… or: Why You’re Not Allowed to Sleep on New Year’s Eve
deutsch… italiano
Ventoux Brevet of the Ara Breisgau –
Registration was already quite something: exactly at midnight, in the very first seconds of the new year. While others were clinking glasses of champagne or laughing at “the same procedure as every year” watching Dinner for One, I was sitting alert in front of my computer. I had actually planned to go to bed early – but apparently all starting places are gone within minutes after midnight. So: Happy New Year – click!
The highlight of the event? Conquering the legendary Mont Ventoux.
And yes: I got a spot!
The event takes place in the last week of March. In our part of the world, that’s still more “winter jacket and gloves” than spring vibes. A little over 600 kilometers lead from Freiburg im Breisgau to Nyons – with a time limit of 40 hours. Sounds sporty. Probably is.
Former participants have nothing but praise: stunning landscapes, great organization, lots of cycle paths. I don’t know the region yet, which makes it even more exciting.
My enthusiasm dipped slightly when I started looking more closely at the logistics. First: getting to Freiburg by train. Me + bike + train = mild anxiety. Will the elevator work? Is the bike space really reserved? Will everything fit? An adventure before the actual adventure.
Then come the two brevet days, during which I hopefully reach Nyons in time. The following day, whoever wants can continue to Bédoin on the southern side of the Ventoux – because in March the northern ascent is usually still closed. Small detail: Bédoin was fully booked. A running event is taking place at the same time. Of course.
So I started playing through scenarios: Should I drive to Bédoin a day earlier and leave the car there? Then take the train (another “bike-on-train day”) back to Freiburg for the start? Logistically, it began to resemble a doctoral thesis.
And after storming Ventoux? Back by train. TGV + bike means: bike bag. The steel steed has to travel disguised as regular luggage. So for two days of brevet riding, I need to plan an entire week. Efficiency looks different.
At least the accommodation issue in Bédoin has been solved in a rather charming way. I’ll be sharing an apartment with seven other randonneurs – which might turn out to be almost as memorable as the Ventoux itself.
I even sewed a little “dress” for my racing bike out of parachute silk. Very light, very elegant. I still need to practice packing it, though – at the moment the individual parts wobble around far too much inside the bundle. First I conquer the packing technique, then I conquer the mountain.
By now I was fully excited again: trains booked, accommodation arranged, everything organized.
If I hadn’t read two adventure reports from 2018 over breakfast this morning. Miserable weather. Freezing winds. Dramatic descriptions.
I’ll share the links here – you probably won’t envy me afterwards 😉
But let’s be honest: a bit of drama is part of the charm. Otherwise it would just be cycling.
reports in german …
Mont Ventoux 2018 – Schön wird es erst, wenn alles vorbei ist (Andreas Herrmann) | Das Leben macht keine Geschenke (viavelo)  |