Mont Ventoux training plan

BillyImp

Hi all
Long time lurker but first post on the forum.
I've set a goal of cycling up Mont Ventoux in late July (managed to tie it in with a family holiday ) and just wondering if anyone has any tips for training between now and then?

Bit of background on myself:
Started cycling more 'seriously' 4 years ago (am now 20 next week) when I cycled my first JoGLE, have kept up cycling relatively consistently since then and completed a second LEJoG two years ago. This summer just gone me and a friend cycled up from Lyon to Paris tying the route in with a few stages of TDF. As you can probably tell I love my touring but I'm very inconsistent with getting out on the road bike, I can go months where I'm out every day and then months at a time where I completely neglect it. I've been getting out a lot these last few weeks having received a Garmin Touring for Christmas (absolutely love it!) and decided to set myself the challenge of Mont Ventoux last week. I live in Lincolnshire which on the whole is very flat, there are some climbs but they tend to be extremely short and riding out into the wolds, climbing and then riding back is a good century ride from where I live.
I'm back at university next week so will be extremely limited on time and have just invested in a turbo trainer (Elite SuperCrono Power Mag ElastoGel - good deal on CRC for anyone interested!), I figure this will be the only way I can really replicate a long climb without having to travel out of the county. I'm aiming to still get out at weekends and hopefully one day a week but any advice for the trainer (or road rides) would be hugely appreciated.

P.S. I hate climbing so this one really will be a challenge for me

okgo

If someone can ride it on a Boris bike I think you will be totally fine as you are, assuming your goal is just to get up it.

BillyImp

okgo wrote:

If someone can ride it on a Boris bike I think you will be totally fine as you are, assuming your goal is just to get up it.

Yeah goal is just to get up.
Maybe I'm thinking it's harder than it is but living here in the flat country has made me very cautious when it comes to climbing.

owenlars

Getting up it will be fine if you have done two LEJoGs; you need to train if you want to get up it fast.

DeVlaeminck

Yes you are definitely thinking it is harder than it is. If you fancy a proper challenge you could try for all three road routes in a day - google des cingles.

Btw impressed that you take a daily holiday.

marcusjb

owenlars wrote:

Getting up it will be fine if you have done two LEJoGs; you need to train if you want to get up it fast.

I'd agree there - you sound like you can do the miles. You're young and sound pretty active. You'll be fine.

Flatlands are not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to training for hills - you can ride very consistently in the flatlands, putting out big Watts for an hour. This is not dissimilar to the efforts required for going up continental mountains - it's not perfect, but in some ways it is better than those who train on short choppy hill climbs.

guinea

I trained for Ventoux without leaving London. Simply doing hard laps of Richmond Park made it a breeze.

Just do hard efforts for an hour with no rests, even for a few seconds. On Ventoux, if you're not pedalling you've stopped, so just keep the power on during raining and you'll be fine.

It's a lovely climb. If you've got a couple of days maybe try from Sault the first time as it's a bit easier before trying the "proper" route from Bedoin.

BillyImp

Cheers for the replies, sounds like I should be fine doing exactly what I'm doing. Cheers for the tip on the hard efforts for an hour 'guinea', sounds like that will be what my turbo trainer sessions are going to consist of!

Talking of training in the flatlands, I had a mate over recently who often trains in the Yorkshire dales and he just couldn't hack the flat rides round here with a constant, steady power output as opposed to ups and downs. Wiggle are hosting a very flat sportive in Spring 'Flat out in the Fens' and it sounds like it will be right up my street so might give that one a crack.

Staying near Avignon for the week so going to try and get out most mornings and explore the area.

BillyImp

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Yes you are definitely thinking it is harder than it is. If you fancy a proper challenge you could try for all three road routes in a day - google des cingles.

Btw impressed that you take a daily holiday.

Haha, corrected now...don't know what happened there!! :roll: