Mont Ventoux – Bedoin Side
By Will • Oct 13th, 2007 • Category: Climbs, Cycling, FavoritesFor all three sides Ventoux in one ride – see here
October is a great time to cycle this legendary volcano – not too hot, although pretty chilly at the top. It was my third time up Ventoux this year – in May I climbed from Malaucene and from Bedoin.
The road wasn’t crowded but there were still plenty of cyclists – mainly foreigners that were here for one reason – to climb Ventoux.
Ventoux means windy, and it is not uncommon to have winds above 100 kmh at the summit or even snow in July. On the other hand it can sometimes be a furnace, especial on the South side. Mont Ventoux first appeared in the Tour de France in 1951. This mountain can be a killer. In the 1967 Tour de France, UK rider Tom Simpson collapsed and died while climbing Ventoux – see the picture of his monument above.
Luckily, friends drove up so I could skip the descent, because it was COLD up top.
Here’s a great photo of the top that Doreen took in May, 2007. I am a little speck on right.
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Will is Happiest while cycling uphill. More enthusiastic than talented, his 2013 Challenge is to cycle a 150 Cols (mountain passes), slowly -- and to just enjoy.
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The holy graile of cycling. Went up the tour side in 2000. Thought I would never arrive…