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BIG Review 2009
Another bicycletour in the Alps
Gabor GYÖRGYI
17th July – 3th Aug 2008
1807 km + 32109 m
heightdifference
Prologue / Preparation
I visited most of the noticable
parts of the Alps and it
remained not too many no well
known paved roads, bicycling
historicaly climb which go
above 2000m and I haven’t
cycled yet. At the end of my
last year’s bicycletour in the
Pyrenees I had to cancel the
cycling the 3 ascents of Mont
Ventoux (4300 m heightdiff.)
in a day because of fire on the
train line. I could’t forget it
often thought I should be go
back in 2008 and be the 1st
hungarian member of the Club
des Cingles du Mt Ventoux.
In 2008 spring on the web I
found an another challenge:
Trittico Mortirolo, which is
similar to the Ventoux: to
climb the Passo Mortirolo 3
times on the 3 routes. In
organised my tour in 2008
mainly around these two
challenges, but I planned
another nice and hard,
motivating climbs, like Cime
de la Bonette (2802 m) from
sealevel or climbing Colle
Agnello from 10% steep the
italian side.
Because carrying the bike on
the airplane at the weekend I
tried how to take the pedals off,
how to turn the handle-bar and
I fixed the shelter of the
shift(er). My panniers,
rucksack weighted totally 24
kgs. With the bike and flasks
together it was ca. 38 kgs.
I chose the most memorable
days; the others and more (14
page) text, pics you can find
here:
http://www.gyorgyigabor.hu/20
08_Alpok_osszefogl.html
17th July, Thursday: 65 km +
350 m heightdifference
I arranged the preparing for the
flight very well, I enjoyed
being at the the airport very
much. The flight was fantastic:
this year I had no fear, but
enjoyed it very much: I felt
almost extasis. I arrived back to
Nice and to its wonderful beach
with pleasure, where I spent 1
hour. The delay of my train to
Marseille made me angry and
caused that I could start cycling
from Marseille only at half past
10. Because of the too many
roads I had a half hour long
detour, so I arrived at the
camping of Aix en Provance at
midnight.
18th July, Friday: 95 km + 520
m heightdifference
After sleeping enough and
cycling and travelling to
Avignon, I had to cycle
towards the Mont Ventoux in
strong headwind. I felt
happiness as I saw the huge
mountain at first in my life. „-
I’ve just arrived to „You”. I
will visit „You” tomorrow!”
Because of the strong wind I
was afraid of the next day and I
thought that if it remains, after
the 1st climb I can take the
attempt for the following day.
At the end my sister gave me
91
calmness with her sms: You
will have sunny weather with a
light breeze.
19th July 2008, Saturday:
Cycling up to Mt Ventoux from
each of the threee direction in 1
day = 165 km + 4615 m
heightdiff.
I had this day, as I wanted to
be, or it was better… as I
would have dreamed. I started
climbing the most famous and
hardest climb of Mt Ventoux
with wonderful lights, morning
sunshine. It was fantastic
coming out from the forest and
getting view to the bare peak
and then coming nearer and
nearer. A lot of another cyclists
were doing the same: ca. every
150-200 meter I saw people
pushing the pedals. I was
surprised by the number of
them. It seemed that Mt
Ventoux (BIG 301.)is the right
Mekka of the cyclists and not
Alpe d’Huez. That was the last
of the five most famous climbs
of the Tour de France that I
climbed.
1km before the peak a
professional photographer was
taking 2-3 photos about each of
the cyclists which photos could
be bought via Internet. (I
bought 2 of them). From the
top there was wonderful