Training plan · Provence, France
GF Mont Ventoux training plan 2027
Sunday 6 June 2027, Vaison-la-Romaine. 120 km with 3,200 m of climbing.
In short
Give yourself 16 weeks for the GF Mont Ventoux on Sunday 6 June 2027, which means starting in mid-February. The Granfondo is 120 km with 3,200 m of climbing from Vaison-la-Romaine: four climbs through the Vaucluse, then Mont Ventoux from the edge of Bédoin, close to 20 km at about 7.5% to the finish at 1,910 m. The cut-offs come before the big climb: the Granfondo closes at the km 75 junction at 11:50, and you must pass Sainte-Colombe, at the foot of Ventoux, by 13:00. Train for long, steady climbs and for riding the last one tired. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 6 h 34 min, and takes 2:08:22 on Mont Ventoux at about 176 watts.
The GF Mont Ventoux at a glance
| Date | Sunday 6 June 2027source |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | Vaison-la-Romaine to Mont Ventoux summitsource |
| Distance (Granfondo) | 120 km (74.6 miles), 3,200 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Mediofondo) | 101 km (62.8 miles), 2,650 m of climbingsource |
| Roads | Open to traffic. Marshals hold the junctions and motorbikes secure the course, but you ride under the Highway Code, and anyone seen riding on the left is put out of the race.source |
| Summit road | Closed to all other traffic, bikes included, from 08:00 to 16:00 between Chalet Reynard, the summit and Mont Serein.source |
| Start | 07:30 on Sunday 6 June 2027, by the tourist office on avenue du Général de Gaulle in Vaison-la-Romaine. The Granfondo and Mediofondo start together, and the corrals, graded by level, open at 06:30.source |
| Finish | Timing stops at the summit, 1,910 m. You then ride about 30 km back down to Vaison-la-Romaine through Mont Serein and Malaucène, untimed and on open roads. There is no shuttle for riders.source |
| Cut-offs | From 11:50, Granfondo riders reaching the km 75 junction by Sault are sent onto the Mediofondo, which climbs Ventoux from Sault. From 13:00, anyone who has not passed Sainte-Colombe (km 103) is out of the race and rides back to Vaison without climbing Ventoux. The broom wagon rides at an average of 18 km/h from the start.source |
| Feed stations | Food at km 39 and 86 (La Gabelle), 103 (Sainte-Colombe) and 114 (Les Ermitants, just past Chalet Reynard), with water fountains at km 48, 71, 96, 104, 114 and 115.5. There are no plastic bottles: the stations have fountains to fill your own.source |
| Switching route | You are ranked on the route you actually ride, and Granfondo riders can switch to the Mediofondo at the km 75 junction.source |
| Places | First come, first served, with no ballot. The two road routes take up to 4,500 riders, and the price rises in tiers as places sell.source |
| Entry fee | €121 for either road route on 9 October 2026, after the €95 and €112 tiers had sold out, plus a 4% booking fee.source |
| Medical certificate | Required for both road routes: an FFC, UFOLEP or FSGT competition licence (the FAQ's bib-collection notes accept women's FFTRI licences but not men's, though the rules list FFTRI without condition), a doctor's certificate for competitive cycling ("cyclisme en compétition") issued from 7 June 2026, or the FFC health questionnaire completed within three months of the race. Without one you ride unranked, with no timing chip.source |
| Jersey | The official event jersey, included in the entry, must be worn to start either road route. A gilet or jacket can go over it.source |
| Bikes | Aero bars and extensions are banned. E-bikes are allowed if declared at entry, and ride without a timing chip.source |
| Minimum age | 18 for the Granfondo and 17 for the Mediofondo, with parental consent, or turning that age in 2027.source |
| Route file | The organiser publishes a course map and profile, and the route itself as embedded Strava maps. The course on this page follows OpenStreetMap roads between the places on the course map: 118.6 km against the organiser's 120 km.source |
The course and its climbs
Profile from WattPlan's model of the course (118.6 km routed over OpenStreetMap roads with SRTM heights, © OpenStreetMap contributors). The organiser's figures are in the table above, and their route is the one that counts on the day.
Your power and time on each climb
Enter your FTP and weight and WattPlan's route model rides the course for you the way a long day is best ridden: harder on the climbs, where a watt buys the most speed, and easier on the flat, at an effort you can hold to the finish. The figures below are for 230 W and 75 kg until you do.
| Checkpoint | km | Cut-off | Your riding time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junction by Saultsourceabout km 72.9, the organiser's km 75. After 11:50 the Granfondo closes and you climb Ventoux from Sault on the Mediofondo route | ~72.9 | 11:50 (2027) | 3 h 24 min |
| Sainte-Colombe, at the foot of Ventouxsourceabout km 101.1, the organiser's km 103. After 13:00 you are out of the race and ride back to Vaison without climbing Ventoux | ~101.1 | 13:00 (2027) | 4 h 35 min |
Your riding time from the start, without stops and at an even effort all day: add your start time and your stops to see where you would stand.
| Climb | Summit (km) | Length | Average | Steepest | Your power | Your time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Col de la Madeleinesource5.0 km at 3%, up to 7%, top at km 14 | 14 | 5.0 km | 3% | 7% | 161 W | 17:17 |
| Col de la Gabellesource10.0 km at 4.2%, up to 7.5%, top at km 37 | 37 | 10.0 km | 4.2% | 7.5% | 172 W | 45:44 |
| Gorges de la Nesquesource18.4 km at 2.3%, up to 5%, top at km 65 | 65 | 18.4 km | 2.3% | 5% | 160 W | 57:19 |
| Col des Abeillessource10.0 km at 3.6%, top at km 81 | 81 | 10.0 km | 3.6% | n/a | 167 W | 38:24 |
| Mont Ventouxsource21.5 km at 7.5%, up to 10.6%, the course joins it 2.0 km up, top at km 119 | 119 | 19.5 of 21.5 km | 7.5% | 10.6% | 176 W | 2:08:22 |
Eat at about km 15, 31, 48, 63, 78, 100, 107, 114. Riding something else? The free pacing calculator does this for any route from its GPX. In the app, Route analysis adds your own fade over a long day, the wind on the day and a pacing file for your bike computer.
How long to train for the GF Mont Ventoux
Sixteen weeks of structured training suits most riders for the Granfondo, which means starting in mid-February for 6 June. The Mediofondo, 101 km with 2,650 m of climbing and Ventoux from Sault, needs about twelve. Both start together at 07:30 from Vaison-la-Romaine, and you can switch to the Mediofondo at the km 75 junction on the day.
Most of those weeks fall in a British late winter and spring, so expect indoor sessions midweek and long climbs at weekends wherever you can find them. WattPlan builds the weeks from today to 6 June around the days you can ride, runs the indoor sessions on a smart trainer in the app, and adjusts the plan when a week goes wrong.
The cut-offs come before Ventoux
The Granfondo has two cut-offs. From 11:50, riders reaching the km 75 junction by Sault are sent onto the Mediofondo, which climbs Ventoux from Sault. From 13:00, anyone who has not passed the control at Sainte-Colombe, km 103, at the foot of the climb, is out of the race and rides back to Vaison without going up. The broom wagon rides at an average of 18 km/h from the start, and the last finishers are expected at the summit at 16:00.
Those times include your stops. Reaching Sainte-Colombe by 13:00 means averaging about 18.7 km/h for five and a half hours, over four climbs. The calculator above rides the course for your FTP and weight on your own: in a group you will be quicker on the flat and the descents, so its times are on the cautious side. If its time to km 103 leaves little room before 13:00, keep the feeds short.
Mont Ventoux from Bédoin
The Granfondo climbs the south side, the classic road from Bédoin. It joins that road at the edge of the village and passes the control at Sainte-Colombe 2 km later. The organiser's profile gives 21.5 km from Bédoin at about 7.5%, with the steepest kilometre at 10.6%. The first kilometres are gentle; past Saint-Estève the road turns into the forest and stays steep to Chalet Reynard, where the last feed is. The final 6 km cross bare limestone, open to the wind and the sun.
Pace it as a long effort, not a hill: the calculator above gives your own time to the top, and for many riders it is well over an hour and a half. Ride the forest at a power you could hold for that long, eat before you start it, and keep something for the last kilometre to the summit.
The course on this page
The organiser publishes its course as a map and a profile. This page follows OpenStreetMap roads between the places on them: from Vaison through Malaucène and over the Col de la Madeleine to Bédoin and Flassan, up the D217 to the Col de la Gabelle, down to Villes-sur-Auzon and up the Gorges de la Nesque past the Rocher du Cire to Monieux. After the km 75 junction it takes the D1 over the Col des Abeilles, comes back over the Col de la Gabelle to Flassan, and joins the Bédoin road at the edge of Bédoin, 2 km before Sainte-Colombe.
Our modelled course is 118.6 km with 3,374 m of climbing, against the organiser's 120 km and 3,200 m. It reaches each feed station about one to two kilometres before the organiser's distance, so the cut-off table times you to the junction and to Sainte-Colombe themselves, at km 72.9 and 101.1 on our course. Heights come from satellite elevation data, which smooths the steepest ramps. We'll update the page if the organiser publishes a route file.
Open roads, feeds and the medical certificate
The roads stay open, apart from the summit road, which is closed to other traffic from 08:00 to 16:00. Marshals hold the junctions, but you ride on the right under the Highway Code, and riding on the left puts you out of the race.
Food is at km 39 and 86 at La Gabelle, km 103 at Sainte-Colombe and km 114 just past Chalet Reynard, with water fountains in between. There are no plastic bottles, so start with two full ones.
Both road routes need a medical document: an FFC, UFOLEP or FSGT competition licence, a doctor's certificate for competitive cycling issued from 7 June 2026, or the FFC health questionnaire completed within three months of the race. Without one you can still ride, but unranked and without a timing chip. If you race on an FFTRI licence, check with the organiser: its rules accept it, but its bib-collection notes accept only women's.
After the summit
Timing stops at the top, but the ride doesn't. You ride about 30 km back to Vaison-la-Romaine down the north side, through Mont Serein and Malaucène, on open roads, and the organiser warns that the descent can pass 80 km/h. The recovery station is at Mont Serein, 6 km after the finish. Carry a jacket and gloves, or book the €5 summit bag to have warm kit waiting at the top.
Your plan to 6 June
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 6 June 2027 around the days you can ride, and eases off before the day. Take a rider with 230 W of FTP who rides 3 to 5 hours a week now and has an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays and up to 5 hours on Saturdays: a 16-week plan starting Monday 15 February 2027 has 6 weeks of base, 6 of build, 3 of peak and 1 of taper. It opens at 4 hours a week and builds to 9.5, with a longest ride of 5 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.
Free to start, and the GF Mont Ventoux is filled in for you. Premium adds the whole plan to race day and adjusts it when you miss a session or ride harder than planned.
Questions riders ask
How long should I train for the GF Mont Ventoux?
Sixteen weeks suits most riders for the 120 km Granfondo, so start in mid-February for Sunday 6 June 2027. The 101 km Mediofondo needs about twelve weeks.
How hard is the GF Mont Ventoux?
The Granfondo is 120 km with 3,200 m of climbing and finishes at the top of Mont Ventoux, close to 20 km at about 7.5% from the edge of Bédoin. Before it come four climbs: the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Gabelle, the Gorges de la Nesque and the Col des Abeilles.
What are the cut-offs on the GF Mont Ventoux?
From the 07:30 start, Granfondo riders must reach the km 75 junction by 11:50 or be sent onto the Mediofondo, and pass Sainte-Colombe, km 103, by 13:00 or be out of the race. The broom wagon averages 18 km/h.
Do I need a medical certificate for the GF Mont Ventoux?
Yes, for the timed road routes: an FFC, UFOLEP or FSGT licence, a doctor's certificate for competitive cycling issued from 7 June 2026, or the FFC health questionnaire. Without one you ride unranked.
Is the GF Mont Ventoux on closed roads?
No. The roads stay open with marshals at the junctions, except the summit road, which is closed to other traffic from 08:00 to 16:00.
How much does the GF Mont Ventoux cost?
€121 for either road route on 9 October 2026, after the €95 and €112 tiers had sold out, plus a 4% booking fee. Places are first come, first served.
More event training plans
Sources
- GF Mont Ventoux, official site
- GF Mont Ventoux 2027 rules
- GF Mont Ventoux Granfondo route
- GF Mont Ventoux Mediofondo route
- GF Mont Ventoux 2027 course map
- GF Mont Ventoux FAQ
- GF Mont Ventoux programme
- GF Mont Ventoux feed stations
- GF Mont Ventoux registration
WattPlan is not connected with the GF Mont Ventoux or its organiser. We've done our best to make sure everything here is accurate, from the details the organiser had published when we checked on Friday 9 October 2026, and we'll update this page as more details come out. Confirm dates, routes and rules on the official site. Times and power figures come from a physics model and are estimates, not predictions of your result.