Cycling-Peloton ready for lift-off to Ventoux moonscape

By Julien Pretot MONTPELLIER, France, July 13 (Reuters) - Its moon-like summit looms large from miles away, a perverse, rocky oddity in the lush Provence region, intimidating the riders as they pedal towards Bedoin, where the ascent starts. It is time for the Ventoux. On Thursday, the Tour de France's 12th stage will take the peloton up one of the most iconic climbs in cycling, where the greatest have triumphed and where, in 1967, Briton Tom Simpson died. The mythology surrounding the Ventoux, also known as the Giant of Provence, is such that some claim oxygen is rare at the top, even if it peaks at only 1,911 metres, and gusts of wind can reach over 100 kph. The violent guts of wind expected on Thursday have led organisers to end the stage six km from the top. "The myth comes from the history books," Frenchman Jean-Francois Bernard, who won a time trial there in 1987, told Reuters. "The Ventoux is a myth because it's superb, it's bizarre to see it in the middle of Provence. When you emerge from the forest, you have the feeling that you've arrived in a gravel quarry," added Bernard, who completed the ascent with a gradient averaging 7.5 percent on the Tour, in Paris-Nice and the Tour du Vaucluse. The list of other winners at top of the Ventoux include Belgian great Eddy Merckx, Frenchman Raymond Poulidor and, more recently, Briton Chris Froome in 2013. Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, one of the top climbers in the world, believes the Ventoux inspires awe. "I won at L'Alpe d'Huez and I know it's a big symbol but it's not awe-inspiring. The Ventoux, however, is much more difficult, it's much more impressive for all the riders, even the favourites," the FDJ rider said. The hardest route, from Bedoin, (others start from Sault and Malaucene) begins with a smooth 6km portion before gradients rise up above 10 per cent during a punishing 9km section in the forest up to Chalet Reynard, where the vegetation disappears and the road leads to the top on a 5.5km portion where the summit often seems to be fading away in the distance. That last portion is the one that will be scrapped on Thursday. DRINK OFFER "For me it's the list of Ventoux winners that makes it impressive and the fact that Simpson died there," says Bernard. On July 13, 1967, Simpson died in a hospital after collapsing about 3km from the top of the Ventoux, having taken amphetamines and alcohol on a searing hot day. In 2013, Froome hammered his rivals to win on Ventoux ahead of Colombian Nairo Quintana, with both riders requiring oxygen support at the top. "Froome does not need oxygen," says Bernard, impressed by the Team Sky rider's performance on Ventoux three years ago. Current race leader Froome said: "To win up there again would be unreal, out of this world. It's going to be pretty hard knowing that there's a time trial the next day." Bernard hopes attacks will come early and from everywhere and on Thursday but he doubts Quintana, who lags 23 seconds behind yellow jersey holder Froome, or other top guns will take risks. "If they attack far from the top, I'll offer you a drink," he said with a smile. "Well, even if they don't." (Editing by Mitch Phillips)