Share the post "Ardéchoise 2022 Race Report"
After a two-year hiatus for reasons we all know, the Ardéchoise was reborn from its ashes on Saturday, June 18, 2022. With scorching temperatures like we’ve never experienced before on these dates, setting the roads of Ardèche ablaze was not just a Johnny Hallyday song, but rather a form of madness to venture out on a bike and push one’s body to its limits.
By David Polveroni – Photos: All rights reserved
The Ardéchoise is first and foremost a celebration of cycling. While in this article I will focus on the race from an insider’s perspective for the iconic course of the event, the aptly named Ardéchoise, the event offers a multitude of formats, over 1, 2 or 3 days, mixing the sporting and timed aspect with relaxation, conviviality, and contemplation of the magnificent Ardèche landscapes.
Saint Félicien, which has hosted the event since 1992, becomes a hive of activity as the third week of June approaches. Here, almost everyone living in Ardèche lends a hand to make the event a success. So, this small community of half a dozen thousand people works together to ensure that each participant feels at ease. Because the rest, the part on the bike, is meant to be most enjoyable. As we will see: riding in Ardèche is pure bliss: little-used, wild roads, just waiting for you to put your tires on them.
Nevertheless, one must face a relatively warm enemy: the sun. From the very first event on Wednesday, the sun had decided to take revenge for 2016, an edition where it had retreated, giving way to rain, and only 2 small degrees at Mont Gerbier de Jonc, which, as a quick reminder from your geography lessons, is the source of the Loire, and the highest point of the event at 1551 m. Not at all! In 2022, the event reappears under a heatwave alert!
The early start, at 7:30 am, seems almost late given the temperatures. I repeat myself, but if the 220 km on the menu with over 4000 m of elevation gain can be daunting, the weather will greatly increase the difficulty. Not a lizard at all, I try absolutely not to think about the sun. Finally, I implement a “classic” hydration strategy for this course, meaning two large bottles on the bike plus a 750 ml bottle also under my jersey, in my back. With the idea of stopping to refill everything just before the Gerbier de Jonc.
I repeat myself, but if the 220 km on the menu with over 4000 m of elevation gain can be daunting, the weather will greatly increase the difficulty.
Yes, the Ardéchoise is an event that stands out from the others because here, normally, no assistance is allowed (perhaps that’s why the event is less popular with big teams, Belgian ones for example?), and the multitude of villages crossed that participate in the refueling largely suffice to cope with a heatwave alert. So, no worries on that front for anyone.
A few more sips on the starting line, and (very, very heavy with all that water 🙂 the pack sets off for 6h30 to over 13h30 of “racing”.
Col du Buisson
Quite a few starting pens are necessary to get participants through the first kilometers of this course, the pace is quite relaxed and on a rolling climb, the selection is relative. This small Col du Buisson, 10 km long, therefore presents few steep percentages; it winds through the mountains north of St Felicien to reach 927 m at the first pass of the day. First pass but not yet the descent, one still has to pedal for nearly 5 km to finally descend to Lamastre.
The descent is not very difficult, on a perfectly maintained road, swept by the local DDE (Departmental Road Directorate) like on the entire course to make the most of the road: it flies. Always in the first 2/3 to best manage my lines, the descent goes very well for me as for the still quite dense peloton.
Col des Nonières
The pace slows here, all the riders having decided to conserve energy: we’re just spinning along, chatting about the weather, especially the good weather, and still enjoying the bearable temperatures to pedal with ease.
Col de Mezihac
After crossing Le Cheylard, the atmosphere is worthy of the Tour de France in some villages: the Ardéchoise is a celebration of cycling! The Col de Mezihac is a very progressive climb; the gradient increases little by little to reach a maximum of 7% at the end. The beginning is still at a slow pace, it’s long, I’m holding back and trying not to make an effort, frankly it’s hard because I feel good! So I force myself not to make the mistakes of previous sportives and stick to the plan. And it will be necessary, because the heat will have more impact than the distance and the elevation gain.
Just before the first real ramps, two riders from Israel CA’s reserve team set the tempo. Finally! It’s starting to take shape. Steadily, the group thins out and the heat, meanwhile, intensifies. Some are getting resupplied; it’s a day where one’s ability to absorb water will be decisive to complete the 220 km, so the importance of refueling is crucial.
Km 70 and the Mezihac summit, a small memory from 2013 (I think!?) and my first Ardéchoise, with Thibaut Pinot in the group. Nostalgia passed, we focus on the essentials: drinks and food. I’m on track, with still about 300 ml in my bottle, so 1 L drunk in these first 70 km.
The descent is beautiful and without great difficulty. From experience, I’ve already done it in 2013, 2014, and 2015 (3rd in all three), I know the race starts in this sector.
Col des Mouchères
The Col des Mouchères, which is climbed in two stages, is taken a little faster, or perhaps fatigue is already setting in… it won’t cause any significant selection. The descent, however, rather winding, will definitively create the leading group. Under my impetus, I take advantage of a slight gap to increase the pace and climb the first meters of the Col de la Barricaude strongly after La Bastide sur Besorgues. We are here at the halfway point but also at the turnaround point. Now, we head back up to Saint Félicien.
Col de la Barricaude
Only Damien Tarantola is with me at first, and the few seconds gained will be closed by Cyrille Gaillard and Benjamin Nast. But quickly I see that the sensations are not there. I push myself but I feel like I have very little strength. Around me, only Damien “seems” more at ease. There are still 12 km left, it’s long. The effort starts to settle and my legs gradually come back, and the group of 3 becomes 5 with Julien Sauvigné, en route (and future winner) on the Vélo Marathon, and who will be with us until Mont Gerbier de Jonc, and another Gaillard, Julien.
The group maintains this steady tempo until the first aid station where we stop to refill our bottles, and for my part, also to satisfy a natural need. I start riding at the front of the group, a small gap occurs just before the start of Mont Gerbier de Jonc, a 4 km climb, still quite rolling. The group reforms, I still push a bit, which will result in it being reduced to 4. Tarantola, Gaillard Cyrille then X and myself. But not for long. 1 km from the summit, a big leg failure. Is the heat starting to take its toll? I don’t know, but at that moment, I couldn’t push anymore, as if I was bonking (ruled out…). I have to let them go by about thirty seconds. No panic. There are still over 100 km left, and given the conditions, the race is not over. I stay in contact on the descent, which I execute cleanly. In the valley leading to Col de Clavière, I quickly spot them and feel my pace is much higher. Without panicking, I make the junction.
Col de Clavière
Km 155, and the first slopes of the Col de Clavière. As planned in my strategy, I try to attack. Honestly, I’ve had much better sensations, at Les 3 Ballons 15 days ago for example. Here, it was sluggish, a bit stunned by the ambient heat. Temperature records were more present than watt records. But it’s the same for everyone. And I feel that the forces are reversing for everyone. Leading the group through Saint Martin de Valamas, which was flooded with people, I don’t pay attention but the other three have stopped to get water. I slow down to wait for them but the race must go on, and shortly after letting someone take a turn, I decide to launch several small attacks. And they eventually give way one by one. At the top of the pass, I see that Cyril is not far behind. I also feel that I still have some strength in my legs… The race is starting to get tough, just the way I like it, everyone in their place, one by one or almost.
Temperature records were more present than watt records.
La Côte de Rochepaule
Cyril comes back at the foot of the climb and immediately goes to the front and accelerates. I counter, once then the second time it’s over. I go solo. There are then just under 50 km left to reach the finish. We manage. Situations I love, the solo effort. The end of the climb, and the long rolling ascent of Lalouvesc arrives.
Lalouvesc
This is a real ordeal, I push myself and flood myself with positive thoughts. I also think back to that first time I participated in the Ardéchoise and its good memories, almost 10 years! Already! Anyway, I wasn’t going to stop there… I settle into a tempo that I judge sustainable to finish. Toxins arrive at the slightest deviation. I manage to quickly refill my bottle and thus have the serenity to finish these 220 km. Lalouvesc crossed, there remains the false Col du Buisson to reach. A part where you have to pedal, pedal, pedal. A part where if you’re cooked, you lose a lot of time. But the slightest little recovery phase gives me back energy, which is also multiplied by the fact of going for the win. No deviations, I push on the pedals with everything I have left.
Col du Buisson, the countless “pardons” to the thousands of cyclists who meet to finish in Saint Felicien by the small pass climbed 6 hours earlier. I appreciate and savor these small moments of joy for so much suffering. The beauty of cycling. The Ardéchoise: See you in 2023.
A small aside, these lines almost never saw the light of day, a 4:15 am alarm that didn’t work and a rushed departure gave me that “little” unnecessary stress. Just like the automatic door locking, with the key in the ignition when getting gas (I won’t go into details) after the podium at 7 pm, which cost me a few small finger injuries after breaking the window to retrieve them. A long and beautiful (or almost) day followed by a short night before chaining on the GNFY the next day, when you love it…
https://www.ardechoise.com/
On the Vélo Marathon, Julien Sauvigné wins in 9h08’ over 280 km! He shares his impressions with us.
“Before the separation of the AVM and the Ardéchoise, I let the head of the race go 30 seconds ahead after David’s attacks, whom I congratulate for his great victory and his excellent time despite the heat! I still had almost 140 km to do solo… Then, as expected, I found myself alone. After about 20 km, the lead motorcycle took the wrong direction. Fortunately, I had entered the route into my Garmin and was able to limit the lost time to 1 minute, I think. It happens… not very serious. I covered the rest alone at a good pace, because the heat was still in a bearable zone… It was in the Col de l’Ardéchoise that I suffered, however. 39 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I lost a lot of energy, and even though I refueled often, water was no longer enough… I was in the red! My heart rate was very high and my watts very low! For 1h30, I was nauseous. I couldn’t drink or eat anymore. I forced myself to do it because on a 9-hour effort, not eating for 1h30 is impossible without bonking! In short, a moment where you have to be mentally strong and think about all the sacrifices of everyday life. I manage a notary office with 45 employees, I am involved in a cycling café in Lyon (Grimpeurs Cyclist House) and lead a family life, and fitting in training is not always easy! So when, once again, I climbed one too many passes (the arrows and my Garmin didn’t say the same thing) I told myself I was going to stop under a tree and take a nap in the shade! I chose the finisher option, stopping under the fountains to put my head under them! I only lost 5 minutes of stopping on the whole course, which is reasonable! 60 km from the finish, I was caught by the competitor behind me and I told him about my race. He was very fair play, because even though I took the lead in the last 30 kilometers, I think he could have dropped me on the climbs! I dropped him on the last false flat and took a long time to recover after the finish and win! I was exhausted but happy to have fought! The atmosphere was always as pleasant and friendly on the Ardéchoise. Congratulations to the organization!”
=> SEE ALSO: All our MAG articles
Share the post "Ardéchoise 2022 Race Report"
