69 kilometers in the oven

Starting in Bédoin. The name actually screams Mont Ventoux, of epic legends. Instead: a single lap, just under 69 kilometers, with around 875 meters of elevation gain. On paper, harmless. A lunchtime excursion.

But then: the heat. Not a merciful warmth, but a merciless oven. The asphalt shimmers, the air is still, and after a few minutes, the water bottles transform into thermoses for lukewarm brew.

The elevation gain feels twice as high. Every small climb burns into your brain like a mountain. Your body is fighting less against the gradient than against evaporation. Even the descents don't provide any cooling—only a hot wind, like a hairdryer.

At the end, you roll back into Bédoin. No Ventoux, no great heroic tale. Just a dry throat, salt crusts on your skin, and the pride of not having completely evaporated in the sun.