have u ridden alpe d'huez or ventoux?

[Climb01742]

has anyone out there ridden either alpe d'huez or the ventoux? i'm curious what it's like for a mortal to ride up one of those babies... :confused:

[OldDog]

Only in my dreams, Climb. And that turned into a nightmare!

Where's my downhill bike...

[Tom]

And if I save my pennies and buy a Computrainer, many times this winter.

[Johny]

Climb,

Have you tried White Face Mountain in Lake Placid? I've heard it is comparable to Alpe d'huez. I haven't, but driving up is already a challenge for my car.

[KKevin]

Rode up the Alpe in 1991 and my time is faster than Sheryl Crows, but a little more than double Armstrongs.

[Birddog]

I did it twice a couple of weeks ago (Alpe d"Huez). I was grinning from ear to ear both times just because it was so damn cool to even be there. The climb is tough, but in some ways not as tough to me as those long climbs in Colo like the climb up Loveland from Georgetown. I think the higher altitude makes the Colo climbs nearly as difficult, even though they don't have near the avg grade. Alpe d' Huez is 7.9% avg The worst part about Alpe d'Huez for me was when you hit turn 11, you think you are about halfway and right in turn 11 it flattens for about 200 meters providing an opportunity to shift to a higher gear temporarily. Unfortunately, you are really only about 2/5th's of the way up the climb, a bit of false security. It is also incrediby beautiful the Alps in that region are truly majestic, I can definitely see why Lance says he would buy a house there if possible. If you ever have the chance to go, I highly recommend it, I'm already planning my next trip.

PS The guy that clocked a 54: or something like that yesterday made me feel pretty good. I was only about 15 or 20 mins behind his time. Tech weenies; I used a 53/39 with a 12/27 cassette, and was in the 27 about 98% of the time. I would probably use a compact double 50/34 with a 11,12/25 next time. Most of the people I passed were using triples, and most of the people that passed me were young fat free freaks of nature.

Birddog

[LegendRider]

I've ridden both while on a Breaking Away trip to the 1994 Tour. To ride them the day the race comes through is absolutely fantastic.

Obviously the climbs are hard, but they're certainly "doable" with the proper gearing. I had a 12x27 and never actually used the 27. Ventoux was harder because of the length and the exposure.

By the way, the fastest I've ever been on a bike was descending Mt. Ventoux - well over 60 mph!

[Climb01742]

i know it's a long way out, but i was thinking about trying them both next summer, maybe in june. anyone interested in maybe planning a trip?

johny, no, never ridden white face mountain. i'll do some research.

[weisan]

Climb, I have a cousin who lived in Paris with his family and had asked me to go up and visit but I haven't. I, too, have dreams about riding up D'Huez and Ventoux. Next summer? Maybe.

I know it's near impossible to plan a trip to bring along my wife plus all three kids, both from a financial and a logistical standpoint, especially when we are already planning a trip to go back and see our folks lvining in Singapore next Spring.

I met up with Tom Byrnes a few weeks ago while I was in LA, and he talked about the interesting Paris-Brest-Paris race. I want to do one of those at least in my lifetime, probably sooner than later. The next race is scheduled in August 2007.

There are two things I absolutely like to do on the bike: climbing and long endurance ride.

It would be a lifetime wish come true if I can do both PBP and ride up the mystical French mountains. :p

weisan

[gaxi]

I made Mont Ventoux two years ago. I made the "classic route" via Bédoin - that's the 21km long and 1700m climb. This route is absolutely fantastic - even after two years I remember nearly every meter of this gourgeous climb. Due to the fact that the weather conditions were perfect (I was there in September) - not too hot - and I was in good shape I was "hammering" up this climb. At this time I still had my Colorado AL with DA 8 speed and was using a 39/25. And even my weight of 60 kgs was no problem ;-)
I was so impressed by this mountain that I did the climb two days later again - not the classic route but via Sault - this one is much easier !
And as LegendRider said - the descent to Malaucène is the fastest I've done so far. A perfect, wide road, no switchbacks and at 90 km/h my computer "faded out"...

[Climb01742]

gaxi and legendrider...you dudes are crazy!!! i'd be peeing in my shorts descending that fast! :banana:

[weisan]

Who wants to imitate Beloki?

[gaxi]

Not, not crazy - just euphoric !
Well - normally I'm a "security guy" - riding no meter without helmet, watching very carefully the other road users - but it's not often in a cyclists lifetime that you have a road up to 10 meters wide, perfect surface and no switchbacks ! So I decided to take the fast lane ;-) And: don't think too much while descending !!
But I couldn't understand all the cyclists climbing up Mont Ventoux from Malaucène - this road is perfect for descending but not for climbing up to Mt. Ventoux. Especially the classic route from Bédoin is absolutely gourgeous - the scenery with the top of Mont Ventoux shimmering through the pine trees, the very small road winding up through the forest - I think I have to do this again - Mont Ventoux is just 800 kms from here :-)

[hybridbellbaske]

Climb,
I did Ventoux in May 2001 with Velosport Vacations as part of a sensational week riding in Provence. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. I mean, I am a really keen cyclist, but not very fast and pretty out of shape, although I have dropped a bit of weight since then, but I did it!

At the time I used an Ultegra triple and just ground it out for hours- it hurt, but I got there! The hardest bit of the climb- from Bedoin- is through the trees- very few switchbacks- just the road going UP. The top part of the climb- after the trees is long but not quite so hard- except for the last few metres to the telecommunications tower which are seriously steep!

Probably the hardest and scariest part was the descent into Malaucene- where we were staying- because it was really windy- screaming downhill and nearly getting blown off the bike by wind gusts sure gets your attention.

You just have to do it- I came from Australia to ride in the north of italy and the south of france- you guys are much closer- get over there soon!

[Elefantino]

I also beat Sheryl Crow but was twice as slow as Lance. However, I had extenuating circumstances in that the Euskatel bus ran me into the barrier and I had to stop for a while to recover and be comforted by rowdy Dutch fans. And there were so many riders who stopped at each hairpin that it was difficult to keep momentum, not to mention it was a mess to ride it amid 500,000 people. Yeah, it was a really lousy day. Who am I kidding? It was epic, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat, even the bus-into-barrier part.

I also rode from Bedoîn to the summit of Ventoux, on the rest day (16 Jul). I had a 30x23 and felt like I was pushing Ullrich gears. The backside ride, though, was awesome. The road had been repaved in the spring and it was like a pool table. There's nothing like doing 50+ mph into a hairpin.

Of the two, the Ventoux is harder. No question. It is a beast.

Mike in Pink

[93legendti]

I did the Alpe in 1998 w/ Breaking Away. It was a record high temp that day and I was praying for rain. We started in Villard de Lans and rode a total of 70km, also taking in the Col D'Ornon. It was a tough, hot day...

[Fuzzybird]

Elefantino,

All I can say is that you lived my dream to be at the tour and climb L'Alp d'Huez on race day! Trivial non-sense like work be dammed, I'm going to the tour next year and enjoy it first hand before I get too old too!

Thanks for sharing your experiance, I'm mentally inserting myself in your Mt Ventoux picture.

[93legendti]

The Stelvio and Marmolada are also worth considering...both are monster climbs. It was only 60 degrees or so when I climbed them in 1999.

[jeffg]

I have ridden some of the Dolomite passes. The Sella ring is awesome, if not that tough, whereas the Giau is not as scenic but is a beast at over 9% for 10km with no flat sections or even hairpins to gauge your progress. Of course, given that it was my fifth pass of the day and the fact that I was being silly with a 39X27 (given my relative strength) might contribute to my impression of the Giau's difficulty; however, I would have to believe Ventoux is significantly harder still, not to mention the Mortirolo. I want to hit the Dolomites again next summer and do the Gavia and the Stelvio. The Giro may play second fiddle to the TdF, but I think the climbs in Italy are more beautifully and every bit as challenging, if not not more so. :banana:

[BigMac]

Yes to both. My 1st ascent of L'Alpe was 33 years ago as a very fit and strong athlete but very poor cyclist. It was a beautiful day in late spring, I was with 2 friends who were far less fit but considerably better cyclists. They waited probably 30 minutes or more at top as I probably finished in barely under 2 hours...didn't keep time but i was sloooooow and it hurt. I returned in '98, a much more mature and bit larger rider but also a considerably more skilled rider, although still a gravity challenged climber. I finished in 1:28, was happy but also a bit less in awe. In my opinion, there are much more scenic climbs and rides in France, the only reason to climb L'Alpe is to say "I've done that". I again climbed L'Alpe in '01, I was in best climbing shape possibly in my life. I had already ridden a 13:57 DMD in spring and sub 13:00 Eastern Sierra Double in June as well as Ventoux a week earlier. I only did ride as a social-business endeavor. Unfortunately my ride that day was a too small Colnago C40 that is among my least favorite all-time bikes. The temps were upper 90's F with heat off tarmac probably adding 15-20* to that. It was miserable, brutal, awful, swore I would never ride that beast again in the heat of summer but I did finish in 1:17 which is damn fast for me.

Ventoux is another beast altogether. I have ridden it twice, attempted it 5 times. I first attempted it in '72, got sick at side of road twice, felt dizzy, took a nap on side of road just above tree line and then coasted back down to hotel. I cannot recall ever quitting a ride before or since due to fatigue, difficulty or exhaustion. I was 23, a professional athlete and working on pre-camp conditioning but needless to say the mountain won. That was also the best weather I have ever experienced on Ventoux, by a longshot. I summited Ventoux in '99, riding through howling wind gusts measured at 60kph, freezing rain and temps of 2*C. Went back up in '01, rode it 3 straight days, the 1st 2 we only made it to the 5k mark before summit only to discover roads were knee deep in snow despite being told they were clear enough for bicycle. The 3rd day we followed the team I was working with, they had cleared a path through snow that was barely a car width, the road was very icy and temps were brutally cold...it was mid June!

If you have the lungs and legs to climb Ventoux and the opportunity for only one mountain, Ventoux should be your choice. Dress in lots of layers, bring lots of body fuel and water, don't expect stunning views, you literally will be climbing above cloud cover so views are rare. The feeling of accomplishment of summiting Ventoux will last a lifetime. Luz Ardiden(sp?) is my 2nd favorite climb in France, it's usually beautiful and I've never experienced the sweltering heat of L'Alpe or wind atop Ventoux. I have never ridden the Gavia, would love to someday, nor some of the famous Austrian and Swiss passes but Ventoux is the temple of bicycle climbing, at least imo. Take nothing away from L'Alpe, I bet it would be fun in spring or fall, it just does not hold the allure of Ventoux in this cyclists' heart.

Ride on! :banana: :banana: :banana:

[Climb01742]

thanks, bigmac, for sharing. as always, a very informative post.

[Elefantino]

Elefantino,

All I can say is that you lived my dream to be at the tour and climb L'Alp d'Huez on race day! Trivial non-sense like work be dammed, I'm going to the tour next year and enjoy it first hand before I get too old too!

Thanks for sharing your experiance, I'm mentally inserting myself in your Mt Ventoux picture.

Fuzz:

I'm betting that you'll probably get Les Deux Alpe next year instead of l'Alpe d'Huez. Also a great mountain. And I'm betting you'll get Ventoux, too.

Are you going on your own or with a tour group? Either way, you'll have the trip of a lifetime! :banana:

Mike

[Climb01742]

any good tour companies to recommend? "tour" as in group trip, not tour de france. :p

[MarinRider]

I have done many trips with them. They treat you like an adult: it's up to you to figure how much, or how little, riding you want to do, they just take care of the logistics. Erickson Cycle Tours are also much cheaper than other alternatives too

I have ridden L'Alpe and Ventoux many times, all on Erickson trips. My best ascend up L'Alpe was almost 57:00 minutes when I was in shape last year two days before the race day. I thought breaking an hour was good but it was still over the "elimination" time of this year's stage.

I have ridden Ventoux from all three apporaches. The last time I rode up Ventoux was in a driving rain storm, riding alone but with Glenn Erickson himself driving the support van behind me. Nearing the summit the temperature got cold and the wind became downright fierce. There were horizontal rain and hails. I had to lean my bike into the wind just to keep myself upright. At the summit Glenn pulled th care in front of me and wisely made me get into the van to get down the mountain. That night he bought me a bottle of Vin de Ventoux to celebrate my foolishness. It was a day of days of riding that I can never forget.

Riding from the L'Alpe to Ventoux will take you through many hollow grounds of cycling. It will take you two days if you're in a hurry and three days if you want to cover all the famous climbs. From Borg d'Oson go over the top of Col de Lauderate (make sure to do the extra 10km to the Galibier) into Brianscon. From there climb over the Col de Izoard and Col de Var into the wonderful town of Digne le Bain. Those three climbs has more than 12,000 feet of climbing so bring your climbing legs.

Stay in Digne for a day and explore the surrounding climbs. Col de la Bonnett is the highest pass in Europe and at 28km it is more than twice the distance and more steep than the l'Alpe. It is so hard it will break your heart. You can also ride the "Champion" loop by riding Col de Allos, Champs, and Cayolle. Eddy won the '69 tour by going on a 100 mile break away over these climbs.

From Digne to Ventoux can be ridden is a day but make sure to explore many wonderful towns on the way: Sisteron came to mind.

Ah France... just got back last Monday and missed it already... 365 days until the next trip.

Good luck!

[93legendti]

Breaking Away. I did their Alps, Dolmites, Tuscany, Umbria and Napa/Sonoma trips...1rst class all the way.

[davep]

I rode Alpe D'Huez twice last week, Monday and Friday. Monday, two days before the TT, was pretty crazy - thousands of cyclists and a number of cars to contend with also. I started in La Grave, which is 17 miles of mostly uphill from the Alpe, so I had an easy ride to get to the base, but the return... I'm not much of a climber, and I didn't record my time, but I maintained about 7mph most of the time, so I figure my time was in the 1:15 range. I used a triple with a 26 small ring and a 12-25 cassette, and rarely used the 25. Although I was passed by quite a few people, I was pleased that I passed more people than I was passed by.

A side note - later that week at my hotel saw a Calfee set up with a triple and an XTR rear derailleur and what must have been a 34 tooth big cog. He must have been doing some real serious climbing.

After getting to the top, instead of going back down, we continued on to the Col du Sarenne and then down to the main route. If you do the Alpe, I highly recommned this route, much less traffic and a beautiful ride, although the roads are pretty rough at times. Its also a back way into the Alpe to get to the top on race day.

Friday's ride was much less crowded, but still a lot of cyclists. I again didn't time myself, but I felt better and probably did it a bit faster.

I haven't ridden Ventoux, but hope to next summer.

[MadRocketSci]

*sigh*, i'm back home!

I did l'alpe twice last week, on monday and then tuesday. The first ride I did as the last climb of a ride from Valloire (top of col de telegraphe), over Galibier, to Bourg d'oisans, where i hung out till 5pm to try to beat the heat (didn't feel much cooler!), and up l'alpe. Wanted to just scope out the ride, so i didn't time myself, but had a blast. Getting past the first 3 turns with a good mental attitude is crucial, because it is about a 10% grade, it's hot, crowded, and just the beginning. It then relaxes a bit and almost seems flat towards the middle turns. I had on my '02 CSC jersey monday, which inspired a slew of "Allez Basso!!!" cheers from the camper crowds. I got relief from kids with supersoakers, people clapping from the sidelines and the occasional seat-post push. I managed a little hands-free techno-dance while rolling through "German-town." I rode through spray paint, passed stopped traffic on the left, had white paint on my tires, and just took in the spectacle. It's a great ride, but some of the cols i had done the days before (Forclaz, Glandon the HC way, Madeleine) were more difficult and awe-inspiring. But riding l'alpe was definitely the reason I came to France during the Tour.

On tuesday, the day before the race, i waited until about 6pm to go down and come back up. people were telling me earlier how bad the traffic was, how they were stopped multiple times by police, but in the evening the camper folks were eating dinner, the road was closed to cars and the riding was clear and free. This time i managed to time myself, and got 67 minutes from the beginning of the climb (continental banner) to the tourist office in town where you pick up your cheesy diploma for a euro. The flat section leading to the climb was still completely mobbed so getting a decent rolling start wasn't possible; i figured adding 2 minutes for that would be reasonable. Also, to the actual TT finish i took another 6 minutes. The last few sections are pretty steep, i think at 10.5%, but you're so pumped that you're almost there that you're almost riding faster than on the flat parts.

Allez Bassimo!