First stage: Valperga - Malaucène
I have just returned from a trip and already I want to share. But this time I want to satisfy my hunger cycle, but I do not know yet what the target to reach. Fate has it that a shift in TV documentary on the biosphere of the
Mont Ventoux: the memory back to 2000 when the Tour de France the unforgotten and unforgettable Pantani back to dominating victory up there where the highest wind and sun.
Well, the
Mont Ventoux is the destination. Calling the irreducible Alberto enthusiast who is ready to compare with the bald mountain. Using different street on the internet call path that will bring us to our base camp that is sympathetic to the village of Malaucène, whose area is famous for excellent cherries, where we booked overnight stay at the hotel "The Origan" site in the square main.
Charge bikes, bags and similar products in the car. Valperga Malaucène and are separated by more than 360 km that deal with due calm. Off in the ring by the former Torino. SS460 continue towards Bardonecchia - Frejus (motorway A32). Released Oulx to Briançon to descend after the scollinato Monginevro, and we continue to Gap where we stop for lunch. Resume following the road towards Serres and Nyons and
Vaison la Romaine, where we find the sign that shows us the village of Malaucène a few kilometers. Parked the car in the central square of the country (free parking) we go to the nice hotel where the operator places at our disposal, including in the price of € 23 each, a garage where our bikes shelter. We still have part of the day to be exploited, then we decide to go and have dinner and visit
Avignon.
Just fell out of paying for parking, a large powerful Mistral us to welcome in the Vaucluse.
Avignon is a city known for the orderly famous historical period of the "
Avignon captivity" (1309-1377) or if the seat of the papacy was moved from Rome to
Avignon note. Because now the Palazzo dei Papi is closed to the public and we have to see it from the outside, but we can still visit the gardens that offer a panoramic view of the Rhone and the city, with its imposing size of the Ventoux in the backdrop.
now it is time to go to sleep, tomorrow will be a busy day.
Useful Info:
OFFICE DE TOURISME
Place de la Mairie
84340 Malaucène
Tel: 04.90.65.22.59
Fax: 04.90.65.22.59
Email: contact@malaucene.info
The achievement of the mythical top
Chronicle of Thursday 2 June 2006 memorable
9.00
After a breakfast of sugars, maltodextrins, dextrose and fructose to bring stuff from the diabetes alone to read, we go in the garage take our bikes with which to challenge the sun, mistral, slopes and any sort of hostility.
9.15
In the trunk of car preparo massive doses of supplements salt, honey and bars to stave off dehydration and "cooked" that subtle is always lurking.
9.30
Begins to approach
Bedoin which begins the ascent to Mount calvo
10.03
Arrived at collar de la Madeleine, almost insignificant in relation to altitude mountain bald, we meet a German equipped with everything that gently snaps two pictures, images from almost allocate memory to think of posterity when he comes to know, by the wise mix of English and gestures bubbling, which is the means to achieve that goal.
11.06
Bedoin public parking, take the road to Saint Esteve. The slope is gentle and the parade of lush vineyards French still distract the mind from the hardships that are going to lie.
11.32
Reached the first two bends that characterize the ascent began with the contention
Mont Ventoux ... missing 15km au sommet as the French say: mistral in the face that at times seems to want to run the bike, the sun washes out the perceptions and alternates, important gradients exhausted and consume your legs ... but the motivation is too high to give up the grip and continuing to pedal.
12.17
Chalet Reynard ends the most difficult of the climb and starts the lunar landscape of the typical Ventoux: dry stones and split from the sun that we accompagnerannosino at the top. Now only missing a little over 6 km to the top
12.50
less than 100 meters to the finish line, here is the second bend, the slope is fatal nearly 15% ... impetuosa comes a gust of mistral, strong and icy, which has that almost beat me to brake and accelerate land ... to stay in balance defeating the latest attempt by the natural forces of the clips ... Ventoux has won are the 12:51, 2 June 2006 ... the wonder, Petrarch was singing, we have tamed.
Although it is almost summer peak in the climate is inhospitable: 2 degrees with the wind in cold risoffia face, time to take two photographs and down headlong in the opposite side, towards the road that leads us to Malaucène. During the descent should be absolutely lucid and careful: you can reach almost supersonic speed (I have touched the 80km / h) very quickly and the road in some places is uneven with catastrophic risk of falls.
Come to celebrate Malaucène climbing, outdoor bistro in the hotel, sitting on comfortable armchairs and welcoming contemplating the silhouette of the mountain which dominates