Probably the second most famous climb in the world after the Alpe d'Huez, the Mont Ventoux is a magnet for cyclists throughout the summer.

Named the windy mountain, the Mont Ventoux stands over 1,600 metres or a vertical mile above the Provence countryside. The most famous ascent is from Bedoin, a quiet town on the south side of the mountain. This is the side the Tour de France and Dauphine Libere use when riding the mountain. There is also a difficult northern ascent from Malaucene with the easiest ascent from Sault.

The mountain became famous on the 13th July 1967 when the British cyclist Tom Simpson rode himself to exhaustion on the slopes and died. There is a memorial to Tom Simpson on the southern side of the mountain, just over one kilometre from the summit.

From Bedoin, the climb can be incredibly hot at the bottom. The gradient is steep and there are no hairpins on which to recover. Once the Chalet Reynard has been passed with six kilometres to the summit, the Mistral wind, which helps gives the mountain it's name can come into play and can buffet a cyclist all over the road. The seven percent gradient can feel more like 15 percent. From the Mont Ventoux, there is an incredible panorama with views in every direction.

See June 2000 --- August 2002

Malaucene

7.2% average - 11% maximum

Bedoin

7.1% average - 11% maximum

East - Sault (765m), 26km, D1210m

4.5% average - 10% maximum