de L'Iseran which I found very tough. The weather helped with it not being too hot and windy.

The last Km up to the top

Bob Simpson memorial

Picture of everyone at the Top

At the 3km mark from the top

Day 5 Col De L'Iseran

 Profile of the Climb

Going through one of the many Avalanche Shelters

Dam on the way to Val D'Isere

MJ and Hoffy at the start of the climb

At the Top

Coke on the rocks

Not sure whether to cry or laugh . Today was a tough ride for a weak rider like me. Early start at 8.15 am and 32km to Val D'Isere and then a 16km climb to the top of Col De L'Iseran . It was I thought supposed to be a gentle ride to Val D'Isere but unfortunately was a hard climb all the way and that took a fair bit out of me .We regrouped and then rode up to the summit. I was last , struggling with the gradient and the fatigue but mentally made it a goal and was glad I got to the top .It was hard breathing and being asthmatic I had a coughing fit which didn't help. The views as shown in the pictures were spectacular and I got a chance to step on some ice and snow still about . I had about 3.5 bidons and then some coke and after a short recovery we all headed down. I was last to get up so the faster riders would have been waiting awhile. I took over 1.5 hours to ride the 15 kms or so to the summit. The ride down was much easier and enjoyable. After lunch at Val D'Isere I got a ride back and the rest rode back. It was mostly downhill as I had just ridden up most of the way noted to but decided It wasn't worth tiring myself any further and I needed to get my cassette replaced. I had a 25-13 cassette and really needed one with the big cog at 28 .Only managed to get a 28 and had to change the chain as it was too stretched. Not surprising given the workload. Beautiful weather again today but it was still hot and I have got pretty burnt despite sunscreen. After 4 days of riding this is the maximum days of riding I have done and the maximum amount of climbing I have done. As of today I have done 235kms of riding in 4 days.

Tomorrow we move South to climb Ventou after a short climb in the area  .I am not sure if my body is ready .We will see.

Bastille Day

 

 

On the way up

At the top of La plagne

Lying in the sun

cycle path home

Profile of the climb today

A rare opportunity to be here in France on Bastille Day and especially at Brough St Maurice and riding up to La Plagne a climb up to 2000m from the town. The night before we all enjoyed a great dinner and fire works  at St Maurice. The next day we started off on a leisurely ride to the start of the climb about 10kms and then a 16/17km climb with varying gradients and 21 switchbacks. It was slow going but I managed to pace myself and found it a lot better than yesterday's ride . Made it to the top in 2.40 hr and then we had a drink and rode back down . Again it was a hot beautiful day .  I did find some of the switchbacks hard with a gradient of 9% and a stretch of 8% as well. Overall the legs were feeling better .Everyone made it up Ok . The heat did make it a little harder at points. Coming down was always fun but with switchbacks ,I still had to slow for the sharp corners. My Garmin died so I could not tell what speed I was travelling down. We all regrouped at the bottom and rode back via the cycle path along a river back to town. The whole ride was about 4 hours and with a break we spent more than 5 hours out in the sun .it was a long day .

I also managed to get up to Les Arcs on the Funicular operating from the town and had a drink at the resort whilst watching the Tour . Didn't manage to go to the top which is 3200m where there is still snow.

On the bike path by the river heading back to the Town

Day 3 13 July 2015

                                                            Dinner the night before

                                                
                                                                View from room

          
                                                                views whilst climbing

                                                             
                                                                          at the top

                                   
                                                               coffee break by the lake

It is the Day Before Bastile Day and another day of climbing the beautiful mountains around Bough St Maurice .

I was up early at 5am and had a quick walk and then Breakfast at 8am .It was then a quick change and off we went at 9am .today was a shorter ride but with the legs and back tired from yesterday , any ride was going to be challenging. After 2kms riding through the town we hit the road to Montee Du Cormet de Roseland which was a straight climb for 20kms . it was slow and the legs were tired .I rode on my own for most of the ride and was passed and passed a few cyclist.Lots of hairpins at the beginning and it was hot. My Garmin 800 kept pausing as I was climbing which led me to think I was so slow even my Garmin was not picking up my pace.It was all very disheartening butI am told it may be just that the Garmin was losing the connection with the Satellite . Whatever it was , I got to the summit in I suspect 2 hours and then we all rolled down to a lake on the other side where we had coffe and sandwiches. It was then time to ride back up to the summit a good steady 6km climb in the hot sun. Once we got to the top it was a fast downhill back to town. I got as fast as 75kph and others 77 to 79kph..Total climb was about 1600m .

Once back at the hotel I just lay comatose in bed for a good 1.5hrs recovering . Tonight it is dinner at 7pm and then fireworks in the town celebrating Bastille Day tomorrow. Viva France.

Day 1&2

At Geneva Airport waiting for Kim Vivian and the van to take our bikes

Putting our Bikes together

View from My room which I am sharing with Lindsay

Bikes everywhere on Sunday Morning 12 July 2015

If only Europe wasn't so far from Australia? Leaving at 10.30 pm on Friday night after a day at work ,it was nearly 24 hours of flying and transferring and driving before we all reached the quaint town of  Bourg-Saint-Maurice ,our home for the next 5 nights as we ride the various cols around the region.

Despite the long flight , lack of sleep , confined space and the long waits at transfers, luggage carousels (waiting for our bike box) , waiting for our hire car etc , the long journey was most definitely worth it for the beautiful part of France we are in . The last time I was in this region was over 25 years ago skiing during the Christmas break at University .It was beautiful and a great experience back then as it is now. The weather has been unbelievably cooperative if not hot .

After our arrival at about 7.15 pm ,that is the car I was in , the rest having arrived at various times in the afternoon or late evening, we all met as a group for dinner at a local restaurant near the town square. Great food with the civilised French 3 courses , a salad , a main and a dessert with beer or wine .I had a beautiful sweet wine but don't know its roots although I suspect it is local. For the main I had fish which turned out to be small anchovies fried and served with a sauce and vegetables . For desert I had a mixed fruit cocktail with some sort of soft cake .There was choice of three for each course and it was simple but tasty French cuisine. The evening was still light and we were there till the sun set well past 9 pm and despite the tiredness it was a great start to the Holiday.

Day 2

The Road at the front of the Hotel

On the way up

High Altitude cows

and donkeys

Everyone was up early I got up at 5am and made my way down at 6am where we all gathered at the front of the  Hotel Arolla- at Bourg Saint Maurice ,accommodation whilst we are at Bourg Saint Maurice, to set up our bikes , then breakfast at 8am and we started out at 9am with the faster group leaving at 9.30am.

selfie on climb

At the top on the French/Italian border

The town on the way down

Today was a climb to  Col du Petit St Bernard , a 31 km climb from our hotel .It was a reasonably constant climb of about 5-6 % . I was pretty much one of the slower riders with no real bike legs to speak of but managed to grind it up all 31kms .It was worth the magnificent views and the experience of climbing such a beautiful mountain . as I passed cyclist or they passed me we all said bonjour and that so far with merci and ca va is the sum total of my French. I did nearly end up in a ditch as two French cyclist passed me and I tried to greet them and manoeuvre the bike at the same time ,me not so well ,and going into a grass depression at the side of the road looking sheepish and the French cyclist chuckling on and asking me "ca va" meaning "are you OK" possibly in French it also means You dumb twit . At the top we rode round a white pillar box structure which signified the Italian /French Border and in the distance was Mont Blanc at 4000 m and we were at 2188 m. My legs were tired , I can't lie .No rides for the last 2 weeks did not help but I wasn't worried about my times just finishing and enjoying the day , which I did. A coffee , a coke and a small blueberry cup cake brought some life back and after the usual photo opportunities and buying some touristy stuff , we headed back down 31 kms ,brakes needed for the hairpin turns unfortunately and the bumpy crevices on the road.

A once a year Sunday market at the Bough St Maurice

A young retriever at the market

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and walking around the town and the square and enjoying a once a year market with music and dance and old crafts and people in costume . It was hot though and I did at least have a bit of a rest in the afternoon before another group dinner .

Tomorrow another day of riding and climbing .Hopefully the legs will be working.

Tour De France 2015

A scene in the Alps during the 2005 Tour. Top, the Alpe d'Huez is perhaps cycling's most famous climb. Credit Franck Fife/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

After a month recovering from Northface with some riding and a few short runs and cross fit , its time for a holiday and an adventure. What is life without a few mountains to climb and look over the edge.
Fortunately , I  start on just such a great 3 weeks of riding in france and watching a bit of the Tour all 15 seconds I assume as they fly by but the real treat will be riding up those beautiful mountain roads and the views The climbs include: Col du Petite St Bernard, cormet de Roseland, La Plagne, Col d l'lseran, Col de la Madeleine, Mt Ventoux, Col de la Madeleine, Mt Ventoux, Col de Galibier, Col d' Izoard, Col de Glandon, Alpe d'Huez. (at least according to Hoffy's post on Facebook) But most of all there  will be good company and time to recover.

A start to training on the bike after a few months of run training .Let the adventure begin.