Summer hols season so all packed up and ready to roll. 3 days in Brittany then long drive on to Malaucenne to ride the Ventoux darkside stylee before been shown how to really ride it! Anyone out there already or joining le tour at some point? Lets hear from anyone on the Ventoux?
Ill be back…

I was up Mt Ventoux at Easter, its tough. I'd love to see the pros climb it.

Not done the road thing there but the trails are something else.
Great riding

I''l be there….

Stayed briefly in Malaucenne last year on the way to the Verdon. Rode Ventoux 3 times in two days and it's fantastic.

We'll be driving out next Wednesday and will be staying at the Le Bosquet campsite in Maulaucenne for 10 days.

Will be on Ventoux for the tour, cannot wait.

I cant wait to watch the tour at Ventoux.

Go up from Bedoin! If you're driving to Malaucene you may as well bimble over to Bedoin on the bike (lovely road and a good warmup). May as well do the ascent that the Tour is going up. Then come down Malaucene – best descent.
Did all 3 at the beginning of May, really wish I was going out next weekend..!

I always rode from Malaucene to Bedoin, then up Ventoux before coming back down to Malaucene at warp factor 9! Round trip of 35(ish)miles I think.

Little tip for anyone whose never ridden up from Bedoin there is a tap to refill your bidon's at Chalet Reynard, which is just after you break out of the trees and start the 'moonscape' section.

I'll be near the final stage on Sunday, just outside Villenuve-Saint-Dennis.

My other post is looking for an ETA so I can catch them there – any ideas ?

I drove up Ventoux and felt tired at the top! The hire car (a Punto) didn't work the same afterwards either – squealing brakes (from the descent) and the engine didn't sound so good either…

It's going to be a great stage I reckon (unless things go horribly wrong for Contador or Armstrong before then making it irrelevant. Hope not!)

The hire car (a Punto) didn't work the same afterwards either – squealing brakes (from the descent) and the engine didn't sound so good either…

hahaha…one of the abiding memories of riding Ventoux is the smell of burning clutches and burning brakes..

I've also just remembered being overtaken on the decent by a guy in some POS car when I thought I was going down fairly fast… 🙂

I've thrashed a 1.2 Corsa hire car up Ventoux and that was hard enough work – never mind riding it!

caledonia – look at the time schedules tab on here

Rode it a couple of days after La Marmotte 2009. Nice climb, great views and road surface. The decent back to Bedouin was mental fast, be wary of gusting wind at the top…..and take a camera! Enjoy!

Thanks SockPuppet,

But what does the 42 40 n 38 mean ?
I guess Caravan is the support vehicles etc.

But what does the 42 40 n 38 mean ?
that's the eta if the average speed for the stage is 42kph, 40kph etc.
caravan = publicity caravan hoying tat into the crowd.

Ahah ! Thanks v.much.
Need to try and extract the kids (and Mrs Cale) from Dinsey in time to see it methinks.