TheDoctor does Mont Ventoux

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Plax

Guru
Location
Wales
Having looked at the pics again, the one entitled "The Northern Relay Jersy at the top", has, what looks to be a questionable undergarment near the back wheel. Something your not telling us Doc? :thumbsup:
 
OP
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TheDoctor

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
ChrisKH said:
How did the bike perform?

Brilliantly. It climbed well, and corners like it's on rails. I'm still chuffed to bits with it.:biggrin:

GrahamG said:
What is the bike? Looks nice and understated and with minimal logos, which I like, but which means I'm struggling to identify it :biggrin:

It's an unstickered Ambrosio frame, from FatBirds.

Fab Foodie said:
Well done Doc!
I failed from Bedoin... just blew-up in the heat shortly before Chalet Reynard.
Isn't it amazingly relentless though and steeper than you ever imagine?
And the descent is just magnificent, what kind of speed did you make down?

Well, the climb from Bedoin is for another day, I suspect. I got up to about 70 kph on the descent to Sault.

Tim Bennet. said:
Well done!
Did you enjoy the climb up back into Sault village at the end?
Only for masochistic values of the word 'enjoy'. I needed that like a hole in the head TBH.:angry:

Plax said:
Having looked at the pics again, the one entitled "The Northern Relay Jersy at the top", has, what looks to be a questionable undergarment near the back wheel. Something your not telling us Doc? ;)

I hadn't noticed it! Nothing to do with me...;)
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
Chapaux Doc, it is a great achievement. I went up there in 2005 and took the route from Bedoin and down to Malaucene. I did it in 2.20hrs with a stop at the chateau for coffee and cake. Whenever I think about that day I break out into a big grin. No doubt you will to.:eek:
 

CotterPin

Senior Member
Location
London
Well done, Doc. You certainly look a lot better at the top than I did when I managed it a few years ago. I could barely stand up and a grimace was all I could manage. Smilng was completely out of the question.

I am planning to be in that neck of the woods in June so hopefully will have the chance to get myself to the top again.

Stephen
 

peejay78

Well-Known Member
i went up ventoux in mid april, the weather for the climb was perfect, and there was snow at the top.

well done to the doctor - it's an amazing feeling, and the best climb. the route from bedoin is unrelentingly savage. i did it in about 1hr 38mins, taking out the stop at chalet reynard to run in and fill up the bottle.

for anyone thinking of doing this climb, it's awe-inspiring and a place of pilgrimage on the bike. and any excuse to post pictures of one of my best days ever. CHAPEAU to the doctor!!

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Jonathan M

New Member
Location
Merseyside
What is the road up from the west like (Vaison la Romaine direction?) as we were (bikeless) in the area last year, and drove up & down from Bedoin - someone has at somepoint said to me the route from the west is the most straightforward?
 
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TheDoctor

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Jonathan M said:
What is the road up from the west like (Vaison la Romaine direction?) as we were (bikeless) in the area last year, and drove up & down from Bedoin - someone has at somepoint said to me the route from the west is the most straightforward?

I'm not quite sure which route you mean there. There's three roads up, starting from 3 different villages :-
Malaucene - 21.2 km average gradient 7.2% max 10.9%
Bedoin - 22 km average 7.6 % max 10.4%
Sault - 25.7 km average 4.5% max 10.2%
Those last two routes meet at Chalet Reynard, where you can get water, food, coke and other essentials of life. Certainly Sault to Chalet Reynard was reasonably straightforward - it's uphill, but not horribly so, and there's a decent amount of shade. The last 6 km to the top were unrelentingly horrid. Anytime I'm down that way again I'll do the climb from Sault, but I'm not doing the last bit up to the top again...
 
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TheDoctor

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Sorry, I didn't even go and have a look at that one. According to a CW article (20/12/2007, p 99) the gradient varies a bit and has some flat sections. If you want the full section about that route, PM me your address or a fax number and I'll get a copy to you. It's about half a page - 10 paras or so (which is why I'm not typing the whole thing in!).
 
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