Vers Mont Ventoux

Simon Richardson
Bob Soutter
Rob Williamson
Neil

Tournon sur Rhone to Venasque
100.12 miles/161.1kms
800m of ascent
Average speed 19.1 mph (had been over 20 mph before the last climb to Donzère for lunch)
Hôtel la Garrigue
Route de l'Appie

In retrospect, this was not the best preparation for the Ventoux tomorrow. Our hottest day yet at 35' with clear blue skies and smooth roads. We had a slow start from Tournon, and enjoyed the scenery of the Rhone valley before we gradually got our selves organised into a fast rolling peloton. The kilometres rolled by as the speed increased. At times the roads were busy but traffic was respectful and never got in our way. We snatched coffees and hot chocolates at the same Bar des Sport in one of the villages we passed, whilst Chris established relationships with the same barmaid that had served us the year before - verified by Rob who had memorised the shape of her chest.
Lunch was up a hill in the picturesque village of Donzère where Russ passed time in a central car park by watching and trying to chat up the "Yummy Mummys" who were dropping off their children at the local Primary School. As usual, we fed like locusts and fought for cups of tea and coffee whilst trying to avoid the mid day sun, then dashed off for the afternoons session, leaving ever cheerful Russ to clear up the debris.
The afternoon was on quieter roads and through rolling countryside. Simon Flack decided to sneak off and do one of the less popular routes up Mont Ventoux in passing, leaving the option of doing the two other routes to the top tomorrow one after the other, thus earning the title of "Cringlé" (reserved for those who make ascents up each of the three routes to the top within 24hrs.) None of the rest of us followed him, preferring the direct route to the hotel in Venasques. As we approached the town, there was much jostling as we all tried to gain the best position for the sprint to the town boundary, but we were all to be disappointed. The town was 300m up at the top of a hill so no sprint was contested. Our initial disappointment did resolve when we saw the fabulous views over the surrounding plateau and towards our target for tomorrow, and also later when we had a wonderful meal of a home made blue cheese quiche, chicken curry with pasta (a first for me) and strawberry tart.
By 9.30 all of the cyclists were ready for bed, though Russ, who had had a quieter day, was ready to party. Sorry, but no, Russ