26th Bedoin

So after a really windy night we stepped out into the desert and accepted that it would be 32'c and 50km/h winds. As we were passed by the first professional rider on the day, he said to me have courage. Flip i had only done 2km. It was a steady but relentless climb allowing you to get in a rythmn unlike some of the other cols we have done. As Lawr passed an american cyclist the american tried to tuck in out of the wind behind Lawr only to declare a couple of miniutes later that he wasn't getting enough of a draft as Lawr was too skinny!!
As the photographers took photos of us then ran after us with their online shop info the wind got very cheeky and with 5km to go the gusts were quite unsettling, nearly leaving the road on several occasions. Due to some very selffish car drivers we got blown onto the lower road that leads around the top, so it was a bit of circumnavigation to eventually get to the very windy top.
Once out of the wind the descent was fantastic and back over the col de la madeline was beautiful. Back on the road we drove through some amazing gorges, bought some of the best apricots, cherries and olives we have ever had before parking up in Albertville near Conflans.
highs - Ventoux, cooler in Albertville
lows - gusty winds
note - buy from local producers if possible