velotel
12-20-2015, 03:53 AM
Last year on 23/12 I did Ventoux from Bedoin, the TdF route, the one they'll ride again on 14/7 next year. That was a great ride, the road closed just past Chalet Reynard, no one around, not even cars on the lower road. Got to the summit and it was empty. Just me, my bike, and a spectacular day, no clouds, sun burning hot on the face, Provence spread at my feet. My best day ever on Ventoux.
A year later and I'm thinking might have to do a repeat, only this time up the road from Malaucene, dependent on whether they had any snow yet. The last 6 K are on northern slopes, lots of shade, once the snow arrives, it stays. Kept watching the weather, trying to gauge the good day to go. Also checked the webcam from the Mont Serein ski area. No snow, and I mean zero. Road should be good. Forecasts kept shifting faster than a politician's promises. Finally, Wednesday, 16 December, forecast for the next day looked good. Messages off to maxn and Sylvain to see who can break free. Maxn's bummed, can't do it. Sylvain's in.
Off to Malaucene. Been seven years since I rode this side. Not sure why, just the way things worked out. Instead I'd done the road from Bedoin three times. Always late in the season. First time was 22/11/ 09. Rode around from Malaucene, over the Col de la Madeleine, down to Bedoin, up Ventoux. That's when I discovered they close the road just past Chalet Reynard for the winter. That was a glorious day, no clouds, alone on the summit, just two other riders well below coming up from Chalet Reynard. Second time was my 23rd of December ride last year. Then four months later, 14/4, did it again, this time with my son, part of my week-long 70th birthday celebration. The road was only semi-closed that time, open to the top while the road on the north side was still closed. Summit wasn't deserted but not too far off either.
Those two rides were what really kicked me into wanting to ride it again in December. If I bagged it before or on the 23rd, that would make three ascents up Ventoux in one year. I liked that idea. Only this time from Malaucene. Everyone says the road from Bedoin is the hard one. Makes me wonder what they're popping. Verticals are almost the same, average grades the same, in other words they're both bloody hard! The only real difference between them is that while the road from Bedoin basically goes straight up the mountain in one long, sustained ramp to Chalet Reynard, then on to the summit up another long, sustained ramp of sweeping curves, the road from Malaucene is all about staircasing. As in lots of K's that might only average 7%, easy enough in other words. Only those averages are lying through their teeth. It's a staircase, half the K might be 4%, the rest at 10%. Right, 7% average!
Then just about halfway up there's the Malaucene wall, 4 K of sustained double-digits. Let me tell you, this is a beast, about brought me to my knees, at least psychologically. Up until then I'd been one religiously disciplined rider. Down in the valley Sylvain, who's 30 years plus younger, rode away from me and I'd just relax and let him go. No macho stress to pick up the pace. Rode out of Malaucene together and as soon as we hit the first ramps, he rolled away while I spun along in my lowest gear. Up on top of the ridge he waited for me then as soon as we were together, he started steadily pulling away and I let him go, totally refusing to rise to the chase. I knew what was up ahead, knew my strength was limited, so hoarded what I had, stopped for pictures, stayed in an easy gear even when the grades were limp, places where years ago the first time up this road I'd even shifted onto my big ring! Not this time. I just kept spinning along, enjoying the views, watching the summit slowly reel in and knowing soon I'd hit the wall.
Rode past a K post showing I think 9%, hard but not desperate, not even for me. I was feeling good, smooth on the bike, ready for the brutality just ahead. Grade ramped up and I'm maxed and of course I'm still in the K at 9%. Arrive at the next post, 12%, zero change in the road's grade as I roll by. In other words that 9% K kicked in at maybe 6% then ramped up to 12%! Next post, relief, only 11%! I'm not about to argue with the road department and their average grades but as far as my legs were concerned, there was zero change in the pitch. Finally spotted another post in the distance, slowly pull it in, 11%. Felt just like the last K and the one before that.
My legs and arms were deep into pain city. Out of the saddle, couldn't hold it, back on the saddle, then out of the saddle again, and back on the saddle. Did that all the way up the wall. But as much as I was suffering, Sylvain was suffering even more. Shouldn't say something like this but, fact of the matter is that knowing I was dropping him big time through there made me really happy. Not because he was hurting and dying behind me but because my hoarding my strength had worked. I wasn't breaking any speed barriers but riding well anyway and carried a steady pace all the way up that beast. I only dropped Sylvain because he hadn't been riding much and was hauling along some extra weight. Actually I was impressed he was even there considering how little he's been riding.
Got to the last K post for this section, 8%, smiled at that. Not because the grade eased because it didn't change one tiny fraction of a percent, just kept grinding up the mountain at a steady 11% or maybe 12% grade. But I remembered this bit. The last part of the K goes totally limp, low single digits, thus the 8% average grade. And seeing that post with 8% told me I was almost up the wall, I'd pulled it off, yes!
That's the road from Malaucene. The road from Bedoin just a steady, grind K after K, never brutal, except near the top, but also not far off brutal. The Malaucene staircase makes for a vastly more interesting ride in my opinion. Scenery's better too, always shifting, down low a thick, intimate forest, then onto a long, broad ridge where the forest's thin with views off both sides, Provence to the right, the Baronnies to the left. And way up ahead high in the sky the summit, well, not the real summit, just a summit on the ridge but it looks like the summit. Then it's back into a dark forest, the road weaving up through stretched-out S-turns, followed by the wall, a not far off straight traverse angling up the side of the mountain, a gulf of space to the left, the Baronnies in the foreground, behind them the Alps in the distance. Which gets you to the turn for the Mont Serein ski area.
After that it's back into a dark forest, thick, cold, humid, the road suddenly tight and steep. Up until there the road's two full lanes with a generous bike lane going up. From Mont Serein on the road's frequently barely more than a car and a half wide with zero shoulders. Around a switchback to the left, the forest thins, views to the north opening up, across some ski runs that look like steep puppies, around a bend and bang! there's the summit straight ahead, a dazzling white pyramid of rock and light. A wonderful road, a joy to ride, even that 4 K wall.
Started hitting patches of frost and ice near the turn for the ski area. Made me worried for the last 6 K to the summit. No traffic, high altitude, north exposure, lots of shade, perfect conditions for black ice. Going up would be okay, coming down could be shaky. It's cold enough that even though I'm still climbing, I put back on two layers I'd taken off earlier. Slip by the road closure barrier, up into the shadows, grade floating around 10% I think. Road jumping around, lots of frost and patches of ice I weave around. Into a switchback around to the left and into the long traverse across the mountain. Haven't seen a K post in awhile so no idea what the grade is, other than steep, but not desperate, even for me. Come around the slow bend to the right where the summit comes into view and stop. Have to shoot. Soaring up into a hard blue sky, the summit pyramid, all wind stripped rock and scattered, tortured trees. Crazy but have to say I love being here in December.
Spotted Sylvain inching across the second to last traverse high above me. I'm way behind. The camera's fault. I keep stopping to shoot pics. He'd caught and passed me when I was adding layers. Said if he stopped he'd never get going again. I could understand but I stop anyway. Too gorgeous not to shoot. Figured I may never be here again so shoot while I can. Across the final traverse, the summit tower looking spectacular. Up around the final curve to the right. Damn! Another friggin barrier and this time no space to ride around it. Stop, dismount, isn't easy swinging a leg over the bike. I do it slow and carefully. Duck under the gate, back on the bike, roll up the final grade and onto the summit parking lot, totally deserted except for Sylvain sitting, eating, resting against the summit sign.
And to the south, a sea of fog clear to the horizon! But not for us, we're in the sun, almost baking despite the air temperature. Provence is invisible, in fact most of the mountain's southern slopes are lost in the fog. Put an abrupt end to any idea of plunging down the southern road then back around to Malaucene, which was fine by me. My legs were toast, all they wanted was nothing but downhill all the way back to the car.
So that's what we did. A lot of care at first but pretty quickly I found myself going faster and faster, the road way better for traction than I'd expected. The 6 K back to the Mont Serein junction went by fast and from there down it was tuck and roll. Have to say the plunge off the south side is more fun. The road to Malaucene's too straight most of the time. Just hang on and go. But not always, there are some pretty sweet linked carvers along the way, especially down low. In fact now that I think back, the last few K to Malaucene are way fun.
Heck of a fine ride, especially in December. In fact I'd much rather do it in November or December than in the summer. Temperatures just right, no traffic, either cars or bikes, air clear, beautiful. Also have to say that regardless of the which-way-is-harder argument, for me it doesn't matter. They're both fine rides.
Some pics. At the end I'll put one or two looking off the mountain back in 014 just for the comparison between fog and no fog views.
And don稚 forget, you can order my book Switchbacks, Vol I at velodogs-publishing.com
A year later and I'm thinking might have to do a repeat, only this time up the road from Malaucene, dependent on whether they had any snow yet. The last 6 K are on northern slopes, lots of shade, once the snow arrives, it stays. Kept watching the weather, trying to gauge the good day to go. Also checked the webcam from the Mont Serein ski area. No snow, and I mean zero. Road should be good. Forecasts kept shifting faster than a politician's promises. Finally, Wednesday, 16 December, forecast for the next day looked good. Messages off to maxn and Sylvain to see who can break free. Maxn's bummed, can't do it. Sylvain's in.
Off to Malaucene. Been seven years since I rode this side. Not sure why, just the way things worked out. Instead I'd done the road from Bedoin three times. Always late in the season. First time was 22/11/ 09. Rode around from Malaucene, over the Col de la Madeleine, down to Bedoin, up Ventoux. That's when I discovered they close the road just past Chalet Reynard for the winter. That was a glorious day, no clouds, alone on the summit, just two other riders well below coming up from Chalet Reynard. Second time was my 23rd of December ride last year. Then four months later, 14/4, did it again, this time with my son, part of my week-long 70th birthday celebration. The road was only semi-closed that time, open to the top while the road on the north side was still closed. Summit wasn't deserted but not too far off either.
Those two rides were what really kicked me into wanting to ride it again in December. If I bagged it before or on the 23rd, that would make three ascents up Ventoux in one year. I liked that idea. Only this time from Malaucene. Everyone says the road from Bedoin is the hard one. Makes me wonder what they're popping. Verticals are almost the same, average grades the same, in other words they're both bloody hard! The only real difference between them is that while the road from Bedoin basically goes straight up the mountain in one long, sustained ramp to Chalet Reynard, then on to the summit up another long, sustained ramp of sweeping curves, the road from Malaucene is all about staircasing. As in lots of K's that might only average 7%, easy enough in other words. Only those averages are lying through their teeth. It's a staircase, half the K might be 4%, the rest at 10%. Right, 7% average!
Then just about halfway up there's the Malaucene wall, 4 K of sustained double-digits. Let me tell you, this is a beast, about brought me to my knees, at least psychologically. Up until then I'd been one religiously disciplined rider. Down in the valley Sylvain, who's 30 years plus younger, rode away from me and I'd just relax and let him go. No macho stress to pick up the pace. Rode out of Malaucene together and as soon as we hit the first ramps, he rolled away while I spun along in my lowest gear. Up on top of the ridge he waited for me then as soon as we were together, he started steadily pulling away and I let him go, totally refusing to rise to the chase. I knew what was up ahead, knew my strength was limited, so hoarded what I had, stopped for pictures, stayed in an easy gear even when the grades were limp, places where years ago the first time up this road I'd even shifted onto my big ring! Not this time. I just kept spinning along, enjoying the views, watching the summit slowly reel in and knowing soon I'd hit the wall.
Rode past a K post showing I think 9%, hard but not desperate, not even for me. I was feeling good, smooth on the bike, ready for the brutality just ahead. Grade ramped up and I'm maxed and of course I'm still in the K at 9%. Arrive at the next post, 12%, zero change in the road's grade as I roll by. In other words that 9% K kicked in at maybe 6% then ramped up to 12%! Next post, relief, only 11%! I'm not about to argue with the road department and their average grades but as far as my legs were concerned, there was zero change in the pitch. Finally spotted another post in the distance, slowly pull it in, 11%. Felt just like the last K and the one before that.
My legs and arms were deep into pain city. Out of the saddle, couldn't hold it, back on the saddle, then out of the saddle again, and back on the saddle. Did that all the way up the wall. But as much as I was suffering, Sylvain was suffering even more. Shouldn't say something like this but, fact of the matter is that knowing I was dropping him big time through there made me really happy. Not because he was hurting and dying behind me but because my hoarding my strength had worked. I wasn't breaking any speed barriers but riding well anyway and carried a steady pace all the way up that beast. I only dropped Sylvain because he hadn't been riding much and was hauling along some extra weight. Actually I was impressed he was even there considering how little he's been riding.
Got to the last K post for this section, 8%, smiled at that. Not because the grade eased because it didn't change one tiny fraction of a percent, just kept grinding up the mountain at a steady 11% or maybe 12% grade. But I remembered this bit. The last part of the K goes totally limp, low single digits, thus the 8% average grade. And seeing that post with 8% told me I was almost up the wall, I'd pulled it off, yes!
That's the road from Malaucene. The road from Bedoin just a steady, grind K after K, never brutal, except near the top, but also not far off brutal. The Malaucene staircase makes for a vastly more interesting ride in my opinion. Scenery's better too, always shifting, down low a thick, intimate forest, then onto a long, broad ridge where the forest's thin with views off both sides, Provence to the right, the Baronnies to the left. And way up ahead high in the sky the summit, well, not the real summit, just a summit on the ridge but it looks like the summit. Then it's back into a dark forest, the road weaving up through stretched-out S-turns, followed by the wall, a not far off straight traverse angling up the side of the mountain, a gulf of space to the left, the Baronnies in the foreground, behind them the Alps in the distance. Which gets you to the turn for the Mont Serein ski area.
After that it's back into a dark forest, thick, cold, humid, the road suddenly tight and steep. Up until there the road's two full lanes with a generous bike lane going up. From Mont Serein on the road's frequently barely more than a car and a half wide with zero shoulders. Around a switchback to the left, the forest thins, views to the north opening up, across some ski runs that look like steep puppies, around a bend and bang! there's the summit straight ahead, a dazzling white pyramid of rock and light. A wonderful road, a joy to ride, even that 4 K wall.
Started hitting patches of frost and ice near the turn for the ski area. Made me worried for the last 6 K to the summit. No traffic, high altitude, north exposure, lots of shade, perfect conditions for black ice. Going up would be okay, coming down could be shaky. It's cold enough that even though I'm still climbing, I put back on two layers I'd taken off earlier. Slip by the road closure barrier, up into the shadows, grade floating around 10% I think. Road jumping around, lots of frost and patches of ice I weave around. Into a switchback around to the left and into the long traverse across the mountain. Haven't seen a K post in awhile so no idea what the grade is, other than steep, but not desperate, even for me. Come around the slow bend to the right where the summit comes into view and stop. Have to shoot. Soaring up into a hard blue sky, the summit pyramid, all wind stripped rock and scattered, tortured trees. Crazy but have to say I love being here in December.
Spotted Sylvain inching across the second to last traverse high above me. I'm way behind. The camera's fault. I keep stopping to shoot pics. He'd caught and passed me when I was adding layers. Said if he stopped he'd never get going again. I could understand but I stop anyway. Too gorgeous not to shoot. Figured I may never be here again so shoot while I can. Across the final traverse, the summit tower looking spectacular. Up around the final curve to the right. Damn! Another friggin barrier and this time no space to ride around it. Stop, dismount, isn't easy swinging a leg over the bike. I do it slow and carefully. Duck under the gate, back on the bike, roll up the final grade and onto the summit parking lot, totally deserted except for Sylvain sitting, eating, resting against the summit sign.
And to the south, a sea of fog clear to the horizon! But not for us, we're in the sun, almost baking despite the air temperature. Provence is invisible, in fact most of the mountain's southern slopes are lost in the fog. Put an abrupt end to any idea of plunging down the southern road then back around to Malaucene, which was fine by me. My legs were toast, all they wanted was nothing but downhill all the way back to the car.
So that's what we did. A lot of care at first but pretty quickly I found myself going faster and faster, the road way better for traction than I'd expected. The 6 K back to the Mont Serein junction went by fast and from there down it was tuck and roll. Have to say the plunge off the south side is more fun. The road to Malaucene's too straight most of the time. Just hang on and go. But not always, there are some pretty sweet linked carvers along the way, especially down low. In fact now that I think back, the last few K to Malaucene are way fun.
Heck of a fine ride, especially in December. In fact I'd much rather do it in November or December than in the summer. Temperatures just right, no traffic, either cars or bikes, air clear, beautiful. Also have to say that regardless of the which-way-is-harder argument, for me it doesn't matter. They're both fine rides.
Some pics. At the end I'll put one or two looking off the mountain back in 014 just for the comparison between fog and no fog views.
And don稚 forget, you can order my book Switchbacks, Vol I at velodogs-publishing.com