'Hat Trick' rders on Mount Ventoux

 

 

Mount Ventoux was climbed by the Tour de France
Femme for the first time in July. It first featured in Le Tour in 1951, when Louison Bobet won the stage and Ferdi Koblet the overall race.

It is the most mythologised mountain in Tour history, says my Tour guide.

To ride it once is a major feat for many amateurs.
But what are we to make of a claim by those of the “Ventoux Crazy Club”, reserved only for those scale its dizzy heights three times in one day! A “Hat Trick”!

Can you believe that? Perhaps the Crazies are alien hybrids, not human.

You might think that making such ertreme demands of your body would attract the attention of the Grim Reaper! 

I came across an account of such a ride only recently, posted on the 

internet some years ago.

Mount Ventoux summit 1910 metres absl :nearly there

Known as the Giant of Provence and rising 1910 metres above sea level, Mount Ventoux presents an unrelenting steep gradient like no other. The final six kilometres of the upper reaches across the white stony bare mountain is likened to a lunar landscape blindingly reflecting the sun’s heat.  

Like riding in an oven.  Fierce winds can make the ascent more difficult. At the top, the air is distinctly cold despite the sun – as you would expect at nearly 2000 metres altitude. It is twice as high as Snowdon in North Wales. You will need a light jacket against the chill.

The weather can be unpredictable.  One year during a sportive a sudden change in the weather saw temperatures at the summit plummet to near freezing. So many riders were caught out by this that the emergency services were in danger of running out of blankets to help the stricken laid out by the roadside. A barrier was hastily placed across the road further down the mountain to prevent a thousand others causing a humanitarian crisis. The event was cancelled.

It is a daunting yet beautiful place to reach and many amateur riders are lured to it, to test their resolve by riding to the summit. There, from the roof of the world, you may catch sight of hang gliders circling in the thermals below!

But what are we to make of the Ventoux Crazy Club?  Not content with making one ascent, the “crazies” have taken it upon themselves to ride to the
Ventoux summit three times in one day!

 Surely this is the stuff of nightmares. From which they awake screaming.

Well, you are right to point out that in an Etape du Tour mortals get to ride a full stage of the Tour, which may include three or more cols.  Good point.

And yet some overdo it and I know of one experienced rider who finished unable to speak.  He was so unwell he took to his bed without eating.

And does anyone climb the Tourmalet. that Pyrenean giant, three times in one day; or the Galibier, the monster in the Alps, three times; or the famously steep 21 hair pins of L’Alpe Duez, three times?

I’ve never heard of it. The point is that the Ventoux is seen as particularly harsh. There is no easing in to the climb, unlike some summits. From Bedoin and from Malaucene two of the starting points, the road goes straight up an unrelenting gradient for 21 kilometres!

I was advised that when riding these high mountains for the first time you have to understand you will be working harder for much longer than on British climbs for instance, which typically, say will be of 20 to 30 minutes duration. The longer steeper roads up Ventoux will take an average rider at least three or four times that.
Which is a lot more work than a first timer would be used to.

So you would need to get some quality training done.

Work out what low gear will suit, then go lower and fit another another lower gear in reserve, just in case. And everything worked fine for me. Great ride, tough, but good going, happily tired. And I had no wish to repeat it – that day!

The account  tells us how two brothers  first tackled the ascent from Malaucene, and descended to Bedoin from where they started their second ascent.  Both are 21 kilometres long and equally as steep as the other, at 9/10 per cent.

Having reached the summit for a second time, they descended to Sault, turned round and rode back up. This is 25 kilometres long and though less steep, still demanding.  This joins the route from Bedoin at Chalet Reynard, so that means they scale the six-kilometre exposed climb across the “lunar” landscape for a second time to make the summit for the third and final time. Job done – except for a third descent, to their accommodation.

Let’s look at the logistics facing the average rider, not the likes of Pogacar or the other pros including the women,  Niewiadoma or Vollering who blasted up it recently.

Because as well as spending  hours riding up from three different start points  you gotta allow time for the descending.

Now Tour champion Pogacar went up from Bedoin in the fastest time of 53 minutes in 2025.
The average time for top amateurs is estimated to be less than two hours; but more typical amateur times are between 2.5 and four hours each, from all three starting points.

I’m not sure how long overall it took them, nor did I get much sense of suffering, but I did get their shared excitement at their achievement - bit of a wheeze!

Let’s do the sums, which is only a guide.

If it takes 2.5 hours for each climb – that’s being generous -  and maybe 40 minutes or so for each descent (I took 40 minutes to descend to Malaucene back in 1997 – after  I had ridden up from Sault in 1-44)

We are looking at a total riding time exceeding nine hours, maybe 10.

 Then you must factor in meal breaks.

By starting early in the morning, they probably finish mid-afternoon. But that’s a guess.  

Perhaps they dreamt it all! And to this day they wake up screaming,

I am gobsmacked!

FINALLY: There is also talk of an off-road ride to the summit as well – to be done after the three road routes!!!!

What the?????

Now, that’s bonkers and anyone even thinking of doing that needs locking up in their bike shed.

FOOTNOTE: Tip.  There are car parks on the ascent from Malaucene which you can put to good use.  I recall how photographer Rob Lampard, on a local hire bike not really suited for the purpose smartly took some respite from the fierce gradient by turning   into each car park for a few laps, to give his legs some relief, before exiting and continuing to the top. A smart fellow, Rob.