'I'm expecting the worst' – Tour de France Femmes peloton braced for iconic Mont Ventoux

The upcoming Tour de France Femmes race includes a challenging climb up Mont Ventoux, also known as the "Giant of Provence," which will be the queen stage this Friday. This iconic climb has only been won by men in the past, with notable victories by Eddy Merckx in 1970 and Marco Pantani in 2000. The race director, Marion Rousse, chose to include Mont Ventoux because she believes it is the most spectacular climb in world cycling.

She has personally ridden it five times without considering if it might be too difficult for the female riders.

Demi Vollering, a former speed skater who first rode the Ventoux in 2016, recalled her initial excitement and the joy of conquering the climb. Alice Towers, a British champion and rider for EF Education-Oatly, admitted she expected the worst when faced with the prospect of Mont Ventoux. She has never ridden the mountain before but has faced a comparable challenge on the Alto de L’Angliru in Spain, which she described as one of the toughest climbs in Europe.

Despite the intimidating nature of Mont Ventoux, Towers was confident that the experience would not be worse than what she faced on the Asturian mountain.

Kiara Lylyk, a Canadian sprinter riding for Mayenne Monbana My Pie, expressed her mental preparation for the grueling day of climbing Mont Ventoux. The stage covers 3,500m of relentless ascent, and she emphasized the importance of taking the challenge as it comes, fighting to the end.

Several riders, including Justine Ghekiere, who got married on the summit of Mont Ventoux, expressed their excitement about the historic moment of the Tour de France Femmes' first arrival on the mountain. The stage promises to be brutal and suspenseful, drawing tens of thousands of spectators to witness a new milestone in women's cycling history.