"Out, but with a W - has found the answer" (belg)
07/18/2016 at 16:06 • Filed to: None
5
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"Out, but with a W - has found the answer" (belg)
07/18/2016 at 16:06 • Filed to: None | 5
| 12 |
*Well, the Mont Ventoux. Let’s call it a local maximum.
Went up from Bédoin and down again to Malaucène. I might have been toying with the idea to climb it by bike before, but not anymore. TV and Google Streetview do not prepare you for the steepness, nor the bends.
From Le Chalet Reynard onwards it’s an almost continuous 9-10%, unsheltered from wind and weather.
Coming down, I was in second gear and still managed to hit 75 km/h without accelerating, 100 when I shifted to third.
RallyWrench
> Out, but with a W - has found the answer
07/18/2016 at 16:25 |
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Beautiful. Phil and Paul always say TV does not do the elevation justice, and the speed these guys maintain climbing is just insane. Someday I will camp in the Alps and await the Tour. It’s something I have to experience.
sony1492
> Out, but with a W - has found the answer
07/18/2016 at 16:26 |
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What were you driving?
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Out, but with a W - has found the answer
> sony1492
07/18/2016 at 16:33 |
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My grandparents’ Audi Q3 (1.4 TFSI, FWD). Not a lot of power (150 hp), but a fun chassis. It was adequate, the mountain is not really meant to be attacked anyway, with quite some cyclists around, even in the evening.
BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
> Out, but with a W - has found the answer
07/18/2016 at 16:35 |
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Didn’t you try giving it a go on foot, ala froome?
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Out, but with a W - has found the answer
> BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
07/18/2016 at 16:41 |
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Nope, there’s an amazing lack of oxygen up there, I’d probably faint halfway.
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Out, but with a W - has found the answer
> RallyWrench
07/18/2016 at 16:41 |
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It really is something else in real-life. I also drove up the Grand Colombier in 2014 (the col they rode at the end yesterday), and it seemed so easy on TV.
Oh, and the Stelvio last year, but that one is just ridiculous.
OPPOsaurus WRX
> Out, but with a W - has found the answer
07/18/2016 at 17:02 |
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I climbed my Washington this weekend 6288' at the peak. Breathing is a different thing up there
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Out, but with a W - has found the answer
> OPPOsaurus WRX
07/18/2016 at 17:09 |
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I think I read your post, looked like an amazing hike! That’s actually the same altitude as the Mont Ventoux, give or take a couple of meters. I spent the night on the Stelvio last year (about 2700m/9000ft), and I think I had a light case of altitude sickness then (headache), but I don’t remember breathing being as difficult as today.
ttyymmnn
> Out, but with a W - has found the answer
07/18/2016 at 17:16 |
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I’m a Tour de France junkie (though I’m way, way behind on watching the race onDVR this year), and it always blows my mind that they ride to the top of that thing, let alone competitively. It looks like the surface of the Moon.
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Out, but with a W - has found the answer
> ttyymmnn
07/18/2016 at 17:27 |
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You’ll love the scoop of today’s episode then!
It’s actually less of a moonscape up close, mainly light-colored, medium sized rocks/large gravel, with quite some plants still getting through. The wind is something else though, it was a ‘calm’ breeze today, and we were still almost blown away!
TchmilFan
> Out, but with a W - has found the answer
02/17/2017 at 18:42 |
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I only dip into Oppo every-so-often, usually when I’ve got something mundane to post. But tonight I was looking for posts with “Streetview”... so I missed the opportunity back in July to say I have ridden up it. 2000 Etape du Tour.
Had to hide in the trees just below Chalet Reynard when a hailstorm passed through. After that, tried to push on at the start of the moonscape - not enough oxygen! Damn hill feels like it goes on forever, particularly when you’re going through the higher bends and the tower is popping in and out of view.
There had been snow for the faster riders, but by the time I got to the top it was just very cold. Went in the souvenir shop and grabbed old plastic bags that their stock came in, put them over my gloves for the descent to Maulacéne. Didn’t get over 65kph because of the head wind. :-(
Found out later that I’d been the last one allowed up, they closed the Chalet Reynard barrier - turned back half the riders.
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Out, but with a W - has found the answer
> TchmilFan
02/18/2017 at 04:09 |
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Amazing story, thanks for sharing!