The Pimple of Provence
Mont Ventoux towers over Provence and from a distance appears to be snow-capped. In actual fact the upper sloped are sun-bleached rocks that result in the description of a lunar landscape. I have been aware of the importance of Ventoux in the world of cycling since when I first started riding in the mid 80's. Most famously it is known as the mountain on which British cyclist Tom Simpson died during the Tour de France in 1967. He had previously been World Champion as well as BBC Sports Personality of the Year and was competing in Le Tour with a genuine chance of overall victory. Sadly a combination of ill-health, extreme temperatures, dehydration and amphetamine use saw his collapse just before the summit and despite medical treatment on the mountain and a helicopter to hospital he was pronounced dead adding further to the legend of the mountain. My own ascent started from Bedoin in the company of John Myburgh and Mike Evans. I was ab...