WOW! What a day! What a mountain! What a climb! Mont Ventoux is everything you've heard and more. If you are a cyclist, Mont Ventoux is ranked as the most difficult climb in professional cycling. For sure, the most difficult climb in the Tour de France. I chose to climb the infamous, more difficult side from the village of Bedoin. It is 22 kilometers from the centre village. The first 6K are at about 4-7% with a 100 meter flat spot just before the famous hairpin turn to the left and the beginning of the wall. At 15K from the top there is a sign, The Geant Of Provence. 10%, and I think more at times, it goes up, up, up, never an easy kilometer. Truly an incredibly difficult climb. I have respect for all the recreational and club riders who can claim they've climbed Mont Ventoux. And my repect for the pros who race this mountain has gone up a zillion times. I tried to imagine being in the TDF and approaching Bedoin after 120 miles of racing in the heat and facing Mont Ventoux. Awesome. I took some photos at the top and got my just rewards fo climbing, I got to roll down one of the greatest mountains in the world. I was smiling and whistling all the way down. Not a car or a cyclist passed me.
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