Pic de Nore - Villeneuve Minervois

This was my first real climb, i had done some hills in belgium before, but never a real mountain. Was very tough for me, as something in my saddle was broken so it dropped down all the time, and it was about 36 degrees Celsius. View is very beautiful, and going downhill is much fun!

My personal climb rating:

This is a great climb because scenery is beautiful and if you want to hit the gaz pedal it will hurt. I climbed from Villeneuve-Minervois to the summit in 1h43m in perfect conditions. No wind. This climb must be radically different when windy.

My personal climb rating:

I hired a mountainbike during my family vacation in the Langeudoc, just for climbing the Pic de Nore. From our holiday home in Escales we had a splendid view on the Pic de Nore, so after one week I had to climb the highest peek of the Montagne Noir. I started in Villeneuve-minervois and after 1 hour and 59 minutes of non-stop cycling I arrived at the top. During the climb I used some light food and water. The temperature at the start was above 25 degrees, but after 17 km (just after the last resort of Pradelles) the temperature dropped sincerely and the wind increased. I found the climb not so difficult, the steepness is smooth and not that high. The only difficulty is the distance and the the last two kilometers when the wind is really catching and hurting you.

My personal climb rating:

It is a climb I know well as I live locally. Ive been getting back into shape this year and it has provide a good guide to my improving fitness level. I would say that the climb is only as hard as you make it. When you are less fit just ride steady as you need to save your strength for the final part from Pradelles. It gets progressively steeper from there. Today I climbed from Cabrespine to Pic de Nore in just under 1hr 8 mins having cycled from Carcassonne. However I did La Jalabert cyclosport last Sunday and I can tell you its a lot harder having already done 105 racing kilometers before reaching the foot of the climb! It is a 5 star climb then I can tell you!!

My personal climb rating:

I started at Villeneuve on 20th of August 2008. The weather was fine, not hot. In my bag I had a banana and small grapes I had taken from the vignobles in the surroundings. I Climbed up untill I reached the wind mills. There is the steepness a lot less and I ate all the grapes in order to get back energy. A bit later I reached Pradelles. (a line at this col) . Then first at the right with very fast first at the left. At the top after 1 hour and 45 minutes I ate the banana. Then I returned back to Villeneuve.

My personal climb rating: