Riding Stage 15 of the TdF. Givors - Mount Ventoux

remember, you don't need to have even seen a hill before in order to ride something like Ventoux. You just need to be able to put in a decent effort for a decent amount of time....

When you say you dont have much gradient in your area...do you live in Norfolk?

Theres bound to be a local bike club who can take you out on social/club runs to get to grips with riding in groups and keeping the group speed up. That bits important to experience prior so you can cover the initial 70 odd miles.

Its really easy to learn to sit in at 16mph average, which, if youve been a regular mtb rider, shoudl be achievable, however the increase to 18/19mph in a group requires much more effort/skills knowing when to rest and when to push to keep up.

Seek out the Sky Go-Rides as a great start as are Go-Race races especially if they are on closed-circuits. Really safe way to learn in a group and learn to hold a wheel safely whilst working together. Go-Rides have differing levels of events so you can choose the higher ones for more miles and there will be a ride leader controlling peoples ambition Vs ability.

Dont be put off by the enormity of the challenge...thats why its a challenge - fair play to you for investing into it in the first place, your not exactly getting a free ride are you!?

Mont Ventoux wouldn't be my choice for my aim in the first six months of road cycling. But then maybe you are one of those people with such innate strength and endurance that they can hop on a road bike and get a pro contract within a couple of years. If so it will be a breeze for you. Or maybe you are in your fifties and have a heart condition. You haven't told us much about you.

Even if you gave us your complete life history, the only thing I'd say you definitely shouldn't do is blindly follow the pronouncements of random people on forums such as this, whose advice, while probably well-intentioned, is based on their own specific physiques, personalities, training locales and past experiences of Mont Ventoux and its weather on one or two specific days.

All we really know are the ways of approaching it that definitely aren't advisable, for anyone, such as doing it with a blood stream full of brandy, amphetamine and not enough water on a boiling hot July day. And, IIRC, someone did die up there during an edition of the Etape du Tour in the early 2000s, from exposure to sub-zero temperatures he hadn't prepared for, which can also happen, even in the middle of summer. That's not to put you off, it's not that dangerous if you take advice but also think about the challenge it presents, to you personally, on both good days and bad.

Alternatively, there is a Classifieds section on this web site if you decide to back out and sell your place (see, we are not all well-intentioned.)

I guess St Esteve is within the first 25%, so yeah, semantics

5 times? I think the record is 12 in a day. Mentalist.

Not going to disagree with andyp, St Esteve is about 5.5km from Bedoin, to me that's 'soon after the start' and exactly where it kicks up. But I started in Bedoin and if the OP is riding 150 miles that day then he may disagree that even getting there is a doddle ;-).

As for three times in one day, hats off to you both, I'd read about that club before I drove down, I think in Cycling Plus a few years ago. Very, very impressive. I'm pretty sure I could do two in a day but the third would probably finish me off.

My third ride was with a Dutch rider who's ridden the mountain 35 times, probably more now as he spends as much time there as possible, addicted. He was telling me about riders who push that even further and use various combinations of routes up to get 5 or more ascents in a day. If true then that's truly daft.

'Ventoux kicks up soon after the start and there's a huge temptation to rush at it from the off forgetting it's 2 hours to the top, if you're fresh.'

Actually, one of the problems is that it *doesn't* kick up for quite a while. Don't get lulled into a false sense of security and blast away thinking 'doddle, this'. Once you get to St Esteve and hit the steep bit, you'll be cursing yourself.

'If you love the Ventoux should try joining the Club des Cingles then!! http://www.clubcinglesventoux.org/en.html 3 times up and down in a day using all the routes from the surrounding towns of Bedoin, Malaucene and Sault!! Demanding but really rewarding day of cycling- I did it last summer when temperatures were up to high 30s so remember to drink plenty of fluids regularly!!'

Word. Chapeau, fellow Cingle
#4029

As a fellow recent convert from MTB, I only just invested in proper road shoes and pedals. They make a world of difference in comfort over longer distances; I was amazed how much more I could feel in my feet. I went for Specialized shoes (they just fit me really well) and Look Keo pedals.

I carry my phone, ID/£10, keys, snack and a lightweight jacket in my back pockets, tube and tools in a small saddlebag and pump/c02 on the bike.

Buy a road specific pump because standing on the roadside in the rain trying to inflate skinny tyres to 100+psi with an MTB pump is not an experience I'd recommend.

It's also worth finding a local bike shop with a decent bike fitting service to make the most of your steed. If you're in the south west, I can recommend BW Cycling in Bristol.

Good luck, I'm very jealous.

I'm a little jealous, rode Ventoux three times last summer over three days, it's addictive.

Nothing to add to that's been posted above. Don't try new kit on the day, make sure you're happy with it all before you go, everything from shoes and socks, shorts and chammy cream (Rapha is lovely), jersey, gloves, helmet etc.

Ventoux kicks up soon after the start and there's a huge temptation to rush at it from the off forgetting it's 2 hours to the top, if you're fresh. Keeping an eye on your HR will help you pace yourself.

And try to get your head around climbing for a lot longer in one go than you can anywhere in the UK before you get there, I'm no climber but loved it and cannot wait to go back.

Shave your legs before you go. Remember to pack suncream.

Get the best shorts you can afford - I absolutely swear by Assos having gone through several pairs of cheaper but less worthy bibs. Also make sure you have a saddle that fits your bum nicely, and I'm sure as some have already suggested, a bike fit will do you good too.

Nutrition is vital for 150 miles - I'm gonna optimistically put that at 7-8 hours in the saddle? You'll have to get your body used to eating a lot of high carb, high sugar stuff, and you'll need to keep hydration up too. Although it seems obvious, you'd be surprised at how difficult it is to keep eating and drinking when your legs are burning and your lungs are hanging out.

You don't mention where you live - might be worth spending a few weekends in B&Bs somewhere really hilly though. Peak District? Scottish Highlands? There's awesome scenery and hills in this little country.

In Jersey pocket: Food, ID, phone, waterproof, money (nothing that can puncture your kidneys if you fall off)
In saddle pack: 1 or 2 tubes (depending on size of pack), multi-tool, CO2 canister and chuck, puncture kit, tyre levers, Ladyshave

I also have a pump on the frame most of the time but you might get away without one if you're riding with people you know well enough and/or have support at hand.

Pedals and shoes will be fine.

Seriously consider a bike fit if you have any issues with knee, neck or back pain. You'll have to get used to a more aero position than you are used to but if problems persist, consider it - particularly for cleat placement and foot alignment. Varus wedges are cheap and can help with this.

Do I need to shave my legs
yes.

I agree that you've got plenty of time but aim to be comfortable doing 2/3rds of the eventual distance i.e. 100 miles by about a month before hand. In the final week, it's best to taper down and do less mileage.

For what it's worth, spend more on contact points such as shoes, gloves and shorts. Temperatures can change quickly on the Ventoux so I would recommend a short sleeve jersey (full length zip), gillet and arm warmers and packable waterproof.

Finally, if your ride is 'supported' you can get away without carrying much. Some people prefer keeping everything in the 3 back pockets. Others a small saddle bag. Don't let others tell you what you should wear or carry on the bike though. Use whatever you can get on with. Good luck with the training - the speed is addictive when you are used to an MTB!

Jumping in at the deep end then

The good news is that it's *reasonably* flat until the big hill at the end. If you're up for doing some miles then no reason why you can't be fit enough in 5 months.

The one skill I'd suggest you go out of your way to acquire is the skill of sitting on someone's wheel. If there's 40 people riding and you can ride well in a group you'll be able to keep your powder dry for the climb. If you've no experience of riding in close formation then you'll waste loads of energy and you'll be battered by the time you get to Bedoin.

Hook up with a local club, do some group rides. If you want to work on the kind of fitness you need for a long climb and it's not hilly round your way, enter some time trials. Don't bother with tri bars or anything, just show up on your road bike and give it everything you've got. It's not really about your time, more your ability to go at full gas for as long as possible.

I'm sure there'll be lots of kit recommendations. My only one: the Ventoux is a really hard climb. It's really steep, for a really long time. Make sure you have enough gears. If you're on a compact, get the widest cassette that'll fit. Looks like you get an 11-32 on most Roadlites anyway, that'll be fine. Most of the people I saw walking up the Ventoux when I did it were walking because they didn't have enough gears, not because they weren't fit enough to climb it.