Twin Peaks Cancer Research Ride 2005
Friday3rd June 2005
We left my house on the Suffolk coast at 03:30 BST on Friday 3rd June for the long journey to Bedoin in Provence, Southern France. The journey was long and thankfully uneventful, we finally arrived in Bedoin at 18:00 CET and found our B&B at around 19:00 CET. Our host Madame LeFranc showed us to our rooms. It was 30C and a glorious summer evening. We could see the peak of Ventoux in the distance and true to its billing it dominates the whole area and I can see why it is known as The Giant of Provence.
(click on any of Matt's picytures to see it full size)
After such a long journey I was aware my legs were in need of stretching ready for the following day's exertions. I suggested to my friend and colleague Paul Ross, who would be acting as my support on the climbs in the car, that a short spin on the bikes would be in order before we went out for dinner. So we got the bikes out of the car and took a spin into Bedoin. Bedoin is a picture postcard Provencal village with a main street with bars and restaurants and lots of terracotta coloured houses in the Provencal style. We found the road to Ventoux adjacent to the Office de Tourisme where the Tour de France climb starts and I decided we should ride along the route for the following day fro a while. After the poor weather in England so far this year the heat was very welcome distraction. I rode about 10km up into the forest and was satisfied with the climb and how I was feeling and turned back for a shower and meet back up with Paul before heading into the village for dinner.
We found a nice restaurant and took a table outside on the pavement; we sampled the local delights and a couple of bottles of the local Cotes de Ventoux red wine, which if any of you happen to find yourself in the area is well worth sampling. It was then back to the B&B for a good nights sleep. As it turned out I got about 4 hours as I was uncharacteristically nervous, the weight of expectation and the amount of money everyone had very generously sponsored me weighed heavy on my conscience.
Saturday 4th June 2005
My first day of reckoning dawned clear, bright and warm and Madame LeFranc provided a fantastic al fresco breakfast that settled my nerves and the largest coffee I have ever seen to get me in the mood for the effort ahead. Paul and I had formulated a plan to allow him to get some cycling during the trip, so we cycled into Bedoin to the village square and took a couple of pictures by the fountain before Paul set off to ride as far as he wanted up the mountain. I waited 20 minutes before setting off and used this time to warm up by riding along the road to Malaucne. I timed my warm up to allow me 5 minutes back at the fountain to stretch and splash some water over my head and neck as it was already 35C. At 09:30 CET I Set off from Bedoin on the road to the summit of Mont Ventoux. The first 7km of the climb are quit steady and not too taxing averaging about 5%. I hit a nice steady rhythm without going out too hard and blowing before I finished the climb. I passed a few riders as I headed up to the village of St Colombes and saw Paul waiting with the camera to get the before' shot!
As you can see I was still smiling! As I passed through the village of Les Bruns, the climb started to elevate as I entered the forest and by the time I took the sharp left at La Cisterna the climb had hit 10.8% incline. I realised now that there was a local randonee race taking place as I picked off riders on the climb and decided at that point that I would not be passed on the climb. I had settled in to a steady rhythm and still had my emergency gears to go if I needed them. The heat in the forest, which covers the first 16km of the climb, was intense it reached 40C and with no wind and the smell of the pine trees made me think it was like cycling in a sauna with that hot air tasting of pine. I was now well into the climb and feeling confident and in a masochistic was enjoying the ride. Paul reappeared in the car at about 13km and was amazed how far I had got. He later confided that he thought he had missed me on the climb and was getting worried I might run out of drinks in my bottles. I must say I was pleased to see him as the cold bottles from the cooler he passed me were a pleasant relief from the heat, the energy drink hit the spot and the cold water felt fantastic when I tipped it over my head and neck.
I had now found my optimum cadence and was feeling great, I was totally in synch with my bike and found I was looking up the mountain for the next riders to catch and pass, my fears of struggling with no more gears to go, weaving from side to side to tack up the hill were a distant memory. As I keep telling people I am not built to climb at 6 foot 3 inches and 14 stone, but my training and the stone I had lost since Christmas were really paying dividends and I was really enjoying it and starting to accelerate up the hill. I reached Chalet Reynard, after 16km at a height of 1405m, the climb slackens for about a km and I knocked the bike up a couple of gears and shot past the riders who I hadn't caught at the finish of the Randonee before hitting the 6km of climbing above the tree line on the Ventoux's famous lunar landscape which cost Britain's only professional Road Race Champion his life during the 1967 Tour de France. Strangely I had expected to find this part the hardest part of the climb, but the breeze had a wonderful cooling affect and I found my speed increasing as I picked of other cyclists making the pilgrimage to the summit.
The final sting in the tail is the 1km section of the climb after 21km which climbs at 10.2% but being so close to the summit I was out of the saddle and climbing like a man possessed with Paul encouraging me all the way.
I reached the top of the 22km climb in 1 hour 32 minutes and 46 seconds. The smile on my face went from ear to ear. I had completed the climb in style and felt great.
I must add although I climbed without a helmet on, this was a choice I had made due to the heat and the average speed being around 10 mph judging this not to be a risk, but had my helmet in the car and put it on for the descents of both mountains and always ride with a helmet on when on British roads.
The descent down the other side of Ventoux to Malaucne was fast and had sweeping bends rather than the Alpine hairpins and I hit a top speed of 54mph and passed a few cars on the way down. As with most French roads they were wide and had a superb surface, by the bottom my fore arms and shoulders were aching though from the braking and cornering at speed but it was an amazing descent. I then rode back round toward Bedoin to meet Paul who was riding out to meet me, my only error was that I hadn't noticed the Col de Madelaine on the road back and had a fair climb to get over before the run in to Bedoin, just what my legs needed! After a well deserved lunch of fresh Pizza in Bedoin we set off for Bourg d'Osians, west of Grenoble in the Alps and at the foot of Alpe d'Huez. Paul drove the 120 miles there to let me recover which was appreciated, I managed to study the inside of my eye lids most of the way there, although I woke up with a start as we left Grenoble on the road to Bourg.
On arrival we settled into our room at Madame Cojean guest house which was attached to her restaurant Le Glandon'. After unpacking we had our dinner in the restaurant and took the car up Alpe d'Huez to have a look at the climb. It could not have been more different from the Ventoux as it rises sharply at the beginning and stays that way all the way up the 21 hairpin bends as it climbs the 1856m to the upper outskirts of Alpe d'Huez 1850 ski station, the climb only drops below 8% on the final km through the ski station! I was nervous now!
Sunday 5th June 2005
After another unsettled night with the climb of the Alpe haunting my dreams I woke and quietly ate my breakfast and down fruit juice and coffee to fuel my efforts. Paul noticed my quiet brooding and the change in atmosphere and was aware how nervous I was. He decided that not speaking to me, unless he had to was the best course of action. This left me to prepare myself mentally as I was now in unknown territory, the fact that climbing the stairs to my room told me my legs were tired and I had one of the toughest climbs from the Tour de France to get through only made me more introspective. That said it was a nice day and after preparations in Bourg d'Osians Paul set off as the day before to climb as much as he wanted and then to wait for a photo before heading back for the car. I again used the agreed 20 minutes to warm up and get my legs going. I made the final preparations and as I was about to start a Dutch cycling club went past also about to climb the Alpe known as the Dutch Mountain after all the Dutch riders who have won the prestigious stage in Le Tour. I gave them 5 minutes and set off in pursuit, knowing full well that with riders of varying ability I would have riders to aim at and pick off on the ascent.
I headed out of Bourg and took the right turn that lead up, eventually, to Alpe d'Huez ski station, after about a km I rounded the left hand bend that signified the end of the flat section and hit the first section to hairpin 21 which rose at 10.6%, no gentle introduction here! I passed Paul near the hairpin and didn't bother smiling for the camera as my legs were hurting already, and I was trying to find a comfortable rhythm.
The first 3km were the hardest as the incline never falls below 10% but I gradually found my rhythm and settled in. I passed the first few cyclists from the Dutch 'Persil' cycle team that I had seen at the bottom and could see the others strung out on the road ahead. The climb eased now to a friendlier 8 to 9% and my legs stopped feeling heavy and I started spinning well, Paul appeared in the car and shouted some encouragement and could see I was concentrating on my cadence and average speed so went ahead to take some photo's and offer bottles as required. I was picking off riders and again set myself the target of not getting passed so kept working hard.
As luck would have it moments after the picture above was taken my rear tyre went bang and I was riding on the rim as all the air disappeared out of it. I jumped off and undid the quick release on my wheel and whipped the wheel out. In the time I had done this Paul was at my side with my spare rear wheel and in a time worthy of any Pro team we had replaced the wheel and I was on my way again. This spurred me on and I upped the pace a little as the bigger gear I had on my spare meant to ride at my optimum cadence I had to up the effort. I caught and passed some more riders but was aware that 2 riders about 100m back had not been there prior to my enforced stop and accelerated again to shake them off. Those who race with me know how competitive I am!
I was at hairpin one now, which is the last of the climb and as the gradient slackened I put the bike up into the big chain ring and powered through the lower Alpe d'Huez 1700 ski station before flying through the tunnel and round the final bends up to the 1850 ski station and looked down to see I was hitting 25mph! There is then a short downhill section before a left at the roundabout and a short sharp climb to the white line marking the end of the Tour de France climb. I rose to the challenge and got out the saddle and accelerated to the line, all time thinking that this is the way my cycling hero Lance Armstrong would finish the climb. Note the different back wheel!
I have to say I was exhausted and had dug very deep into my reserves of commitment and determination on this climb and the sense of euphoria I felt the day before was not there, just the feeling of achievement from completing my task and securing the sponsorship money, which to be honest was the most important thing. I had completed the climb in 1hour and 32 seconds, 32 seconds longer than my target of beating the hour, but with the stop for a wheel change I was satisfied with that. Again I wasn't passed but to put my climb into perspective Lance Armstrong had done the climb in 39 minutes and 42 seconds the year before in the Tour de France Mountain Time Trial!!!!
The descent was fast but punctuated by frequent braking for the hairpins, which really got my arms and shoulders working before I turned off and climbed to Villa Recluse and took the road down to Allemont and back round to Bourg d'Osians. I met Paul on the road and we rode tempo back to the town. I was shattered and after a quick wash and change we went to a nearby restaurant and tucked into fantastic fresh pizza and a huge bowl of fries, I deserved every single one and the beer I had to go with it.
Above is the view down to Bourg d'Osians from half way up the climb! You can make out a couple of the bends in the road through the trees
After resting in the afternoon and dinner at the guesthouse we went into Bourg and found a nice bar to enjoy a few well deserved beers with the traditional Pastis chasers before hitting the hay ready for an early start home, with a call at Aix les Bains for the start of Stage 1 of the Dauphine Libere.
Monday 6th June 2005
We had a great run to Aix les Bains about 100 miles from where we had stayed and had time to see all the Pro teams arrive and ride on the start of the course. Below Paul is just passing through the start archway with the race Commissaires car on his right.
After our attempts at passing ourselves off as Pro's we settled down for the real reason for being there and were rewarded shortly after when we saw Lance Armstrong and his loyal lieutenant in the Discovery Team George Hincapie who was in yellow as the race leader after winning the day before in the Prologue Time Trial. As this was his last race before going for his record 7th Tour de France win and then retirement, we desperately wanted to see Lance in the flesh and were not disappointed.
What a terrific way to end a terrific weekend, the long drive home was more bearable and gave us loads to talk about, how the great man looked, how some of his opponents looked and the miles flew by. We arrived home at about 9pm BST having covered 1936 miles in the car over the four days, mostly covered on the Friday and Monday and having ridden about 100miles climbing 3768 metres(12,246 feet) up two of the most prestigious cycling climbs in France, in glorious sunshine. Perfect!
I would like to thank Paul for coming with me; it would have been so much tougher without him. He shared the driving, kept me stocked with bottles on the climbs and was great company in our spare time; I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did. He could have a career as a Directeur Sportif of a pro team the way he looked after me! I'd also like to thank Kate, Jessica and Aaron Ross for letting me take him away for the trip and of course my long suffering wife Pip and my gorgeous girls Jess and Georgie for their support and putting up with the time I spent on the bike preparing for this ride. Not to forget my club Plomesgate Cycle Club for the support and advice everyone freely offered me since I joined a couple of years ago. Most of all I want to thank everyone who took the time to wish me luck and sponsor me, to date I have raised over 1300 with offers still coming in; your generosity has amazed me. Thank you so much, next year I hope to ride 2 or 3 of the biggest mountains used in the Giro d'Italia to raise more money for Cancer Research UK so watch this space, I will be back.
Thanks,
Matt.