ALPS / MONT VENTOUX EPIC TRIP - SIMON ATKINSON
June 2016
Myself and Richard Millen B.R.C.C recently spent two weeks working our down the French Alps climbing Cols as we went, 16 climbs in 15 days as it turns out and the jewel in the crown of this trip was to end up at the foot of Mont Ventoux to attempt the triple.
To join this exclusive club of idiots with nothing better to do with their holidays all you have to do is climb the Giant of Provence three times in one day. There are other options, if you're REALLY bored you can do the three ascents plus an off road ascent (Galerians) or you can opt to climb the mountain three times in one day twice (Bicingles). Richard and I had decided JUST to do the three ascents (Cingles).
As I said we had been working our way down the French Alps for two weeks climbing Cols as we went so we had some good miles and metres in our legs by the time we got down to Bedoin but only had one day for the attempt before having to start back home again. This isn't an ideal approach as the mountain doesn't care for your plans and the weather is notoriously unpredictable (see this years TDF stage!) We got lucky and when we woke up at 6 a.m the sun was already up, there was little breeze and it wasn't too warm, perfect!
Coffee and breakfast was dealt with while we filled our pockets with snacks and gels and filled our bottles. I decided on two 500ml bottles working on the premise that even at a steady pace I could still drink a bottle an hour and not run out between refills (and I didn't want to carry any unnecessary weight on the bike, it's all in the mind I know!). At 7 a.m we rolled down the hill out of the campsite and into a Tabac to get our Brevet card stamped to say we had at least started our attempt.
It was pleasantly cool as we set off and I'm wearing my jersey, arm warmers, gilet and casquette under my helmet. It's a lovely steady start and you can warm up on the lower slopes as the percentage varies from 2-5%, this doesn't last anywhere near long enough however and about 6k in your suddenly climbing properly through the forest. It's cool and beautifully quiet early in the morning but the constant 9% average for the next 6k will warm you up even climbing at a very steady pace which we were. The road surface is good and the corners are cambered favourably for descending, with the barriers on the bends it kind of looks like a race track and reminiscent of the Nurburgring, the descent however was a long way off yet. Things do ease off (a little) as you approach Chalet Reynard and this is where Richard and I parted company for the day as he wanted a pee and a snack and I wanted to do my ascents uninterrupted if possible. You can notch it up a couple of gears for a few k's now (if you want!) and after the recent grinding I was enjoying being able to spin a gear and unload my legs a bit. The last couple of K's are tough though and it ramps up to a 12% average at the end which is just what you want at the end of any climb as you can imagine. I've made it though, it's a great feeling and I remind myself that even a single ascent is no small feat. The shop and restaurant are closed at this time of day so I'll have to get my card stamped later on.
The sun is out now but it's not warm up here so It's jacket on and time to leg it off the mountain and down towards Maulacene. After a few meters of chilly mist I break the through into the sun and I can look out off the mountain to the clouds below me. Now as much as I seem to like climbing (I keep doing it so I guess I must) I prefer descending and the thought of 21K descent fills me with joy. As I'm descending it occurs to me (completely unfoundedly) that I already have this challenge wrapped up, I don't know why as I'm only one just one third in! The descent to Maulacene is great fun, there are wide sweeping bends and hairpins and I've only really got to be careful of small damp patches under the trees. I spin my legs to work out the lactic acid from the first climb and I kick out of the hairpins to keep my legs working and have some fun. The descent was over too soon but it still takes a while to lose 1515 meters of altitude. Eventually I roll into town, find a cafe and order myself a grande cafe au lait. I get my bottles refilled, my card stamped and peel off my layers ready for round two.
It's warming up some and the sun is really starting to do its work as I start my ascent, I'm not far up when I pass Richard coming off the mountain, I yell an instruction about the cafe location as he passes me and carry on. This climb is much busier and I'm passing cyclists and people on bikes regularly. I'm not pushing on as I'm aware of the scale of the challenge that still lies ahead but there are a lot of tourists trying their hand at the mountain, some on mountain bikes, some on hired road bikes, some on electric bikes and the most hardcore was a guy on Mountain bike towing his kid in a trailer, I can't even begin to tell you how little that appeals?
You don't get the gentle start on this side like you do out of Bedoin but the gradient is a bit more steady, however there are some steep ramps that really start to bite into the legs when you already got one ascent in your legs. If I had to do it again I'd probably do this ascent first as there is less shade than the Bedoin side when it warms up. So basically I'm sweating like (insert analogy here, mine is too rude to print!) and I notice that I'm starting to feel hungry. I've had a good breakfast, a couple of Pain au Raisins, a gel towards the top of the the first ascent and sugar in my coffee but I'm still burning through calories at a great rate. I suck back a couple of gels to keep me going as I head towards the top of the mountain, I wait for a hairpin both times as the gradient eases and I can take a breath but even so trying to eat while breathing through your ears is still a bit of a feat!
I feel like I'm on a bit of a mission now and I don't hang around at the top any longer than I have to. It's card stamp and jacket on time before starting the descent to Sault. I'm no less hungry and my bottles are pretty much empty but I figure I can fix that in the town at the bottom. I didn't count on two things however. The first is the length and gradient of the descent into Sault, it's a shallow descent with an average of only 4.5% and its longer with an extra 5K, combined it might make for a pretty nice ascent but I was pretty much pedalling the whole way down and it felt like an eternity with my stomach rumbling and my energy levels continuing to ebb away. The second thing was the nasty little ramp up to Sault. It's not particularly long or steep but after two ascents of the mountain it was about the last thing I wanted to see, scratch that it is exactly the last thing!
I roll up to the first cafe I come across, dump the bike outside and get a baguette and a drink. I slurp the Coke down and inhale my cheese baguette. The closest thing I can compare my eating to at that point is when the Cookie Monster gets his reward, Nom Nom Nom and gone! The bar staff kindly stamp my card and refill my bottles so I set off for the last ascent of the day.
I pass Richard on the lower slopes again, warn him of the impending ramp, wish him luck and we part ways again. It is a much nicer ascent and I slowly (very slowly!) reel in another cyclist and say hello, he's from Belgium and luckily as my French/Flemish/German is a little rusty his English is good and we end up riding together all the way back up to Chalet Reynard. Turns out he lives in the same village as Tom Boonen and as a native he avoids riding the cobbles (especially during winter unlike the Ghenters!). We chat about this and that and set ourselves a steady but solid pace. We pass people fairly regularly and most are sensible enough to let us go, however eventually we pass two that decide to jump onto our wheels and sit there, how rude! Clearly I'm not alone in this feeling and we seem to subliminally message each other and turn up the pace a little, and then a little more until BOOM and they've gone! Childish I know but satisfying in so far that I've got enough left in the tank after this much riding to be able to do it at all.
We part company as he turns to head down back to Bedoin and I'm feeling surprisingly good as I head for the last 6k. Having done this part this morning I know what's to come and suck back a gel on the easier gradient as I know it's going to be tricky to do that in the last couple K as it ramps up to punish the weary.
I'm still steadily passing cyclists and very happy with my newly fitted compact crank set which combined with my dinner plate esque 32 tooth cassette means I can spin a little gear while others seem to be grinding a huge gear in relative terms. Now I won't lie to you but with about 3k to go my head decides that it's done for the day, clocks off and takes my legs with it! The road is suddenly bloody steep and I'm very tired! I hold onto the wheel in front of me as best I can, I had caught up to this rider but either he's decided to push on for the last bit or I'm struggling, a little gap opens up, then it widens some more and then SNAP the elastic breaks. I know we're not racing but I'm still cursing my treacherous body through gasps of air! I'd say before you know it I'm at the top but it feels like an eternity to be honest. Still I make the summit, tired but incredibly happy. It's a shame that it's now grey and chilly with a bit of breeze blowing up. I mooch around the tat shop while drinking yet another full fat Coke (which I don't usually drink but I need the sugar today) layer up with everything I have and get someone to take a final photo of me next to the sign. I still need a stamp from the restaurant so I decide to take the opportunity to get a coffee before my last descent. Slightly warmed I set off and pass Richard yet again, he's only got about 4k to go so I shout some encouragement and set off in earnest to enjoy my last descent of the trip. I pass a car and then a camper van and close up on another two cars, I'm about to try passing them but I can feel a local in a white van right up my chuff, discretion being the better part of valour I pull over and let him pass as I don't want him sat on my rear wheel for the next 14k. I then proceed to sit on HIS bumper for the entire descent instead as he can't get past the cars in front and angrily tailgates them all the way off the mountain (better them than me!). It's certainly not my fastest descent but it is great fun chasing the cars never the less.
As I roll into Bedoin I'm sad that I've done my last descent but chuffed to have achieved so much and especially happy to have finished my trip off with a triple ascent of Mont Ventoux and 4400 metres of climbing in one day.
Cols climbed during the holiday
Ballon D'Alsace (Vosges mountains) 1170 metres
Col de Joux Plane 1691 metres
Col de la Colombiere 1613 metres
Lacettes Montvernier (not a Col but a nice climb anyway)
Col du Mollard 1320 metres
Col de la Madeliene 2000 metres
Col de Croix de Ferr 2067 metres
Col du Telegraphe 1566 metres
Col du Galibier 2642 metres
Alpe D'Huez 1803 metres
Col d'Agnel 2744
Col D'Izoard 2360
Col de Vars 2108 metres
Mont Ventoux 1912 metres (not technically a Col)
To join this exclusive club of idiots with nothing better to do with their holidays all you have to do is climb the Giant of Provence three times in one day. There are other options, if you're REALLY bored you can do the three ascents plus an off road ascent (Galerians) or you can opt to climb the mountain three times in one day twice (Bicingles). Richard and I had decided JUST to do the three ascents (Cingles).
As I said we had been working our way down the French Alps for two weeks climbing Cols as we went so we had some good miles and metres in our legs by the time we got down to Bedoin but only had one day for the attempt before having to start back home again. This isn't an ideal approach as the mountain doesn't care for your plans and the weather is notoriously unpredictable (see this years TDF stage!) We got lucky and when we woke up at 6 a.m the sun was already up, there was little breeze and it wasn't too warm, perfect!
Coffee and breakfast was dealt with while we filled our pockets with snacks and gels and filled our bottles. I decided on two 500ml bottles working on the premise that even at a steady pace I could still drink a bottle an hour and not run out between refills (and I didn't want to carry any unnecessary weight on the bike, it's all in the mind I know!). At 7 a.m we rolled down the hill out of the campsite and into a Tabac to get our Brevet card stamped to say we had at least started our attempt.
It was pleasantly cool as we set off and I'm wearing my jersey, arm warmers, gilet and casquette under my helmet. It's a lovely steady start and you can warm up on the lower slopes as the percentage varies from 2-5%, this doesn't last anywhere near long enough however and about 6k in your suddenly climbing properly through the forest. It's cool and beautifully quiet early in the morning but the constant 9% average for the next 6k will warm you up even climbing at a very steady pace which we were. The road surface is good and the corners are cambered favourably for descending, with the barriers on the bends it kind of looks like a race track and reminiscent of the Nurburgring, the descent however was a long way off yet. Things do ease off (a little) as you approach Chalet Reynard and this is where Richard and I parted company for the day as he wanted a pee and a snack and I wanted to do my ascents uninterrupted if possible. You can notch it up a couple of gears for a few k's now (if you want!) and after the recent grinding I was enjoying being able to spin a gear and unload my legs a bit. The last couple of K's are tough though and it ramps up to a 12% average at the end which is just what you want at the end of any climb as you can imagine. I've made it though, it's a great feeling and I remind myself that even a single ascent is no small feat. The shop and restaurant are closed at this time of day so I'll have to get my card stamped later on.
The sun is out now but it's not warm up here so It's jacket on and time to leg it off the mountain and down towards Maulacene. After a few meters of chilly mist I break the through into the sun and I can look out off the mountain to the clouds below me. Now as much as I seem to like climbing (I keep doing it so I guess I must) I prefer descending and the thought of 21K descent fills me with joy. As I'm descending it occurs to me (completely unfoundedly) that I already have this challenge wrapped up, I don't know why as I'm only one just one third in! The descent to Maulacene is great fun, there are wide sweeping bends and hairpins and I've only really got to be careful of small damp patches under the trees. I spin my legs to work out the lactic acid from the first climb and I kick out of the hairpins to keep my legs working and have some fun. The descent was over too soon but it still takes a while to lose 1515 meters of altitude. Eventually I roll into town, find a cafe and order myself a grande cafe au lait. I get my bottles refilled, my card stamped and peel off my layers ready for round two.
It's warming up some and the sun is really starting to do its work as I start my ascent, I'm not far up when I pass Richard coming off the mountain, I yell an instruction about the cafe location as he passes me and carry on. This climb is much busier and I'm passing cyclists and people on bikes regularly. I'm not pushing on as I'm aware of the scale of the challenge that still lies ahead but there are a lot of tourists trying their hand at the mountain, some on mountain bikes, some on hired road bikes, some on electric bikes and the most hardcore was a guy on Mountain bike towing his kid in a trailer, I can't even begin to tell you how little that appeals?
You don't get the gentle start on this side like you do out of Bedoin but the gradient is a bit more steady, however there are some steep ramps that really start to bite into the legs when you already got one ascent in your legs. If I had to do it again I'd probably do this ascent first as there is less shade than the Bedoin side when it warms up. So basically I'm sweating like (insert analogy here, mine is too rude to print!) and I notice that I'm starting to feel hungry. I've had a good breakfast, a couple of Pain au Raisins, a gel towards the top of the the first ascent and sugar in my coffee but I'm still burning through calories at a great rate. I suck back a couple of gels to keep me going as I head towards the top of the mountain, I wait for a hairpin both times as the gradient eases and I can take a breath but even so trying to eat while breathing through your ears is still a bit of a feat!
I feel like I'm on a bit of a mission now and I don't hang around at the top any longer than I have to. It's card stamp and jacket on time before starting the descent to Sault. I'm no less hungry and my bottles are pretty much empty but I figure I can fix that in the town at the bottom. I didn't count on two things however. The first is the length and gradient of the descent into Sault, it's a shallow descent with an average of only 4.5% and its longer with an extra 5K, combined it might make for a pretty nice ascent but I was pretty much pedalling the whole way down and it felt like an eternity with my stomach rumbling and my energy levels continuing to ebb away. The second thing was the nasty little ramp up to Sault. It's not particularly long or steep but after two ascents of the mountain it was about the last thing I wanted to see, scratch that it is exactly the last thing!
I roll up to the first cafe I come across, dump the bike outside and get a baguette and a drink. I slurp the Coke down and inhale my cheese baguette. The closest thing I can compare my eating to at that point is when the Cookie Monster gets his reward, Nom Nom Nom and gone! The bar staff kindly stamp my card and refill my bottles so I set off for the last ascent of the day.
I pass Richard on the lower slopes again, warn him of the impending ramp, wish him luck and we part ways again. It is a much nicer ascent and I slowly (very slowly!) reel in another cyclist and say hello, he's from Belgium and luckily as my French/Flemish/German is a little rusty his English is good and we end up riding together all the way back up to Chalet Reynard. Turns out he lives in the same village as Tom Boonen and as a native he avoids riding the cobbles (especially during winter unlike the Ghenters!). We chat about this and that and set ourselves a steady but solid pace. We pass people fairly regularly and most are sensible enough to let us go, however eventually we pass two that decide to jump onto our wheels and sit there, how rude! Clearly I'm not alone in this feeling and we seem to subliminally message each other and turn up the pace a little, and then a little more until BOOM and they've gone! Childish I know but satisfying in so far that I've got enough left in the tank after this much riding to be able to do it at all.
We part company as he turns to head down back to Bedoin and I'm feeling surprisingly good as I head for the last 6k. Having done this part this morning I know what's to come and suck back a gel on the easier gradient as I know it's going to be tricky to do that in the last couple K as it ramps up to punish the weary.
I'm still steadily passing cyclists and very happy with my newly fitted compact crank set which combined with my dinner plate esque 32 tooth cassette means I can spin a little gear while others seem to be grinding a huge gear in relative terms. Now I won't lie to you but with about 3k to go my head decides that it's done for the day, clocks off and takes my legs with it! The road is suddenly bloody steep and I'm very tired! I hold onto the wheel in front of me as best I can, I had caught up to this rider but either he's decided to push on for the last bit or I'm struggling, a little gap opens up, then it widens some more and then SNAP the elastic breaks. I know we're not racing but I'm still cursing my treacherous body through gasps of air! I'd say before you know it I'm at the top but it feels like an eternity to be honest. Still I make the summit, tired but incredibly happy. It's a shame that it's now grey and chilly with a bit of breeze blowing up. I mooch around the tat shop while drinking yet another full fat Coke (which I don't usually drink but I need the sugar today) layer up with everything I have and get someone to take a final photo of me next to the sign. I still need a stamp from the restaurant so I decide to take the opportunity to get a coffee before my last descent. Slightly warmed I set off and pass Richard yet again, he's only got about 4k to go so I shout some encouragement and set off in earnest to enjoy my last descent of the trip. I pass a car and then a camper van and close up on another two cars, I'm about to try passing them but I can feel a local in a white van right up my chuff, discretion being the better part of valour I pull over and let him pass as I don't want him sat on my rear wheel for the next 14k. I then proceed to sit on HIS bumper for the entire descent instead as he can't get past the cars in front and angrily tailgates them all the way off the mountain (better them than me!). It's certainly not my fastest descent but it is great fun chasing the cars never the less.
As I roll into Bedoin I'm sad that I've done my last descent but chuffed to have achieved so much and especially happy to have finished my trip off with a triple ascent of Mont Ventoux and 4400 metres of climbing in one day.
Cols climbed during the holiday
Ballon D'Alsace (Vosges mountains) 1170 metres
Col de Joux Plane 1691 metres
Col de la Colombiere 1613 metres
Lacettes Montvernier (not a Col but a nice climb anyway)
Col du Mollard 1320 metres
Col de la Madeliene 2000 metres
Col de Croix de Ferr 2067 metres
Col du Telegraphe 1566 metres
Col du Galibier 2642 metres
Alpe D'Huez 1803 metres
Col d'Agnel 2744
Col D'Izoard 2360
Col de Vars 2108 metres
Mont Ventoux 1912 metres (not technically a Col)
ALL THE FUN - RECOUNTED WITH PICTURES
(click on photographs to expand and for commentary)
(click on photographs to expand and for commentary)
Update - June 8
30km upwards from our base this morning. Straight skywards so no warm up, just straight into a gradient. Hot and hard to start with but isn't it always? Slackened off some in the middle just to lull you into a false sense of security. However I had checked the profile so I knew what was to come! Dying on my ass the last 6k and sucking back gels which thankfully kicked in so I could kick to the summit and have an expensive coke and coffee. Col de Croix de Fer is a proper mountain! Mist and heavy rain on the descent made for a long, cold and difficult descent! When you're counting the metres down to the bottom so you can warm up again you know you're in trouble! Croix de Fer ticked off the to do list.
Weather looks promising for tomorrow's stupidity, Telegraphe and Galibier anyone? Another dare I say 'epic' climb coming up? Richard says he can feel his legs today so can we have a vote on what climb we tackle tomorrow please. It's Hobson's choice tbh. Col de Madeliene at 19.2km with an 8% average gradient or Telegraphe and Galibier 35km with a 5% average gradient. I'm easy as I'm sure they'll both hurt!
30km upwards from our base this morning. Straight skywards so no warm up, just straight into a gradient. Hot and hard to start with but isn't it always? Slackened off some in the middle just to lull you into a false sense of security. However I had checked the profile so I knew what was to come! Dying on my ass the last 6k and sucking back gels which thankfully kicked in so I could kick to the summit and have an expensive coke and coffee. Col de Croix de Fer is a proper mountain! Mist and heavy rain on the descent made for a long, cold and difficult descent! When you're counting the metres down to the bottom so you can warm up again you know you're in trouble! Croix de Fer ticked off the to do list.
Weather looks promising for tomorrow's stupidity, Telegraphe and Galibier anyone? Another dare I say 'epic' climb coming up? Richard says he can feel his legs today so can we have a vote on what climb we tackle tomorrow please. It's Hobson's choice tbh. Col de Madeliene at 19.2km with an 8% average gradient or Telegraphe and Galibier 35km with a 5% average gradient. I'm easy as I'm sure they'll both hurt!
Update - June 12
So all going well. We're heading up the Col Agnell tomorrow morning, it's the one that the Giro crossed from Italy into France this year and that the leader ploughed into the snow bank on! 42km from Guillestre with a gentle steady gradient to start with but some brutal bits later and a proper kick at the end. Should be a good challenge and achievement, and a hell of a descent too!
So all going well. We're heading up the Col Agnell tomorrow morning, it's the one that the Giro crossed from Italy into France this year and that the leader ploughed into the snow bank on! 42km from Guillestre with a gentle steady gradient to start with but some brutal bits later and a proper kick at the end. Should be a good challenge and achievement, and a hell of a descent too!
Update - June 14
It's a little late in the trip really with only two climbs left, Col de Vars tomorrow and Mont Ventoux Friday but I've been out bought and fitted a compact chainset to the bike. I say too late but if I'm to stand any real chance of doing the triple I'm not going to be able to do it with a 53/39 crank. I was going to run compact from the start of the trip but various factors meant that it didn't work out that way! The last two days of severe grinding on the Agnel and the Izoard have convinced me to make the change. So bring on the spinning!!
It's a little late in the trip really with only two climbs left, Col de Vars tomorrow and Mont Ventoux Friday but I've been out bought and fitted a compact chainset to the bike. I say too late but if I'm to stand any real chance of doing the triple I'm not going to be able to do it with a 53/39 crank. I was going to run compact from the start of the trip but various factors meant that it didn't work out that way! The last two days of severe grinding on the Agnel and the Izoard have convinced me to make the change. So bring on the spinning!!
Update - June 16
Off to Bedoin today, found a campsite at the foot of the mountain. Hoping for good weather for tomorrow's triple ascent attempt. Will be prepping kit and resting as much as possible today. I have high hopes but we'll have to see what the mountain (and my legs) say about it tomorrow really.
Off to Bedoin today, found a campsite at the foot of the mountain. Hoping for good weather for tomorrow's triple ascent attempt. Will be prepping kit and resting as much as possible today. I have high hopes but we'll have to see what the mountain (and my legs) say about it tomorrow really.
Update - June 19
Tent is staying in France (in bin!) time for the final push for home.
Tent is staying in France (in bin!) time for the final push for home.
