Ventoux Trial
Classic 2015
10 & 11 octobre
Ventoux Trial Classic is mythic and probably the biggest classic trial event on continental Europe with almost 500 inscriptions and 360 allowed in 120 teams of 3 riders, 3 different lines: red for the champions, blue for the clubmen and yellow for the gentlemen.
I already attended 2 times with my Honda TL 250 in the red line, but felt last year, that the zones became too demanding. However, as I bought a new and 20 kg lighter Honda TLR 250, I was thinking to try it again sometimes. Beginning of July, the 2 Alsace riders Mathieu Feidt and Edy Adam asked me to join their team to form an all Honda TLR Team:Red Honda. Wow, what an honour for me, as I'm a bit below Edy's riding level and of course far behind Mathieu. I checked my family schedule for October and hey, it seemed possible to travel down to warm Provence.
Luckily, our Red Honda Team was on the elected list. This year's guest of honour was Thierry Michaud, World Champ of 1985, so 30 years celebration. But the list of ex champs was hugh: Brother Fred Michaud, Gilles Burgat, Philippe Berlatier, Jordi Tarres, Steve Saunders, Bernard Cordonier, Yrjo Vesterinen, Charles Coutard, Jaime Subira, John Lampkin, Michel Traini, Danilio Galeazzi... puh, all big names and idols from my youth. So the event became even more thrilling.
I left Zurich on Thursday and after 650km and more than 8 hours (with some stops) I arrived in Malaucene, greated by the Mont Ventoux in the clouds.
The car park was empty and I just managed to set up my tent before it got dark. Then I went to the village to eat a great diner, where I met my old english friends Jenny and Joe Howell. Their was another couple at a table and later I found out it was Mick Grant. We had some short talks about Japan and him test riding their in the 60ies.
8.30 the sun rose and began to warm up the cold camping. I prepared my Honda and went to the car park, already starting to get croweded. The administartion and phon check of my Honda was smooth and quick, so my TLR was one of the first at 11h in the moto park.
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| My Honda almost alone in the parc fermé, Friday 11h | |
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| administration | Julian Panabieres on the brand new Vertigo, watched by Richard |
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| Vertigoooo | |
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| a light Bantam | Pre65 stuff |
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| Bantam pegs and pedals | tiger |
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| Hondas | an early Alpha |
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| Tanja and her Sneezy stand | another tiger |
I then left for a ride by car to the Mont Ventoux, not before having had a nice lunch at a restaurant (next to zone by a pond of last years trial). The Mont Ventoux was really windy and about 7 degrees, many bikers (takes 3 hours I heard).
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I head a coffee in Bedoin and watched some locals playing the famous Boulle. This is life in the Provence...
At 15h, I arrived again at the car park in Malaucene. Now, it became busy and I could great many friends, buy some goodies at the dealers and take pics. I also helped Yrjo to tank his Tiger Cub (20L canister to fill that small bike!). He had no lights at his and daughter Hanna's nice looking Bantam. Maybe VIP don't need lights? But no, lights were fitted and all was road legal.
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| a nice BSA | Gilles Burgat was riding last year on this SWM, 2015 it was Jord Tarres. |
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| This year, Gilles got a Fantic from Delay (Spain) | The Fantic 300 looks new, wow! |
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| a rare SWM jumbo | Donald Eggen got some parts at Tanja's shop for his TLR 250 Honda |
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| a great Tiger cub | many trick parts |
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| this looks very competitive | here a more standard looking Tiger cub (although with Dellorto) |
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| a great Bulto 325 | a TLR 200 with a Montesa tank seat |
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| a suberbe Merlin, trimmed fins to make the big 350 Cagiva motor slimmer | the new exhaust is fitted near the trimmed fins |
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| another Merlin at the Delay stand | Mr. Puma and his Cota 247 |
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| a piece of art | wow |
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| Puma Racing | |
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| green Kawa | everything green |
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| Berlatiers Bultaco 340 | Christophe Bruand (France Champ 2008) must be here |
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| a Terrot 500 | Bulto 325 |
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| Hanna and Yrjo Versterinen | Versty's Tiger Cub 240cc |
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| Hanna on the light BSA Bantam | Charles Coutard on his Father Claude's Greeves 4 shock! |
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| Swiss contester Ralph Kunz waiting for the bike control, talking to Edy | getting darker |
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| Dots | 3 Terrot 500cc |
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| SWM from Italy | Bultaco Racing paint |
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| a shine tiger Cub | Eric Lejeune's 175cc Twin Honda |
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| the last twinshock Aprilia | Panabieres KT 250 |
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| strange Honda | could be Delewich mono retransformed TLR 250 to twinshock again |
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| the nice Alpha 210 at Tout Trial stand | here the admin for VIP, Danilio Galeazzi in blue jacket, Fred Michaud in the middle |
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| Edy Kämpfer is selling his great T500 Triumph for 6000 EUR | the great Honda 360 |
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| what an engin ! | look from frog view |
At 19h, my 2 friends Mathieu and Edy hadn't arrived yet, but Martin Feidt was in charge of the administration and so I went back to the camping with some worries.
After a view beeres and some glasses of wine, I sneaked in my tent )became 6 degrees and humid in the night) and slept, but only till 7h, because start was at 9.04h for Red Honda.
by Honda Pat