Climbing Mont Ventoux - my little movie

greeny12
greeny12 Posts: 759
edited October 2009 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Complete with UnSteadyCam footage and dodgy voiceover, here is a little movie I made of my trip to Provence in late summer to climb Mt Ventoux.

I post it here really as a way of saying thanks to the Bikeradar forum members whose comments about climbing the mounatain I've appropriated for the opening titles!!

If you're bored today, it might pass a ten-minute tea break:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNMEzJQBixU

:)
My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
http://ontherivet.ning.com/

Comments

  • BobScarle
    BobScarle Posts: 282
    First of all, Well Done!

    I have it on my list to do when I get fitter (and lighter). Just love the bit at the top when you are slumped over the handlebars desperate for breath and the wife says "How do you feel?" :lol:

    Bob
  • bikeboff
    bikeboff Posts: 87
    Very nice video. Congratulations. Did you enjoy the descent?
  • FatLarry
    FatLarry Posts: 209
    Enjoyed that. Took me back to July this year...

    Especially liked the "Oh look, he's going to overtake someone" comment from the OH... :lol:
  • popette
    popette Posts: 2,089
    well done Greeny - I enjoyed watching that. You seemed really fresh at Chalet Reynard - by that stage, i was crying like a baby. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_eS81J2fZw if you look at this video from about 7 minutes, you can see what Ventoux looked like on Etape day - lots of walkers/sleepers/vomiters strewn all along the forest floor. It was gruesome, but awesome.
    Your wife and little lad are stars doing that with you - I'm impressed that he stood so nicely at the side of the road. Mine would have been running off into the forest at the first opportunity.
    Impressive time too!
    http://www.2010etape.blogspot.com
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    bikeboff wrote:
    Very nice video. Congratulations. Did you enjoy the descent?

    Thanks to you and everyone for the nice commnents!

    To answer your question, I only rode down to Chalet Reynard, then we stopped for coffee and the missus persuaded me to pack the bike in the car for the rest of the descent!

    I didn't mind much, I actually prefer going uphill to downhill...
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    Good camera work and nicely edited. Was she using a tripod? A proper mini film, excellent.

    I can't believe you didn't acknowledge your little lad cheering you on, any one would think you were knackered or something.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • Percy Vera
    Percy Vera Posts: 1,103
    Well done!

    Why did you not get the chap on the mountain bike 'the look' as you passed him? :D
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    Feltup wrote:
    Good camera work and nicely edited. Was she using a tripod? .

    Heh heh - nope, all hand-held. Me leaning out of the car window for the general shots and the missus for everything else...
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    nice vid. I rode Ventoux two weeks ago, in similar weather. Fantastic climb.

    Did you record a time from Bedoin?
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    maddog 2 wrote:
    nice vid. I rode Ventoux two weeks ago, in similar weather. Fantastic climb.

    Did you record a time from Bedoin?

    Kind of...I started my stopwatch at the official KM0 then forgot to stop it once I'd crested the summit!

    However, I got my breath back then climbed off and crossed the road to sit on the wall (where the photo in the movie was taken) and it was at that point I noticed the stopwatch still running. It was showing two hours and just over two minutes, so I'm claiming a sub-two hour climb!!
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • shane515
    shane515 Posts: 139
    very nice video......I must do one or the other :wink: very very soon!!!

    Congrats to you (and the family) :D

    Shane
  • plasmadaddy
    plasmadaddy Posts: 13
    FANTASTIC - well done. I can only dream of being fit enough to do a climb like that!!
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    Awesome.

    Well done


    I loved the "Mind the car darling" from the OH :roll:
  • sidrhino
    sidrhino Posts: 26
    just watched your film and have to say the great big softy here had a few tears. well done it is this fat boys ambition to do this before my 50th! you inspire me
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    Well done! - great video and I was with you every pedal stroke there. I was over this year for the TDF and cycled it again and as having done it before several years ago I knew how hard this climb is and it just goes on until your spent.
    Brian B.
  • brad68
    brad68 Posts: 883
    Great video and thanks for sharing, brings it all back to me!!!!
    A real eye opener is just how fast Lance, Contador and Schleck were finishing!!!





    greeny12 wrote:
    Complete with UnSteadyCam footage and dodgy voiceover, here is a little movie I made of my trip to Provence in late summer to climb Mt Ventoux.

    I post it here really as a way of saying thanks to the Bikeradar forum members whose comments about climbing the mounatain I've appropriated for the opening titles!!

    If you're bored today, it might pass a ten-minute tea break:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNMEzJQBixU

    :)
    Bc
  • federalski
    federalski Posts: 93
    Brilliant video. You looked so fresh at the half way house, thought you were a pro in disguise. Looked like so much pain at the end though, ouch. Something to aspire to going up that beast. Inspiring stuff. Well done.
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    Thank you so much everyone for all your lovely comments!

    And anybody who has Ventoux in their sights, just go for it...not only is it a very rewarding thing to do it also makes for a great holiday trip as the area around it is fantastic for visiting.

    Just a final plug, too, for our hosts during the Ventoux weekend - Veloventoux in Faucon - the most friendly and welcoming place you could ever imagine.
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    Greeny - I share your comments about Veloventoux and so do many others on this Forum.
    Brian B.
  • wicked
    wicked Posts: 844
    Chapeau to you sir! Nice ride and a super little film you have put together there. HD? Really must get round to an attempt at the same thing, did you do a lot of specific training for it?

    If others keep posting things like this I will have to do it! :wink:
    It’s the most beautiful sport in the world but it’s governed by ***ts who have turned it into a crock of ****.
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    wicked wrote:
    Chapeau to you sir! Nice ride and a super little film you have put together there. HD? Really must get round to an attempt at the same thing, did you do a lot of specific training for it?

    To answer your question, not really. The only truly specific training was me and a mate went to Wales one weekend and did two days climbing in the Brecon Beacons, which we'd been told were as close to Alpine-like climbs as you'd get in the UK. The Bwlch (?) was certainly a good test - we went up the two routes used in the Dragon Ride this year.

    Other than that it was just regular circuits of Highgate West Hill (I live there) plus a few sportives, including Highclere. To be honest, Highclere was tougher than the Ventoux climb, because I set my goal as silver standard and achieved it through a mad 77 mile solo time trial...and at 6'6" I'm not that aerodynamic for such things!!
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • jammacdo
    jammacdo Posts: 10
    Brilliant video, well done for taking the time to put it together.

    You asked "God knows what it must be like with a head wind?" Well I'm not God but I'll tell you the wind was insane and made it feel like 20% when I did it.

    Congrats on the video though, it allowed me to relive my ascent. But you really missed out on the decent from CR it was absolutely WONDERFUL!!!!
  • paulieb2006
    paulieb2006 Posts: 318
    Well done. I am tring to convence the misses to go to france for 10 days or do next summer and was thinking of doing Mont Ventoux and possibly the Tourmalet as well. Havnt told her this yet :?
    http://i870.photobucket.com/albums/ab26 ... C05883.jpg
  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    Great use of music.

    Hope of the States - The Lost Riots is my favourite album of all time; period; ever. Nothing can or will top it.

    Really enjoyed your video, inspiring in fact.

    PS - check out the 90 day men....

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