what planning/logistics did it take, had you been to ventoux before? I've never been, would I be ill advised to try this blind?
I had never seen Ventoux before and never cycled a mountain like it.
Looking at the elevation profiles I'd quietly decided it didn't look too bad. Bedoin, considered the hardest has an average elevation of 8.5%. Though the first few km is quite gentle which has to made up for.
But seeing as its not unusual to see gradients of 15% in the UK I expected a long gentle climb going on forever. Well I got a bit if a shock on my first ascent. Those 15% grades in the UK generally only last 100m on so. 20km averaging 8.5% with kms that average 13% is a lot different. There's no respite, no top just around the corner.
I was unwell the night before and halfway through the first ascent I thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew. I was looking at the speed I was crawling at and doing the math and didn't think I would finish in time. It was going to be a long day, but I'd just carry on and do my best till I ran out if time.
The first descent was worse than the climb. It was freezing and I wasn't used to it having been riding fixed recently. It kept going on and on with sharp hairpin corners long scary straights and by the time I got the bottom my hands had pins and needles and my shoulders where in knots from gripping into the brakes in terror.
After a desperate emergency bathroom stop to aleve my upset stomach, my next ascent was significantly faster than my first. I was starting to feel better and my legs were getting used to the idea if pushing consistently for that long.
It's nice how the ride is so easily broken up into 6 chunks. I was doing the climbs in descending order of difficulty, so after I'd done Bedoin twice I knew it should be all down hill from there (well not literally). From the time it'd taken me to do that I knew I was doing OK and should be able to finish this after all if I looked after myself and could just keep going.
The descent to Malaucene was perhaps the most beautiful road I'd ever seen and there were hundreds if cyclists out now tackling the climb. The ascent however was much harder than I expected. Wasn't this supposed to be getting easier? It starts off quite gentley for the first 1/3 and luls you into a false sense if security so you start riding faster and harder than you should. Then the next 1/3 hits you and you spend what seems like forever grinding up gradients between 11-13%. Then you come around the corner and see what appears to be a sheer cliff not too far away with the observatory at the top and think how can a road go up there? And how will I get up it? Luckily this looks worse than it is and then I was at the summit again. Though now I had to weave my way through a mosh pit of cars looking for parking, tourists taking in the view and cyclists collapsing relieved and hunting desperately for shade.
After Maulaucene the Sault ascent is relatively gentle until in rejoins the Bedoin route. You even have to pedal in parts in the way down. But it's still over 100km that has to be done. It's a test if your will to complete the challenge. The last approach to the summit was the hardest. The last 8700m of climbing must've really taken it out of me. But of course, by then there was no way I wasn't going to make it, if it meant dragging myself with my arms.
Well sheesh, that turned into a bit of an epic write up on my phone.
But yes I think it's doable by most if you have the will. I ended up finishing in under 20 hours and I'm over 100kg so by no means a climber.
The main thing to remember is safety. This is a mountain. It's not like anything in the UK. Its half a kilometer taller than Ben Nevis. In the summer it can be 30c at the summit or it can be -5c. And both in the same day. And all while it's a sunny 38c in Bedoin. Winds over 300km/h have been recorded on the mountain. Clothing options are essential. The ascents could take over 3 hours of labour in temperatures that will scorch fair British skin so you need to have ample liquid available.
It can be hard, but it really is a beautiful mountain and you should totally give it a go!