3 Routes Up Ventoux

Harrogate Velo50 · November 2013

Hi guys first time on her and after some advice please.

I am attempting the 3 climbs up Ventoux in a day for charity next year. I am 51 and more of a keep fit cyclist than anything else. I have done the Fred and Etap Du Dales, very slowly, without getting off any climbs and done a few tours Tec but I am not what you would call a serious cyclist.

I am after any ideas for a gym based training program as I would guess there will be a period due to the weather when I can't get out much. My aim is just to complete it without quitting on the climb, the time it takes doesn't matter really.

I am quite light at 9 st 10lbs and 5foot seven and used to keeping fit but never had a proper structured training plan, would love to get a coach but just can't afford it to be honest.

Any help would be appreciated. Oh and any recommends for a quality payable waterproof would be great.

Thanks

Wirral_paul · November 2013

Sounds great - good luck with that mate. Have you ridden up Ventoux before?? I did it via Bedoin in September (from Ardeche Gorge with 4000ft ascent / 65 miles before starting) on my Paris - Nice trip and that was tough enough with 10-11% for mile after relentless mile. We rode down to Sault afterwards and that was a stunning road and while long, not particularly steep. Doing the 3 routes in a day would be amazing - i wanna come!!

I actually wouldnt bother with the gym myself to be honest. Maybe better to gain / keep your fitness on the bike and get yourself a turbo trainer - and treat the climbs like a long time trial so train that way. I did have a coach for 3 months over the summer but stopped as i simply could commit the time consistently enough due to running my business.

oldhairylegs · November 2013

Did the 3 routes up this year - on 3 separate days though!

I don't think gym work will be much help for this really. Being light in the weight department will be a very big help for you but you just need to be ready to suffer for a very, very long time!

Having the right gearing will be very important too - recommend a compact with at least a 27 on the back.

Have you decided what order you will do each climb? I found the route up from Bedoin the hardest with >10% gradient for an hour or more; the route up from Sault is by far the easiest so I think this may be best done last.

Temperature could also be a factor if you are doing it in the summer as the exposed zone beyond Chalet Reynard can be baking hot - if it isn't blowing a gale of course! :shock:

Good luck.

stanthomas · November 2013

http://www.clubcinglesventoux.org/

durhamwasp · November 2013

Check out our website below.... We did the Cingles in 2010, and our eldest member was 53 at that time, and works away at sea, so in the 3 months proceeding the ride he did 90% of his training in the gym, oh, and he weighed about 15 stones.

If you have done the Fred Whitton, and you like to cycle slowly, then i'm pretty sure you can do the Cingles! We did it slowly (started 7:13am, finished 20:00) and had plenty of breaks in between at various cafes. The key really is to do it slowly, you have all day use it. I'd recommend doing the Sault route last, and our general thought was that we knew we could do it once, the second time would be tough, and nothing would stop us the third time. We hadn't done anything like the Fred beforehand, our biggest training ride was the Richmond 80 Sportive, altho we did rack up the miles each week generally.

Training wise our 53year old Cingle mainly did his training based on watt's. Upping his output over the months/weeks before hand, and lengthening the time. He didn't do any extraordinary tho, just built it up.

Make sure you have some nice easy gears, and an insurance policy gear too! 34 x 28 or so... You will find a fair few Cingles threads in the Tour section.

Harrogate Velo50 · November 2013

Thanks for all the info so far guy's. No I haven't ridden up Ventoux before, just one of those things I had to challenge myself to do, and hopefully with it being so difficult I can justify asking for sponsors for the charity.

No choice these days but to do it slowly! If it's flat, which this isn't!!, I can do 50 miles in 2 hour 15 but this is different ball game, and while there is some quite short and very steep climbs where I live in Yorkshire, no long climbs really

I meant to day PACKABLE waterproof, sorry,

DeVlaeminck · November 2013

If by gym based you mean a spin bike or something I'd just do extended efforts - no need for short intervals as you'll be doing three hour plus long climbs. If you mean weights and stuff, well if you do it anyway it wont hurt but I wouldn't bother doing too much, maybe some core work and stretching as climbing for that long if you aren't used to it can be quite a strain on the back.

As far as the ride goes it sounds great, Ventoux is a fantastic place in good weather, search youtube for ventoux sportive to see the conditions when the wind blows.

Wirral_paul · November 2013

DeVlaeminck wrote:

As far as the ride goes it sounds great, Ventoux is a fantastic place in good weather, search youtube for ventoux sportive to see the conditions when the wind blows.

Crikey dont mention the wind!! I recon it was 40 - 50mph when i was up there and was down to about 2mph tucked down on the drops with someone slipstreaming me to keep moving on that little bit before the final ramp to the top (about 300-400m to go).

Another tip - no matter how warm it is at the bottom, the weather can be totally different at the top. Plenty of people to ask what the conditions are like though - so dont be caught out and pack arm / leg warmers, jackets etc.

durhamwasp · November 2013

I would highly recommend that you plan this to the finest degree, its a fantastic challenge and the feeling at the end is like nothing I have felt in sport!

Are you planning on camping in Bedoin, or B&B or hotel? If you can I would recommend staying for 4 or 5 days The weather on the Ventoux is utterly unpredictable! We were so lucky in September 2010, as we turned up with 1 day in mind, and it was perfect - 26c in Bedoin, and 19c at the summit with not a breath of wind! in August 2012 I went back to get up with my 2yr old daughter on the back of the bike, were there for 3 days, and not one day was 'good', tho I still managed my challenge. Bedoin is also a nice town, and theres enough to do if you end up cycling the Cingles on day 1.

We planned on all our stops, and also pre-packed little sachets of energy mix (3 scoops in each bag for a 700ml bottle) and knew the points we would refill the bottles. Also had 3 gels for on each ascent, and 1 for Malaucene and Sault. We took Aldi's packable waterproofs and used them on descents, again if you are there for 4 or 5 days you hopefully wont need them for rain.

Theres a good charity called "Ven24Cancer" that do the Cingles most years, they did it the same day as us and had DJ decks and loud music at various places, as well as being hundreds of people on the climb, pretty special atmosphere!

Harrogate Velo50 · November 2013

I am in the area for a week and stopping in a b&b so with bit of luck will get one day of ok (going end of May,beginning of June) and hopefully will have vehicle support of some sort

bernithebiker · November 2013

Do not even think about a higher gear than 34-28, even for a fit cyclist.

andy40man · November 2013

I became a member of the 'Cingles du Mont Ventoux' club on July 1st this year. Probably one of the best days I've ever had on a bike. Weather was perfect, no wind, lovely and sunny - probably a bit too hot for us Brits but rather that than wind and rain! I'd never ridden Ventoux before and now I've done all three routes up it I doubt I will ever again, far too many other mountains out there on the 'Bucket List.'

My advice for winter training would be to get a turbo trainer, go to the gym for maybe two 1 hour weights and abs sessions a week. Spinning classes provide a nice bit of variety too. If you've got an old bike, fit some mudguards and get out as much as possible.

On the day, make sure you have two bottles on your bike and fill them at every opportunity, the cafes at Chalet Liotard and Chalet Reynard are on route and top up in the towns after each decent. I used about three gels per climb and stopped only for photos at the summit and Tom Simpson memorial. If it's hot you'll be stunned by how much water you will need. Plain water is best because you can pour it on your head if you're overheating. Support is a good idea, there will be a time when you think 'why am I doing this' so encouragement is very welcome.

Set off as early as you can, eases any time worries you may have and your first climb will be in the coolest part of the day. I did the climbs in the usual order, Bedoin, Malaucene, Sault, with final descent back to Bedoin.

Enjoy the descents, road surfaces are great, roads are wide and drivers generally very cyclist aware.....it is an awesome feeling blasting past a car on a bike too

PM me if you want any other advice.

PS I'm also 51, carry about a stone more than you, but have never done the Fred or Etape du Dales. Therefore if I did it so can you 8)

cyclingsheep · November 2013

Good luck. This is so definitely on my bucket list but am struggling to convince my usual partner in crime.....must try harder.

Harrogate Velo50 · November 2013

Thanks v much for the info guy's, Durham, the web site for snook is really good .
Yes Andy, would love any info you can spare, but at the moment I am unable to pm you as according to admin on here as I have just joined the forum I don't have that facility.

Oh and thanks to all for the good luck messages. If any guy's are in the north yorkshire area and fancy I bit of a training ride just let me know

durhamwasp · November 2013

Cheers for that, need to update some pages on it soon.

Might be a good idea to come up with 3 or 4 sportives/audax's in the months leading up to it, use each one as a marker post to train for, upping the climbing or distance of each.

Overall though, I still think if you can do the Fred, you can become a Cingle.

oneof1982 · November 2013

We did the Marmotte on the Saturday, and the Cingles on the Thursday this year. The Cingles was much more relaxed and more fun. Set off at 5.00am from Bedouin. Were at the top by 7.30 am, and managed a sit down breakfast in Maucelin. Back up the top and pizza in Sault for lunch before the final assault. Was very busy on later on as the tour was coming through the following weekend.

Don't forget to register and get your card - see website below. It can be stamped in any business premises (e.g. cafe, bike shop). You get a cheapy little plastic medal when you send your completed card back to Paris, but it is fun.

Enjoy!

http://www.clubcinglesventoux.org/

3 Routes Up Ventoux

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