Ventoux Trial Classic 2018
Saturday 13 octobre
Nice and warm weater greeted us on Saturday morning. Our team Only Honda had a late starting time 9.45hm but there was a delay of about 30 minutes. So on the road with boucle bleue. Zone 7 in the woods was the first to attack. Not easy as we were not yet trained and a bit nervous. A zero seemed possibel, but could also result in a 3 or if you slipped from a rock even a 5. I passed with a 2, not happy, but ok. Then zone 8 seemed easeier, I estimated 1 or zero, but my Honda behaved strangely instable. Was it that slippery? I got a 3. Edy passed with 1 foot. Ups, my back tyre was flat, no air. We tried a pump and also my repair spray, but nothing hapened. Merde! So I had to continue, because going back was not allowed and too far. After about 20 min with slow speed and some pushing across some steps I finally arrived on a little road and then zone 9. So another 15 min back on the road to Malaucene. My 2 friends continued the boucle. Luckily there was Toutrial with a pile of tires and air chambers. In 30 min I changed, put some soap water at the tire and with my foot pump managed to get the new IRC nicely in the rim. I continued the next boucle yellow zone 1-6 with my team. There were some sandy rocks to climb, ab bit scary, but with some good power of the Honda it all went well. It was now 14.30h and I decided to finish boucle one as at 16h the would no more let riders on the last boucle. 9 and 10 was a zero and 11 with 2 dabs. I then attacked the last boucle rouge and reached Edy Adam. He missed zone 14, the left turn from the road and had to search it. So Edy and I finished the last zones. Number 14 was an impressive climb on a sandy rock, but after a tight turn, position and throttle to attack a straigth line, I passed with 1 dab. Zone 16 also was a nasty one in the wood, but I passed with zero. At about 17h we arrived at zone 18, the last show zone with rocks and logs at the park with many spectators. I already started to getting dark. I had to set 1 dab and it summed up to 12 points lost for day one. It was ok with my old 1975 Honda and after the adventure with the puncture. Now a beeeeeer! Yeah, we all deserved it and many happy faces after 7 hours on the moto. Diner was with the Alsace clan til 23h, then I finally fell asleep in my car and dreamed about zones and riding.
Team Ossa with Mick Andrews | 338 is Mick. He lost 21 dabs in 2 days class blue. Bravo, with 70+ on the bones! |
Mick getting his Ossa on Saturday morning | Mick Andrews in the morning sun |
Pat's special Honda TL 250 | at a tank stop in the car park |
almost original Honda TL 250 | Francois Guyard on his BSA. His team with Guy Totems got 3rd position in blue class. Bravo! |
ups, a rare 5, last zone 18 near the finish | A special Bultaco M10 1965/66 or is it a Sherpa N 200 ? |
Nice weather, almost clean motos | parc fermé Saturday, have to enter til 19h |
some Hondas | John Bull's DOT |
Honda RTLR 250 | My Honda, the only 4 valves in the park fermé |
heavy metal Ariel | Fred's BSA |
1979 SWM red/white |
Video clips Saturday linked to my youtube page. As I was mostly riding within about 5-8 teams, late starter, I never saw the heros of the red lines nor Mick or Charles.
how to kick an Ariel 500cc | Christian Weibel on Honda TLR 250 |
Edy Adam Honda 250 | |
Christian Weibel TLR 250 | Fantic |
Edy Adam | Edy |
Bultaco | in trouble |
Edy Adam in the last zone 18 |
Here 4 fotos from Jean Caillou. Merc bien Jean!
4 stroke on sandy rock | |
zone 10 | zone 10 hill climbing, ready for twisting full throttle |
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