Mont Ventoux stuff

Lichtblick

Tomorrow is the longest stage - 243 km - and it looks like they'll be in the saddle for seven hours. 10.35 - 17.18 roughly.

I wonder how many times the commentators will tell us why the top is bald of trees (deforested to build ships), and that Ventoux means 'windy'.

I read somewhere today that Froome spent a week there in May, training on this one mountain.

I presume the team busses are out of sight, they get 'home' down hill on another road? Please don't tell me they have to pedal down again before any rest/massage/food and drink.

How the heck do riders who can't climb, get up there. They have to, or they'd be out of the Tour. Zigzag across the road to minimise gradient? I'm no geriatric but I don't think I could even walk up there, let alone cycle.

Friendly replies welcomed. Thanks!

above_the_cows

Lichtblick wrote:

I presume the team busses are out of sight, they get 'home' down hill on another road? Please don't tell me they have to pedal down again before any rest/massage/food and drink.

The road goes over the summit and down the north side.

inseine

How the heck do riders who can't climb, get up there. They have to, or they'd be out of the Tour. Zigzag across the road to minimise gradient? I'm no geriatric but I don't think I could even walk up there, let alone cycle.

I don't know how serious that comment is, but it's not a super hard climb and you see all sorts of people/bikes on it. It's just going to take some time. A long time!

RichN95.

Lichtblick wrote:

How the heck do riders who can't climb, get up there. They have to, or they'd be out of the Tour. Zigzag across the road to minimise gradient? I'm no geriatric but I don't think I could even walk up there, let alone cycle.

They can't climb in pro terms but they'd hammer all the amateurs that manage to make it up there on a regular basis. And the time cut is very unlikely to be an issue tomorrow.

tailwindhome

Lichtblick wrote:

can't climb!

Can't climb for a pro isn't the same as for you or me.

I doubt anyone on here could hold Cav's wheel for more than a minute

alihisgreat

TailWindHome wrote:

Lichtblick wrote:

can't climb!

Can't climb for a pro isn't the same as for you or me.

I doubt anyone on here could hold Cav's wheel for more than a minute

It would be interesting to find out what kind of power-to-weight the autobus put out on the big climbs

frisbee

Pros aren't adverse to using sensible gears, they'll just spin up in a 34 or 36 and a 28 or 30.

They are also intelligent enough to conserve energy, if they can make the cut off going slower than you or I and obviously not fighting for the GC, they will do.

I did it 20 years ago, I don't remember it being especially hard but I was 50lbs lighter!

Macaloon

Mont Ventoux brings me out in screaming agoraphobia. Alien-looking structures on the top of high mountains freak me right out. Doing my bit for transparency. See what I mean?

greasedscotsman

inseine wrote:

I don't know how serious that comment is, but it's not a super hard climb and you see all sorts of people/bikes on it. It's just going to take some time. A long time!

Indeed, I rode it today!

slim_boy_fat

greasedscotsman wrote:

inseine wrote:

I don't know how serious that comment is, but it's not a super hard climb and you see all sorts of people/bikes on it. It's just going to take some time. A long time!

Indeed, I rode it today!

How much time did you put into the others?

above_the_cows

It is more the wind that is a right pain in the proverbial.

Lichtblick

inseine wrote:

How the heck do riders who can't climb, get up there. They have to, or they'd be out of the Tour. Zigzag across the road to minimise gradient? I'm no geriatric but I don't think I could even walk up there, let alone cycle.

I don't know how serious that comment is, but it's not a super hard climb and you see all sorts of people/bikes on it. It's just going to take some time. A long time!

It was semi-serious. Does anyone here know the zigzag road up to Neuschwanstein?



We got up it ok, but the woman right next to us was actually throwing up, in tears. (at the gradient and length of it and all the turns......)

takethehighroad

I can see some one (Saxo/Movistar) trying to split it up before the climb, depending on how windy it is.

If they can get Lopez, Kosta, Stannard, Thomas out the back before Malaucene it will make it easier on the climb. Improbable but still possible.

greasedscotsman

Slim Boy Fat wrote:

How much time did you put into the others?

Err, not very much.

goonz

I'd love to give it a go.

What sort of time do the pros get up it in?

Wonder whether we will see any Pantani/LA type attacks...

slim_boy_fat

greasedscotsman wrote:

Slim Boy Fat wrote:

How much time did you put into the others?

Err, not very much.

lol, must have been hugely satisfying when you got to the top. Was it busy?

CoutinhoRed

Haven't a clue what ttimes to pro's are capable of. Incidentally though I did come across the fastest times up Alp D'Huez and facts have it, anyone up there sub-40 is a dirty cheating druggie!

Wonder how it compares to Mont ventoux. They have to do that climb twice as well *evilgrin*

greasedscotsman

To be honest, I was in a bit of a state at the top. I didn't have enough food/drink with me and made the mistake of not getting something at Chalet Reynard. It was more relief that satisfaction.

And the whole climb was very busy. Lots of cyclists. Lots of camper vans. Gonna be a lot of people there tomorrow!

goonz

Isn't Ventoux tougher than the Alpe?

Think it has steeper gradients?

tailwindhome

greasedscotsman wrote:

Gonna be a lot of people there tomorrow!

There was a figure of 500,000 being touted. Inner Ring done the maths and determined that would be very unlikely.

ddraver

*Insert ddravers standard Alpe is not that hard it's only HC becasue it's at the end of every stage and has a special atmosphere post*



Tweets quoted 1 million now. As Mr Boulting says, seems like a massive over exaggeration

above_the_cows

I think Iban Mayo has the record for Ventoux, at around 55 mins. But as we know it depends where you start measuring the climb from

rick_chasey

It's brutal.



The profile, which is already beastly and loong, only tells half the story.

That section between 7km in and 14km is absolutely relentless. Not only that, it happens to be probably the hottest and most humid bit often - in amongst the treets which seems to deaden the air and keep the heat in.

Then obviously once you take that left kink out of the trees you get exposed to the elements. Blazing sun if it's hot, reflecting off the rocks, and serious wind.


The latter can reduce the racing spectacle quite a lot. They call it the windy mountain for good reason. A headwind on the way up will keep the group of favourites together.

On your own though it just makes it super difficult.

CoutinhoRed

They should've used it as a mountain time trial

inseine

greasedscotsman wrote:

inseine wrote:

I don't know how serious that comment is, but it's not a super hard climb and you see all sorts of people/bikes on it. It's just going to take some time. A long time!

Indeed, I rode it today!

Lucky man. I've just seen the photos, it looks mad already. I was on the Alpe in 2003 with 400,000 others but this year is going to be bigger still I reckon.

ddraver

I was doing some research for my geology post and there's a 24hr race up and down it!! God that must be horrific!!

exlaser

its a long hard climb.

it should take 55mmins to an hour and 10 for the pros.
a good club man will do it in about one and a half hours.

i did it in two and a half hours! :oops:

it was my best day ever on a bike!!!! and i will never attempt anything like it again.

oneof1982

I did Mt Ventoux 3 times on Thursday and will become officially a 'mad man' when I send in my card. (Club Cingles du Mt Ventoux). The point is most people with a bit of application can shift their fat jacksy up a mountain on a bike. The difference is that pro racers race up mountains. Those sprinters and roulers for whom climbing is not a specialitylearn to drift up as part of the 'bus'. But they still do it twice as fast as your average 'mass participator'. Those sprinters who can't do this have long since been weeded out of the pro ranks.

TMR

Lichtblick wrote:

Please don't tell me they have to pedal down again before any rest/massage/food and drink.

They don't have to pedal, that's the beauty of gravity!

thegibdog

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's brutal.

Meh. Look like Holme Moss, but just a bit longer...

thomthom

If Porte has regained some power I find it hard to see any attacks surviving for long. It's really not a climb that welcomes the aggressive type of riders.