To The Young Ones Amongst You, How About This For Next Year's Challenge??

If you've just read the previous blog update, you will have seen mention of Mont Ventoux, a name that brings fear into the hearts of professional and amateur cyclists worldwide.  We have spent today on the slopes and summit of the highest mountain in this area and close up and personal, I can understand the fear that it engenders.

It has been a regular feature of the Tour De France over the years, the last time in 2013 when eventual winner, Chris Froome, crested the summit tape in a time of 59 minutes.  That is a staggering time when you consider it alongside some other statistics:

The length of the climb from Bedoin to the summit is 21.4kms

The height at the top is 1,912 metres

The actual climb is 1,639 metres

The average gradient is 7.6%

The maximum gradient is 12%

The fastest ascent was by Iban Mayo in 2004 at just 55 minutes (was it clean though?)

Someone once climbed it 11 times in 24 hours (he's still receiving treatment for a very sore arse)

I can confess to it being a hard climb in the car as well as you follow and try to overtake this snake of cyclists as they seek the summit.  Some look in total control whilst others look anything but and it is fascinating to see the different shapes and sizes taking on this challenge.  The other intriguing thing is to watch people on mountain bikes having to use twice as much effort as those on pure racing bikes costing thousands of pounds.

The most famous cyclist in respect of Ventoux was Tommy Simpson who died on its slopes on 13th July 1967.  It is a very sad tale because at one point, he was rolling from side to side on his bike and actually fell off.  He sought help to get back in the saddle but unfortunately, just half a mile from the summit he fell again with his feet still clipped into the pedals and died where he fell.  It was very sad that amphetamines were found in his jersey and in his blood stream although the cause of death was classed as heat exhaustion.  There is a wonderful memorial to him at the place he died and for many cyclists this is a place of pilgrimage as the photos demonstrate.

It is a desolate place at the top when you come out of the forest that covers the lower slopes and wind speeds in excess of 200mph have been recorded on the summit. Today, the temperature at the top was just 12 degrees compared to the near 30 degrees at the start point in Bedoin.

For anybody with a sporting bent, this mountain draws you in and challenges you to have a go.  Having completed the climb out of Settle over towards Malham last year, Mont Ventoux need hold no fears for you young ones so how about it next year??