Les Cingles du Mont Ventoux.
nickwill
Posts: 2,735
A couple of us are intending to do this ride next Summer. As we were discussing it, it was suggested that rather than park the van at the bottom, we start at the top and ride down , before the first ascent. That way we would have access to supplies and changes of clothing etc at the top. Obviously the amount of climbing is the same, but logistically it would be easier.
Does anyone know whether this contravenes the rules of the club?
Does anyone know whether this contravenes the rules of the club?
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Comments
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The Cingles ride(3 Ventoux ascents) starts at the bottom and finishes at the bottom, you will be given a route card which must be stamped at each point; Bedoin, Maulcene, Sailt plus summit x 3. ie 3 ascents and 3 descents.
Therefore no real benefit in leaving car at summit. Besides the best part of the day is the final descent. I started and stopped in Maulacene, and in my opion that's the most enjoyable descent, very fast!! BTW if the gift shop is closed at the summit there is a machine which will stamp your route card with a date/time to confirm your ascent. Enjoy it as it's a great day out on the bike.0 -
sounds absolutely fine and definitely a good idea. In fact, once you've done the third descent, you'll have to go back up to get the car, so you could do the Route Forestier and become a Galerian rather than a Cingle...
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The man has a point - you'd have to collect the van at the end somehow!
It is a great ride - but worth starting VERY early to avoid the heat as best as possible. We started well before dawn, using joystick helmet lights. We got our summit stamp on the second ascent as the gift shop was closed - too early.
With regards to the stamping - they only require one stamp at the summit which I think makes it too easy to cheat unfortunately - ie start in Bedoin, get your stamp there, at the summit and in Malaucene, then back over the top to Sault and job done - only two ascents but all stamps collected.0 -
How did you start at dawn?
Do you not have to get your card stamped before you start?0 -
No - you can get your card stamped at any time. So I started in Bedoin, went over to Malaucene and got my first stamp there (No shops open in Bedoin or at the summit) then back up to the summit, got stamp there, on to Sault, back over the top and down to Bedoin for last stamp.
You do have to record the times of all legs though.0 -
Great stuff, thanks.
As a matter of interest, how long did it take? I'm there in the summer and hope to have a go at it. I'm built for comfort rather than speed though!0 -
I did this challenge last year - and it was a fantastic experience.
There is a not-so-brief write-up here
http://www.anordinarycyclist.co.uk/?cat=22
Good luck and enjoy it.
P0 -
I took a little over nine hours to do it, just set a nice steady pace and stopped when needed to refuel etc. It is not quite as tough as I'd expected it to be - though it remains a BIG challenge.0
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Road Red wrote:Great stuff, thanks.
As a matter of interest, how long did it take? I'm there in the summer and hope to have a go at it. I'm built for comfort rather than speed though!
I did it with a mate in september (we did la routes du ventoux sportive on the Sunday and then the cingles on the Tuesday). It took just over 7 hours, but that includes the ride from where we were staying to maulacene and back. I'd say roughly that a 7 hour cingles equates to an 8 hour marmotte or sub 6:30 dragon
it's a big day out on the bike, but more do-able than perhaps it sounds0 -
singlespeedexplosif wrote:sounds absolutely fine and definitely a good idea. In fact, once you've done the third descent, you'll have to go back up to get the car, so you could do the Route Forestier and become a Galerian rather than a Cingle...
Would you have to descend after the final climb? In effect what I am suggesting is that you descend first and your final leg finishes on the top. Still 3 descents and 3 climbs!
Or is that against the spirit of the event?0 -
Good stuff guys.
I reckon your name is a little misleading cookiemonster, with times like that you're obviously keeping well back from the cookie jar!
I'm firmly in clantons camp on the timing front. Like the comments about it not being as hard as you thought.0 -
lol - yeah, bit of a misnomer, i cant remember why i chose cookiemonster
I think the "easiness" (not quite the right word...) is due to the reasonably steady gradients on the first two climbs and then a straight forward climb from sault, coupled with the fact that you're not doing it as part of a race or sportive, so it really is a case of plugging in cadence and effort to set yourself up for a 1:30 - 2:00 effort (or whatever each climb takes you) that you reckon you can knock out three times. Also you almost always see the radio tower, so you know what you're aiming for.0 -
Some good advice on this thread.
Here's write up of one of my attempts in 2008.
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/default.a ... ry&id=6197
Over the years I've found the best way to do it is like this:
(coffee) Bedoin - Summit
Summit - Malaucene (coffee)
Malaucene - Summit - Chalet Reynard (big lunch)
Chalet Reynard - Sault (coffee)
Sault - Summit
Summit - Bedoin (beer)
This gives you time for your lunch to settle on the descent to Sault and the Omlette Frites at Chalet Reynard is awesome!
8 hours is a good time. Start as early as you can in summer. If the Bedoin tourist office is shut just try any of the bars for your first stamp.
If you need any more info just ask.
Cheers
Craig0 -
Craig, what is your take on starting and finishing the ride on the top?
Is it against the rules and/or the spirit of the challenge?0 -
Not really - so long as you do 3 ascents and 3 descents.
The whole thing is done in a "gentlemans agreement" kind of way anyway.
I can't believe anyone would cheat at this!!!
When we do this for our guests we put a vehicle / feed station on the top if they request it but many don't bother. There's enough food and drink on or around the mountain not to need a permanent base on the top.
Only if the weather is really really crappy would I recommend this as clothes at the top would be useful for the descent. however this gives you another problem as you have to ride back up carrying your descent gear.
Keep asking if you need any more info.0 -
There's enough food and drink on or around the mountain not to need a permanent base on the top
not as nice as Vick's sarnies though 0 -
singlespeedexplosif wrote:There's enough food and drink on or around the mountain not to need a permanent base on the top
not as nice as Vick's sarnies though
Goes without saying 0 -
I have found the registration form a little confusing. Am I right that UK riders have to register by bank transfer and cannot send cheques?
I presume it's a case of making the transfer to the account listed on the form, and sending the form in separately, is this right?0 -
Nickwill wrote:I have found the registration form a little confusing. Am I right that UK riders have to register by bank transfer and cannot send cheques?
I presume it's a case of making the transfer to the account listed on the form, and sending the form in separately, is this right?
Don't send a UK cheque - it will be no good to M. Pic.
Send the form in to him and do a bank transfer - now this might cost you, It might even cost you more than the cost of the Brevet Card.
I buy 30 of these before every season and have a few left which I have for my guest but these are spoken for. I will be ordering some more maybe in March or April.
If the charges to pay by IBAN are too much get in touch with me and I'll see if I can help.
Cheers0 -
Thats really kind !craigenty wrote:Nickwill wrote:I have found the registration form a little confusing. Am I right that UK riders have to register by bank transfer and cannot send cheques?
I presume it's a case of making the transfer to the account listed on the form, and sending the form in separately, is this right?
Don't send a UK cheque - it will be no good to M. Pic.
Send the form in to him and do a bank transfer - now this might cost you, It might even cost you more than the cost of the Brevet Card.
I buy 30 of these before every season and have a few left which I have for my guest but these are spoken for. I will be ordering some more maybe in March or April.
If the charges to pay by IBAN are too much get in touch with me and I'll see if I can help.
Cheers
As there will certainly be two, perhaps three, of us we can probably share the cost of the transfer between us, so perhaps it wont be so bad. I'll enquire at my local bank, and find out more. We won't be going till the Summer, so at this stage there's plenty of time!
Thanks again, and I will get in touch if we get stuck if you don't mind.0 -
Nickwill wrote:
Thats really kind !craigenty wrote:Nickwill wrote:I have found the registration form a little confusing. Am I right that UK riders have to register by bank transfer and cannot send cheques?
I presume it's a case of making the transfer to the account listed on the form, and sending the form in separately, is this right?
Don't send a UK cheque - it will be no good to M. Pic.
Send the form in to him and do a bank transfer - now this might cost you, It might even cost you more than the cost of the Brevet Card.
I buy 30 of these before every season and have a few left which I have for my guest but these are spoken for. I will be ordering some more maybe in March or April.
If the charges to pay by IBAN are too much get in touch with me and I'll see if I can help.
Cheers
As there will certainly be two, perhaps three, of us we can probably share the cost of the transfer between us, so perhaps it wont be so bad. I'll enquire at my local bank, and find out more. We won't be going till the Summer, so at this stage there's plenty of time!
Thanks again, and I will get in touch if we get stuck if you don't mind.
I have a feeling that the transfer might be 14 or 15 quid - not bad between three of you.
Just let me know if it's a problem.0
