Cycling with the Ventoux Mount

Three routes of rises are possible for the Mont Ventoux :

  • Bédoin (southern) is emblématique of the rises and the route borrowed by the turn of France. Starting from the exit of the village, it is 22  km and 1610  m of uneven: easy until Saint-Estève, the slope hardens to reach an average from approximately 10% for the 16  remaining km, with generally a strong wind in the last kilometers.

  • Malaucène (northern) offers, in spite of passages to 11,5 percent, a difficulty a little lower than the southern route, with 21  km and 1570 m of made uneven, and one is protected better there from the wind.

  • Sault (is) is longest but easiest of the rises, with 26 km, 1220 m of made uneven and the slopes with 5%.

The Tour de France

The Tour de France regularly proposes the rise of this top, famous for the stiffness of its rise very as much as for heat that it made there in July. The group crosses for the first time Ventoux in 1951 during the Montpellier-Avignon stage. Charly Gaul in 1958, Raymond Poulidor in 1965, Eddy Merckx in 1970, Bernard Thévenet in 1972, Jean-François Bernard in 1987, Marco Pantani in 2000 and Richard Virenque in 2002 are in particular illustrated there.

At the time of the edition of 1967, the British Tom Simpson died, victim of the doping, the July 13rd whereas it made the rise of the Ventoux mount by a choking heat (35°C). Already in 1955, the French runner Jean Malléjac had undergone a low register Insolation there. Eddy Merckx itself had a faintness at the time of its victory at the top.

Critérium of Dauphine released

The fastest rise was made the 10  June 2004 against the watch at the time of the fourth stage of the Critérium of Dauphine released Bédoin - the Ventoux Mount:
  1. Iban Mayo in 55 ' 51
  2. Tyler Hamilton in 56 ' 26
  3. Oscar Sevilla in 56 ' 54

Performances on Ventoux

May 16th, 2006, Jean-Pascal Roux beat the record of rise in twenty-four hours by the only side of Bedoin, noblest but also most difficult. This record was held since the previous year by Jean-Michel Robert, an old runner of Elite category, author of nine rises in two turns of clock. Red-headed Jean-Pascal, climbing of 1,88 meter for 76 kilos, made a success of the new master key of eleven rises in twenty-four hours!

May 29th, 2004, Jean-Pascal Red-headed, kinesitherapist residing at Bédoin, the record of rise of Ventoux beat of 24 hours, that is to say 10 rises (old record 7 rises of 24 hours), 4 by Bédoin, 3 by Malaucéne and 3 by Sault.

It was followed on June 28th, 2004 by Dominique Briand who carried out in his turn 10 rises of the giant of Provence in 22:42 min at the time of Master Séries 2004, with his credit 3 rises by Bédoin, 3 by Malaucéne and 4 by Sault.

New performance on the Ventoux Mount, in a little more than 22 hours, the 31/07 and 01/08, Jean-Michel Robert achieved 9 consecutive rises by Bédoin.

More: Summary of the performances

Masterseries

The Masterséries is a challenge organized each year at the end of June or at the beginning of July, which proposes to climb Ventoux a minimum of 5 times Master , 3 or 4 times Expert , 1 or 2 times Challenger' during the 24 hours, with or without personal assistance.

Results:

  • 2005: 8 rises for Paul Moog and Jacky Deconihout.
(Jean-Michel Robert carried out 6 rises by Bédoin).
  • 2004: 10 rises for Red-headed Jean-Pascal and Dominique Briand.
  • 2003: 7 rises for Herve Morel and Dominic Pink.

For more information on this test: http://www.velo-concept.com

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