Negotiating Mount VentouxWell, my annual trip to France this year took me back to a favourite mountain - Mt Ventoux. A famous (infamous?!) climb of 22 km over 1610metres (note I've gone metric here in an attempt to be more European!), most of it 10%, most of it quite upsetting for the legs, too!
Ventoux is different to other mountains in France because it rises straight out of the flat land around it - that make it look pretty big, and it gets the worst of the weather too - hot and cold!We camped in the area for most of the trip, which is always a pleasure, hot and dry, and the bike riding is, well, interesting!
My form has held quite well since Lake Placid and I managed to get to the top of the mountain quicker than ever - although not as quick as the professional cyclists that were passing through the area on their way to the remaining European pro-races for this year.
As ever, our time was pretty well balanced between riding between cafes, racing for the top of any col and suffering on the long climb to the summit of Ventoux. Here's a small picture of me grimacing near to the top!
However, as a result of too much time chatting in French cafes and around the campfire I have to confess to having started discussions about an event I've been looking at for a long time: The embrunman http://www.embrunman.com/maine.htm. For anyone who follows the Tour deFrance, you'll know the bike course better as the Col d'Izoard. Anyone interested?
