Preparation guide · Colnago GF Mont Ventoux
Colnago GF Mont Ventoux 2027: how to prepare it and what to eat and drink
The next edition is on Sunday 6 June 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held on 7 June. Start time is indicative), starting in Mont Ventoux (Provence, France) at 7:00. Here you have the route of Mont Ventoux Gran Fondo 118 km and Mont Ventoux Mediofondo 101 km, its climbs, the usual weather and how much to eat and drink for your target time.
Mont Ventoux Gran Fondo 118 km: route and profile
Official track from the 2027 website; stations from the 2027 website, as a reference.
| Climb | Where | Length | Gain | Average grade | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climb at km 23 | km 23–39 | 15.8 km | +593 m | 3.8 % | 907 m |
| Mont Ventoux | km 98–118 | 19.6 km | +1466 m | 7.5 % | 1,884 m |
The climbs and key sections, one by one
| Climb or section | Length | What it's like and how to ride it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Vaison-la-Romaine → Bédoin km 0 | 22.9 km max 6.8 % | Rolling roads through Le Barroux below the Dentelles de Montmirail: about 300 m of short climbs. Fast, nervy start: find a group at your pace and don't overdo the short rises. Whatever you spend here, you pay for on the Ventoux. |
| 2. Subida de Bédoin a Flassan km 22.9 | 15.9 km avg 3.7 % · max 6.7 % | Long, gentle climb through vineyards and woodland to about 900 m; at the top, the La Gabelle station (km 39). Climb at your endurance pace, below 80 % of FTP: it's the kind that tempts you to overdo it. Start eating here, don't wait until you're hungry. |
| 3. Descent to Villes-sur-Auzon km 38.8 | 11.2 km | 11 km of descent (about 550 m) with open bends. Recover, drink on the straights and cover up if it's an early start: it's still cool here. |
| 4. Gorges de la Nesque km 50 | 15 km avg 2.1 % · max 3.6 % | The Nesque gorges, from Villes-sur-Auzon to Monieux: a gentle uphill drag carved into the rock, with short tunnels and viewpoints. Group stretch: sitting in saves a lot and it's the best place to eat solid food. Careful in the tunnels (clear lenses or push them up) and don't let the scenery distract you. |
| 5. Monieux → Sault plateau km 65 | 15 km avg 1.8 % · max 8.6 % | Across the lavender plateau up to 930 m (km 80), with a few short ramps. Stay in a group and have the last solid food before the Ventoux. If it's hot you'll feel it here already: drink even if you're not thirsty. |
| 6. Descent to Bédoin via Flassan km 80 | 18.3 km | Long descent towards Bédoin with the La Gabelle station (km 86) halfway. Stop at La Gabelle: fill both bottles and eat. It's the last calm place before 20 km of climbing. |
| 7. Ventoux: Bédoin → Saint-Estève km 98.3 | 5.7 km avg 5 % · max 10 % | The Ventoux from Bédoin, the classic Tour side: it starts gently through vineyards and kicks up at the Saint-Estève bend. Reach the foot with a gel inside you (Sainte-Colombe, km 103, has gels) and both bottles full. Nothing to gain here: climb 10–15 % below your target power. |
| 8. The forest: Saint-Estève → Chalet Reynard km 104 | 7.9 km avg 9.2 % · max 11 % | The hardest part of the Ventoux: 8 km through the forest without a break, always between 9 and 11 %, and little air in summer. Seated, cadence above 65–70 and your easiest gear (34×32 or lighter). Split the forest into kilometres, drink every 10 minutes and don't look up: the lunar part is still to come. |
| 9. Chalet Reynard → summit (lunar landscape) km 111.9 | 6 km avg 7.6 % · max 10.3 % | The forest ends and the white scree begins, with no shade or shelter: the wind (the mistral) can stop you dead. Tom Simpson memorial 1.5 km from the top and a harder last kilometre up to 1,900 m. In a headwind, get low and don't fight it with watts; with a tailwind, make the most of it. A gel at Les Ermitants (km 114) and save something for the last bend. At the top, cover up before descending. |
Route keys
- 118 km with about 3,300 m and the Ventoux from Bédoin at the end: 19.6 km at 7.5 % on average, with 8 km of forest over 9 %. Everything before it (Flassan, the Nesque gorges, the Sault plateau) is ridden below 75–80 % of your FTP.
- Power for the Ventoux: if you'll take under 1 h 30, around 88–92 % of FTP; between 1 h 30 and 2 h, 80 to 88 %; over 2 h, below 80 %. The first ramps of the forest, 5 % below that: the lunar finish is long and windy.
- There are only four stations: La Gabelle (km 39 and 86), Sainte-Colombe (km 103, with gels, at the foot of the Ventoux) and Les Ermitants (km 114, with gels, past Chalet Reynard). Carry two bottles and plenty of food for the long stretch from km 39 to 86.
- Gearing: 34×32 or easier. In the forest there's nowhere to spin your legs out, and with a big gear you end up grinding at 55 rpm.
5 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Mont Ventoux Gran Fondo 118 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 h | 75 g/h | 285 g | 550 ml/h | 2.7 l | 450 mg/h |
| 6 h | 75 g/h | 360 g | 550 ml/h | 3.3 l | 450 mg/h |
| 7 h | 75 g/h | 400 g | 550 ml/h | 3.8 l | 450 mg/h |
| 8 h | 75 g/h | 475 g | 550 ml/h | 4.4 l | 450 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Section by section between feed stations (for about 6 h)
At the feed stations (km 39, 86, 103, 114) you stop, eat something and refill your bottles. But what matters most is what you take on the move until the next one: this table tells you how much. You can pick it up at the station or carry your own gels and bars; what matters is spreading it out, not eating it all at once when you stop.
| Section | Duration | Carbs to take in the section | Drink in the section |
|---|---|---|---|
| km 0 → 39 | 1 h 54 | 140 g | 1,050 ml |
| km 39 → 86 | 2 h | 150 g | 1,100 ml |
| km 86 → 103 | 0 h 32 | 40 g | 300 ml |
| km 103 → 114 | 1 h 10 | 90 g | 650 ml |
| km 114 → 118 | 0 h 24 | 30 g | 200 ml |
The key section is the first one: there's no feed station until km 39, so you leave Mont Ventoux with full bottles and about 140 g of carbs on you (for example, 3 gels and a bar).
Not going to take 6 h? In WinWatts you set your target time and the feed stations, and you see these sections with your real pace on each climb. You can also compare scenarios: what changes if you go faster or slower.
Mont Ventoux Gran Fondo 118 km: weather in early June
What the weather was like on the first weekend of June in recent editions (at the start area, not on the summit):
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 17 ºC | 21 ºC | 0.1 mm | 9 km/h |
| 2023 | 12 ºC | 18 ºC | 0.1 mm | 8 km/h |
| 2024 | 15 ºC | 20 ºC | 0.3 mm | 13 km/h |
| 2025 | 11 ºC | 17 ºC | 0.0 mm | 17 km/h |
| 2026 | 15 ºC | 20 ºC | 0.0 mm | 9 km/h |
Mont Ventoux Mediofondo 101 km: route and profile
Route and stations from the 2027 website, as a historical reference towards 2026.
| Climb | Where | Length | Gain | Average grade | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climb at km 23 | km 23–39 | 15.9 km | +593 m | 3.7 % | 907 m |
| Mont Ventoux | km 71–101 | 29.7 km | +1251 m | 4.2 % | 1,885 m |
The climbs and key sections, one by one
| Climb or section | Length | What it's like and how to ride it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Vaison-la-Romaine → Bédoin km 0 | 22.9 km max 6.8 % | Rolling roads through Le Barroux below the Dentelles de Montmirail: about 300 m of short climbs. Fast, nervy start: find a group at your pace and don't overdo the short rises. Whatever you spend here, you pay for on the Ventoux. |
| 2. Subida de Bédoin a Flassan km 22.9 | 15.9 km avg 3.7 % · max 6.7 % | Long, gentle climb through vineyards and woodland to about 900 m; at the top, the La Gabelle station (km 39). Climb at your endurance pace, below 80 % of FTP: it's the kind that tempts you to overdo it. Start eating here, don't wait until you're hungry. |
| 3. Descent to Villes-sur-Auzon km 38.8 | 11.2 km | 11 km of descent (about 550 m) with open bends. Recover, drink on the straights and cover up if it's an early start: it's still cool here. |
| 4. Gorges de la Nesque km 50 | 15 km avg 2.1 % · max 3.6 % | The Nesque gorges, from Villes-sur-Auzon to Monieux: a gentle uphill drag carved into the rock, with short tunnels and viewpoints. Group stretch: sitting in saves a lot and it's the best place to eat solid food. Careful in the tunnels (clear lenses or push them up) and don't let the scenery distract you. |
| 5. Monieux → Sault km 65 | 12 km avg 0.6 % · max 3.5 % | Flat and false flat across the plateau to Sault, with Les Loges (km 77, gels) at the start of the climb. Stop at Les Loges: eat well and fill your bottles. It's the last solid food before 24 km of climbing. |
| 6. Ventoux: Sault → Chalet Reynard km 77 | 18 km avg 3.8 % · max 6.5 % | The Sault side, the gentlest: 18 km through lavender and forest with no steep ramps up to Chalet Reynard (1,420 m). This is where the day is won or lost: steady pace, 75–85 % of FTP, and eating every 20 minutes. If you feel strong, save it for the final part. |
| 7. Chalet Reynard → summit (lunar landscape) km 95 | 6 km avg 7.6 % · max 10.3 % | The forest ends and the white scree begins, with no shade or shelter: the wind (the mistral) can stop you dead. Tom Simpson memorial 1.5 km from the top and a harder last kilometre up to 1,900 m. This is where both sides meet and the gradient doubles: drop one or two sprockets and hold your pace. A gel at Les Ermitants (km 95.5). At the top, cover up before descending. |
Route keys
- 101 km and about 2,650 m finishing on the summit of the Ventoux via Sault: 24 km of climbing, the first 18 gentle (3.8 %) and the last 6, from Chalet Reynard, at 7.6 %. Short only on paper.
- The Sault side is deceptive: as it isn't steep you climb fast and reach Chalet Reynard with nothing left for the hard part. Steady pace at 75–85 % of FTP and change gear, not effort, when it steepens.
- Three stations: La Gabelle (km 39), Les Loges (km 77, with gels) and Les Ermitants (km 95.5, with gels). Eat well at Les Loges before the climb.
- Nesque gorges (km 50–65): a 15 km uphill drag. It's the stretch to sit in a group and eat solid food; careful in the tunnels.
3 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Mont Ventoux Mediofondo 101 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h | 75 g/h | 215 g | 550 ml/h | 2.2 l | 450 mg/h |
| 5 h | 75 g/h | 290 g | 550 ml/h | 2.7 l | 450 mg/h |
| 6 h | 75 g/h | 325 g | 550 ml/h | 3.3 l | 450 mg/h |
| 7 h | 75 g/h | 395 g | 550 ml/h | 3.8 l | 450 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Section by section between feed stations (for about 5 h)
At the feed stations (km 39, 77, 96) you stop, eat something and refill your bottles. But what matters most is what you take on the move until the next one: this table tells you how much. You can pick it up at the station or carry your own gels and bars; what matters is spreading it out, not eating it all at once when you stop.
| Section | Duration | Carbs to take in the section | Drink in the section |
|---|---|---|---|
| km 0 → 39 | 1 h 50 | 140 g | 1,000 ml |
| km 39 → 77 | 1 h 28 | 110 g | 800 ml |
| km 77 → 96 | 1 h 10 | 90 g | 650 ml |
| km 96 → 101 | 0 h 32 | 40 g | 300 ml |
The key section is the first one: there's no feed station until km 39, so you leave Mont Ventoux with full bottles and about 140 g of carbs on you (for example, 3 gels and a bar).
Not going to take 5 h? In WinWatts you set your target time and the feed stations, and you see these sections with your real pace on each climb. You can also compare scenarios: what changes if you go faster or slower.
Mont Ventoux Mediofondo 101 km: weather in early June
What the weather was like on the first weekend of June in recent editions (at the start area, not on the summit):
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16 ºC | 21 ºC | 0.0 mm | 7 km/h |
| 2023 | 11 ºC | 18 ºC | 0.1 mm | 8 km/h |
| 2024 | 14 ºC | 21 ºC | 0.0 mm | 8 km/h |
| 2025 | 10 ºC | 17 ºC | 0.0 mm | 19 km/h |
| 2026 | 14 ºC | 20 ºC | 0.0 mm | 9 km/h |
Your Colnago GF Mont Ventoux, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical rider. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time, average power and finish time from your FTP and weight.
- The race-day forecast for each section, and what to wear.
- Your food and drink plan kilometre by kilometre, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Sunday 6 June 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the Colnago GF Mont Ventoux. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Route and feed stations from the official website (2027 edition), used as a reference: not attributed to 2026; weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.