Mont Ventoux attracts thousands of cyclists for any given summer season. But 2009 was quite the year for VeloSport’s little corner of Provence. One July week saw both the “Etape” cyclosportif with 8000+ riders followed a few days later by the finish of Stage 20 of the Tour de France. Between all the publicity and the additional riders previewing the cyclo, the number of bikes out on the road was over the top.
One reason cyclists take on organized events like the “Etape” or looming obstacles like the Ventoux is that they’re good for your motivation. The thought of a two-hour climb can really kill your appetite for junk-food or help get you out on the bike on a blustery day.
With the new year just starting, it’s a great time to pick out a spring ride on your local event schedule or start budgeting for some summer travel. If you’re considering the Ventoux, give us a shout — whether your thinking about one time up or the crazy three-peat (“cingle”) effort that takes in the three paved routes to the summit.
And whatever direction you go, all of us at VeloSport Vacations hope you find a fresh and motivating cycling challenge in 2010!
You might call our newest 2010 program a “civilized” approach to following the world’s craziest bike race. Of course I like our Pyrénees program (sold out!), but the Alps & Lake Annecy trip is a more refined balance of the key things in life: riding, race viewing, eating, sleeping, and yes, vacationing.
We’ll be [...]
It’s funny, the French word for “experienced” is “experimenté”. Kind of like you have experimented a lot and maybe learned something along the way. Following the Tour as it has grown immensely over the past two decades, we have certainly learned from our experiences. To keep getting better, we have not only had to remember [...]
Though there are plenty of other obstacles on the yellow brick road to Paris, the 2010 course justly brings focus to the 100th anniversary of the race’s first passage in the high mountains. For me, it’s another great opportunity to motivate cyclists to get out of their home routine and onto some of the best [...]
On July 28, 2009, long-time VéloSport guest Steve Maxwell became the 2705th person to officially climb Mont Ventoux by all three sides in one day (right). Steve said the 85 mile ride with 14,000 feet in elevation gain was a “…a tough, but unforgettable experience!”
Steve: ”I’ve been on three different VéloSport trips and I [...]
With stage 20 done and over, John ‘Petit Lapin’ Gatch headed down off Mont Ventoux, testing his tires – and his ego – along the way.
From Two Johns blog: “…Yes I did know the the tires would be fine. After two weeks of working as a cycling guide for VéloSport Vacations, I do trust the [...]
Our day on Mont Ventoux was perfectly epic. Honestly, it is hard to describe what it is like to be a handful of the more than 500,000 fans who packed themselves up and around the slopes of the mountain for just a couple of hours of entertainment. So instead of words, here are some images [...]
One month out from the penultimate stage of the 2009 Tour de France and it looks like we’re ready for the madness. We’re hosting no fewer than 100 race fans and guests atop the Giant of Provence and we’re pulling out all the stops for a four-star, over-the-top VéloSport picnic feast.
Climb Mont Ventoux by all three sides in one day and become a member of the elite brother – and sister- hood of the Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux. You can join VéloSport during our scheduled Ventoux three-peat week (June 13-20) or have us plan your custom Provence vacation. Based at the foot of [...]
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