le grimpeur

A new grimpeur?2
Guy WR posted in Climbers, Classic Climbs, Classic Stages on March 19th, 2008

Oh to dream!

In watching the stage 4 finish on Mont Ventoux of Paris-Nice, le grimpeur could not help but wonder how many other viewers were quietly wishing the impossible, that Jens Voigt would hold off all the chasing climbers and take a well-deserved mountain stage win.

Voigt had his characteristic grimace on full display, and after attacking the breakaway group at the bottom of the climb to the north slopes of the mountain, officially Mont Serein, had around 3.5 minutes of lead time over the peloton.

“When I attacked the group at the foot of the climb, I believed I could make it,” he told CyclingNews. “I only lost 30 seconds in the first five kilometres of the ascent. So I told myself I could possibly do it, just looking at it mathematically.”

He was riding strongly, but hardly the perfect example of climbing souplesse - driving the pedals, hands on the hoods; time-trialling the climb. He still had 2 minutes with 6 kilometres to go, but the gap kept coming down, driven by Quick Step as well as KOM jersey wearer Clément L’Hottelerie. (more…)

Le grimpeur in training1
Guy WR posted in Classic Climbs, Climbing Skills on March 16th, 2008

In June, le grimpeur is fortunate to be travelling to France to see some of the Dauphiné Libéré, particularly the stage to Mont Ventoux, and to report on it for Pez Cycling News.

At the top of the agenda, though, is the randonée ride Cinglés du Mont Ventoux, organized by the club of the same name. This fixed route, as many readers surely know, consists of three ascents of the famed Geant itself by three different routes. The total ride is only around 130 kilometres but a full half of that is climbing, over 4,400 metres worth.

The toughest day your author had in the saddle last year was a 200 km exploit with around 2,000 metres of climbing. The Cinglés may not be as long, but 4,400 metres of upward roads will be a singular test. Quelle folie, indeed!

So le grimpeur is currently in serious training for the expedition. But how to approach such a ride, which will be almost exclusively ascending (of the most torturous kind - it is Mont Ventoux after all) and descending? As such, only the finest hill climbing training techniques from some of the best grimpeurs have been assembled and incorporated into the programme. (more…)