2009 Tour de France: Mont Ventoux

MANILA, Philippines - Here are the facts of Stage 20: 167-km long, five categorized climbs with one “hors category” climb, the Ventoux. The climb is 21 km long with an average gradient of 7% with the last 16 km at 9%. It is not exactly the “sound of Music” type of a mountain since the vegetation is sparse at the top. The heat, reflected from the rocks makes the air hotter. As it nears the top, the wind builds up that in the 2000 Tour, the kilometer markers were blown away.

What makes Mont Ventoux special is its notoriety.

During the 13th stage of the 1967 Tour, Tom Simpson, probably the best British cyclist ever, collapsed and died on its slopes. Autopsy later revealed amphetamines and alcohol in his system, a diuretic combination so deadly when combined with the heat. There is a memorial of Simpson near the summit where fans would lay tokens of remembrance, like you would leave flowers on a religious shrine. In 1970, an exhausted Eddy Merckx soloed for the win but was administered oxygen after collapsing from fatigue while talking to the press.

The Ventoux has been visited by Tour 13 times and all those who won it are Hall of Fame type of riders. But in 1994, Eros Poli, a 6”5’ domestique for Mario Cipollini, won the stage. He suffered like no one ever did and lost a minute/km in the ascent. Luckily, he had such a large lead!

The organizers purposely placed this stage at the endpoint of this year’s race to make the race unpredictable. The 1st and 2nd spot are practically sewed but you’ll never know. They said that Greg Lemond couldn’t make up 58” lead of Laurent Fignon in the 34 km TT on the final day of the race but he did. Will we be treated to another cardiac finish?

However, four cyclists - Lance Armstrong, Frank Schleck, Bradley Wiggins and Andreas Kloeden - are still fighting for the final podium spot. It’s amazing that the 4-way battle for 3rd place would garner more excitement than the battle for the 1st place. Obviously, the presence of LA is what makes this exciting. LA doesn’t need to attack. All he needs is to hang on with the other three and he’ll keep 3rd spot. Schleck is the best climber of this quartet but I think LA will have no problem keeping up with him.

I’m leaving today for Bohol to join the Kia Ironlegs road race and I’m taking my laptop with me. As Steven Tyler would scream, “I don’t wanna miss a thing!”

WORD OF THE DAY: “CONTRE LE MONTRE,” against the clock or a time trial.   (THE FREEMAN)