I was going to go up Mt Ventoux some day. Not happened yet.
This article about ‘The Great Souplesse‘ and how to climb Ventoux is pretty good – over these ratios work is work, is work. Keeping all my toes though!
If you are a simple cyclo-tourist you should never do the Mont Ventoux without having done some tough Cols in the weeks before. Simply accumulating kilometers on the flat isn’t enough.
You have to get used to climbing again, the thin air etc… In the neighbourhood (north & east) of the Mont Ventoux you have some medium sized cols which can be ideal for training.
It is also a good idea to visit the mountain before by car, so you can get an idea what to expect where.
.. and (because we think about your viewing pleasure) here’s a film showing Coppi’s ‘Souplesse’
You can find lots of video showing how Pantani and Armstrong exhibit ‘souplesse’ against the power riding of Ullrich and so on – Pantani on Alpe Dhuez 1997, Armstrong on Alpe D’Huez 2001 (‘the look’) etc.
more links
But what do I know? – eccles cakes help too!
It’s like our visit to the moon or to that other star
I guess you go for nothing if you really want to go that far.
