4 times the Mont Ventoux: Jeffrey talks about his monster ride on the ‘bare mountain’

The Mont Ventoux has something special. There are many beautiful climbs in Europe, but once you have climbed to the top of the Mont Blanc, you will admit that this one is special. With the summit at 1,910 meters, you reach the highest point of Provence. And you can feel it. In the final kilometers, all the protection is gone and the hard wind blows into your face. For Jeffrey Wiese, the love for cycling began on this mountain, and after – literally – mountains and valleys in his ‘cycling career’, he felt that there was something special about it. the Ventoux There was still ‘something’ to be achieved. That brought him to the ultimate challenge: the Cinglé du Ventoux. But then with a pinch of salt: he climbed the Mont Ventoux 4 times, with the Fourth ascent The gravel route. We spoke with him about his monster ride on the bare mountain.

_{Written by Maks Groeneveld | Photos: What if the Cycling Podcast}

The love for the Ventoux

‘You are a cyclist who finds the Ventoux particularly special. Why did you choose that mountain specifically?‘

‘When I was about 13 years old, I went to France with my father. From the campsite we had a view of Mont Ventoux, and I immediately thought, ‘Wow, I have to go up there.’ At the time, I only had a “normal bike” with a straight handlebar and few gears. We cycled a short distance together. There I suddenly saw all these cyclists and beautiful racing bikes. At that moment, my love for cycling literally blossomed on Mont Ventoux. The years that followed we went back – then with a race bike. Three years later I rode the Ventoux for the first time from Sault, I must have been 16. At the top I felt more proud than ever. On returning home I joined a club and started riding competitions.’

‘How did you come up with the idea to climb the Mont Ventoux four times?’

‘It was already on my schedule to climb the Ventoux three times, but I had to cancel that plan because I had suffered a knee injury. I had to recover from that for over two years. The symptoms kept coming back after a lot of climbing, so I had put the challenge out of my mind. Later, when I started my podcast series with two friends, ‘The Cycling Dream’ – in which all three of us would embark on a cycling dream – I immediately knew that that would mean that I would still climb the Ventoux three times.

We had a number of partnerships, including with a bike fitter, David. I got a very good bike fit from him. David measured the soles of my cycling shoes. He helped me on one condition; I had to climb the mountain a fourth time. The insole reduced my knee pain significantly, and that made the challenge really achievable all of a sudden.’

‘How did you prepare for this challenge?‘

‘Phew. That wasn’t great. During that period I had a lot of work, so the training was really minimal. I cycled whenever I could. About a month before the challenge I was in Limburg 15 times the Camerig I climbed up the mountain to get a lot of elevation gain and test my knee. That day I realized that I had a lot of improvement. was less fit than I thought. So it got exciting; I only had about two weeks left to train. During that period I did another 70-minute endurance ride, and then it was all over. The week before the climb I deliberately took a rest.’

‘By constantly setting my goal for the next cyclists in front of me, I remained focused. Actually, I only really enjoyed the second climb.’

And then it's finally time: 4 times the Mont Ventoux!

The first climb – Malaucène (departure 06:30)

‘I leave from Vaison-la-Romaine and ride 10 kilometers from there to the start of the climb from Malaucène; it’s my favorite climb. It’s extremely foggy, cold and wet. Normally, you encounter many cyclists on the Ventoux, but now I’m constantly alone. With the music on, it’s fine, and fortunately I don’t have any knee problems. At the top, it’s so cold and windy that I immediately put on warm clothes and start the descent. During that descent, I can see no more than 4 meters ahead. Down below – in Sault – I find a local café to get my first stamp and have something to eat.’

The second climb – Sault

‘This was my first climb ever, so I’m looking forward to cycling again from Sault. The sun is starting to come out and things are getting busier on the climb, which means I can catch up with the cyclists. By always setting my goal for the next cyclist in front of me, I stay focused. Actually, I just enjoyed the second climb. Against my expectations, I end up feeling super fit and motivated at the top. Down at the bottom, in Bédoin, I get my second stamp in a cycling café. There I feel: this is only the first half; it’s going to get tough.’

The third climb – gravel from Bédoin

‘The gravel climb. First a bit on the road from Bédoin, then almost 14 kilometers of gravel and the last stretch back on the Malaucène route. So: time for a bike and shoe change. On the gravel section I don’t see anyone. It’s sometimes more of a MTB trail, with a lot of loose rocks. It’s really a nice climb, with a maximum of 8% uphills. This alternation between gravel and road is great; time flies by. After this climb I’m most refreshed; I suddenly have a lot of energy, I feel great. I thought, "Come on, climb that last climb.". Around 18.45 I arrive in Bédoin. There I got the third stamp and put up a nice sign saying ‘Pasta Bolo’. Then the time starts to tick; dusk is approaching and I really don’t feel like having to climb everything in the dark.’

I’d never been that deep on a bike before. But hey, I only had to cover about 600 meters of the 6,100 altitude meters.’

The fourth climb – Bédoin

‘The final climb… the hardest. At the terrace the fatigue sets in – and the realization that I had underestimated it a bit. Just below the climb the sun goes down and it gets immediately colder. Put on gloves and a jacket. At that moment I just don't see the point anymore; that's probably the low point. I’ve never been this deep on a bike before. But hey, I only have to get about 600 meters from the 6100 meter mark. I’m already so close, so I have to finish it. With lots of Haribo, Cola and some good music, I get higher and higher. Along the way, I take a moment for myself; I step off and stand there completely alone, in the dark on that barren mountain. With only the sound of the wind around me, I look at the beautiful lights in the valley.

Then I get back on, and I stamp my way to the top. My friends are waiting at the top with the car, and the lights get closer, which motivates me. At 22:30 I get upstairs. There are so many emotions going through me at the top; so much pride and euphoria at the same time. Something that seemed impossible before has now been done entirely by myself. This challenge was 100% up to me; no one could help me with it. The fact that I have ticked this off now gives me the feeling that I can handle anything. And the fact that this is now possible, after all the trouble with my knee injury, feels fantastic.’

After the finish line: tips for others those 4 people who want to climb Mont Ventoux?

‘To the question of whether Jeffrey has tips for people who hesitate to apply for the Cinglé du Ventoux Go – or perhaps the 4, 5 or 6 times, he says: ‘With a good nutrition strategy – 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour, with sports nutrition that your body is used to – you can go a long way. Furthermore, I found it super nice to have support, to give a jacket or extra food at the pit stops. And make sure you have good pedaling on your bike, don’t make it harder for yourself than necessary.’

And besides: ‘Just do it.’. The fact that you are thinking about it says that you should go for it. Make sure you have already climbed all three sides beforehand, so you know exactly what it entails. And if you really can’t make it, then you should also dare to give up.’

This mountain race, 4 times the Mont Ventoux – and the preparation for it – has been fully documented for the podcast series ‘The Cycling Dream’. Curious about the accompanying images and emotions of this adventure? Then check it out Below is the film