Assault on Mont Ventoux

The story · 2 days

Mont Ventoux...the giant of Provence, ceaselessly swept by the mistral that blows at times at over 100km/h. For an enthusiast, almost a maniac, of cycling it is too exciting and fascinating a challenge, an absolutely unmissable experience in one's personal roll of honour that evokes thrilling sporting feats at times spilling over into absurd tragedies...

Day 11 Jun 2006

First stage: Valperga - Malaucène

I have just returned from a trip and already I feel like setting off again. This time, though, I want to satisfy my cycling greed, but I still don't know which ambitious goal to reach. Fate would have it that a documentary about the Mont Ventoux biosphere is on TV: my memory goes back to the year 2000, when at the Tour de France the unforgettable and unforgettable Pantani returned to victory up there where sun and wind reign supreme. Well then, Mont Ventoux is the destination. I call the irrepressible Alberto, who enthusiastically declares himself ready to take on the bald mountain. Using various online road atlases, we map out the route that will take us to our base camp, namely the charming village of Malaucène, whose area is famous for its excellent cherries, where we have booked room-only at the hotel "L'Origan", located on the main square.

With the bicycles, luggage and the like loaded into the car, we set off. Valperga and Malaucène are more than 360 km apart, and we'll tackle them at a leisurely pace. After joining the Turin ring road from the former SS460, we continue towards Bardonecchia – Frejus (A32 motorway). After exiting at Oulx we head down towards Briançon after crossing over the Monginevro pass, then continue towards Gap where we stop for lunch. We take the road again heading towards Serres and then Nyons and then Vaison la Romaine, where we come across the sign indicating the town of Malaucène just a few kilometres away. After parking the car in the town's main square (free parking), we go to the hotel where the friendly manager provides us, included in the price of the stay at €23 each, with a garage to shelter our bicycles in.

We still have part of the day to make the most of, so we decide to go and have dinner and visit Avignon. As soon as we get out of the car to pay for parking, a powerful, thick blast of Mistral welcomes us to the Vaucluse. Avignon is a tidy city known for the famous historical period of the "Avignon Papacy" (1309-1377), that is, when the seat of the papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon. Given the time, the Palace of the Popes is closed to the public and we have to settle for seeing it from the outside; however, we can still visit the gardens, which offer a splendid panorama over the Rhône and the city, with the imposing bulk of Ventoux as a backdrop. Now it's time to go and rest; tomorrow will be an intense day.

Useful info: OFFICE DE TOURISME Place de la Mairie 84340 MALAUCÈNE Tel: 04.90.65.22.59 Fax: 04.90.65.22.59 Email: contact@malaucene.info

Day 22 Jun 2006

Conquering the legendary summit

Account of a memorable Thursday, 2 June 2006 9.00 After a breakfast of sugars, maltodextrins, dextrose and fructose — stuff that would give you diabetes just from reading about it — we go to the garage to get our bicycles, with which we will challenge sun, mistral, gradients and every sort of adversity. 9.15 In the car boot I prepare massive doses of salt supplements, honey and energy bars to ward off dehydration and the "bonk" that lurks treacherously at every turn. 9.30 The approach to Bedoin begins, from where the ascent of the bald mountain starts.

10.03 Having reached the Collet de la Madeleine, almost insignificant in altitude compared with the bald mountain, we meet a German equipped from head to toe who kindly takes two photos, almost images to be destined to the memory of posterity, he thinks, when he learns, with a skilful mix of English and exuberant gestures, what goal we intend to achieve. 11.06 Public car park in Bedoin, we take the road towards Saint Esteve. The gradient is gentle and the parade of lush French vineyards still distracts the mind from the toil that is about to loom. 11.32 Having reached the first two hairpin bends that characterise the climb, the contest with Mont Ventoux begins... 15km au sommet to go, as the French say: mistral in your face that at times seems to want to steer the bicycle, sun that fades and alternates perceptions, significant gradients that wear you out and consume your legs...

but motivation is too high to let go, and we keep pedalling. 12.17 Chalet Reynard marks the end of the toughest stretch of the climb and the beginning of the lunar landscape typical of Ventoux: arid stones cracked by the sun that will accompany us all the way to the summit. Now just over 6 km remain to the top. 12.50 Less than 100 metres to the finish line, here's the second hairpin bend, the gradient is deadly, nearly 15%... an impetuous gust of mistral arrives, very strong and icy, that almost brakes me and slams me to the ground... I accelerate to stay balanced, defeating the last attempt by the natural forces to stop me... Ventoux is conquered: it is 12.51 on 2 June 2006... what a marvel — Petrarch sang of it, we tamed it.

Although it is almost summer, the climate at the summit is inhospitable: 2 degrees with the cold wind blowing back in your face; just enough time to snap two photographs and then head straight down, on the opposite side, towards the road that leads us to Malaucène. During the descent you must be absolutely lucid and cautious: you reach almost supersonic speeds (I brushed 80km/h) very quickly, and the road surface in some stretches is uneven, with the risk of nasty falls. Once we reach Malaucène we celebrate the climb, at the outdoor bistro of the hotel, sitting in comfortable, cosy armchairs contemplating the silhouette of the mountain that towers over us.