Lance Armstrong (in third place), Alberto Contador (in yellow) and Andy Schleck (leading) head up the famed Ventoux in 2009, when the latter was victorious. Armstrong has subsequently been disgraced, Contador banned for doping and Schleck suffered a major loss of form. Who will beat the mountain tomorrow?
By Graham Healy
Tomorrow’s stage of the Tour de France will see the riders tackle one of the most iconic climbs in the race, Mont Ventoux.
The Giant of Provence was used for the first times in 1951, and since then the Tour has tackled Mont Ventoux 14 times.
It was the death of Tom Simpson in the 1967 race on the bare slopes above Chalet Reynard which has helped to develop the notorious reputation of the climb.
But 12 years previously, there were warning signs for the organisers when the French rider Jean Malléjac collapsed with one leg still trapped in a pedal, and with the other leg pedaling on in the air, not realising what he was doing. He had to be taken away by ambulance.
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Malléjac’s behaviour was attributed to the use of amphetamines, but he would deny any wrongdoing up until his death in 2000.
In the same stage, the Swiss rider, Ferdi Kubler had been warned about the climb by other riders prior to the start but attacked early regardless.
However, he would soon start zigzagging across the road and eventually he had to take refuge in a café on the way up. When he emerged in state of confusion, he started to descend down the mountain rather than continuing up. He had to be turned around.
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Three years later in 1958, it was used in the race for a time-trial from Bédoin to the summit. Charly Gaul won the stage, and would go on to win the race overall.
Ireland’s Shay Elliott was also taking part, and in so doing became the first Irishman to race up the climb.
He would later recount the difficulty of the climb in an RTE interview with Brendan O’Reilly where he talked about the oppressive heat and the lack of cover on the climb.
What also makes the climb incredibly difficult is its length and gradient; its last 16 kilometres from Bédoin average 8.9 per cent. The climb would be used intermittently after Simpson’s death, and between 1974 and 1987 it wasn’t used at all.
Its re-emergence in the ’87 race consisted of a time-trial from Carpentras, which was won by Jean-Francois Bernard. Stephen Roche finished in 5th place that day - 2:19 down - to move into 2nd place overall before going on to take victory in Paris.
Its last appearance in the race was the penultimate stage of 2009, where Nicolas Roche finished over seven minutes behind the stage winner, Juan Manuel Garate.
Whilst Roche could struggle tomorrow after his efforts on Friday in helping to distance Chris Froome, Dan Martin could be in a better position to try for the first Irish win on the famed summit.
@Healycycles
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