Ventoux in the heart: the best stories ahead of the queen stage.

There was an entire stage to race on Thursday, but let's face it: in the Tour de France Femmes paddock, the only thing the talk was of was Mont Ventoux. A handful of riders have already climbed the Giant of Provence, whether in the Tour de l'Ardèche or the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge, and those who have never tackled it in a race have at least reconnaissanced it or ridden it as simple cycle tourists.

There are very few women without a memory tied to this legendary mountain: some climbed it as children, some experienced unforgettable racing moments, and even some got engaged at the summit. Here are the most beautiful stories gathered on the eve of the queen stage of this Tour de France Femmes, with some juicy tips for fantasy cycling fans.

Justine Ghekiere – The Marriage Proposal at the Summit

One of the sweetest stories circulating in the peloton is undoubtedly that of Justine Ghekiere, who a few weeks ago proposed to her girlfriend right on top of Mount Ventoux. It was a special moment that the Belgian rider hopes will bring her some peace of mind, even on the eve of a very tough stage.

"It's a special stage for me because I proposed to my girlfriend there in June, so so many great memories and even more great ones to come tomorrow," he said at the start of stage 6. "I had a reconnaissance planned, and everything fell into place perfectly that day. One of the things my girlfriend always said to me was, 'If you propose to me, do it on top of a mountain.'"

"I took it easy with my girlfriend, but tomorrow won't be as easy. It's a really tough climb, especially the first 10 km, so I hope I have good legs. I did it when I was 18, on vacation, all three sides in one day. I think tomorrow will be a day of general classification: the top riders will give it their all on that climb to gain as much time as possible."

In fantasy cycling, this could mean seeing her in the breakaway or serving Kim Le Court-Pienaar on the climb – but one thing is certain: her now girlfriend will be there watching her from the side of the road.

Dani Christmas – a baptism of fire in the Ardèche

AG Insurance-Soudal commentator and sports director Dani Christmas told us that Ventoux was the first real mountain of her racing career, which she tackled at the 2016 Tour de l'Ardèche, where she finished 40th out of 107. The winner that day? None other than future Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer.

"The longest climb I'd ever done before was six kilometers," Christmas told us. "I was training for the Tour de l'Ardèche in Belgium, on the Congoberg, which is one and a half kilometers long. Obviously, I was embarrassingly unprepared, but it was a fantastic experience for me, being in the first years of my career with a UCI team."

My job that day was to stay in the breakaway and act as a satellite domestique for our leader Flavia Oliveira, who went on to win the race. I started the breakaway, there were six of us, including Anna Kiesenhofer. Then I let myself be dropped just before the climb. My sports director told me I had to push hard for two kilometers up the climb, which isn't exactly pleasant to hear when you're already exhausted.

"When the group of favorites arrived, I went to Flavia and said, 'OK, I have to push,' and she replied, 'It's too early,' at which point I exploded and became completely useless to her. From there, I suffered all the way to the top. It was my first experience on such a long mountain, so when I saw the 10km remaining sign, I thought, 'Not bad,' but looking at the Garmin, I was going 8km/h. My heart sank."

Margot Vanpachtenbeke – seven climbs in memory of her father

One rider who is not competing in the Tour this year but has created one of the most touching stories linked to Ventoux is Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Lidl-Trek), who has climbed the mountain seven times in a row to raise funds and awareness for cancer research.

He clocked up 295 kilometers and over 10,000 meters of elevation gain in a 15-hour effort, even pedaling through the night to complete the seven ascents. "Climbing Ventoux is a choice. Battling cancer, unfortunately, is not," he wrote on Instagram. "This is for all of you—and for Dad."

Puck Pieterse – 10 Years Ago on a Mountain Bike

If Ghekiere's 18 years seem young, then imagine a 10-year-old Puck Pieterse hurtling up the mountain in less than two hours, and on a mountain bike at that.

"I climbed it when I was 10, I think, on my mountain bike. I checked my time: one hour and 58 minutes, I hope to beat it!" she said, smiling. "It's a fantastic climb, we'll see how I recover day by day, but for now I feel good, so I'm really excited."

Pieterse currently wears the polka-dot jersey , and stage 7 to Ventoux will likely be decisive in determining whether she can defend it. She's definitely a name to keep an eye on for those playing fantasy cycling with a view to the climbers' classification.

Amanda Spratt – reconnaissance only

For some of the most experienced riders in the peloton, it's surprising to learn that they've never raced on Ventoux, despite the opportunities in recent years. Many of them, however, have explored it, like Amanda Spratt, who will tackle this legendary climb in what will likely be her last Tour de France before retiring at the end of a 15-year career.

"I've never been there in a race, but we reconnoitered it about a month ago," explained the Lidl-Trek runner. "It's long, tough, brutal. There's that first section in the woods with no landmarks, which makes it psychologically challenging. The last five or six kilometers are a little easier because at least you can see the summit, even if it seems like it'll never arrive."

"It will be interesting, also because of the wind – although I haven't checked the forecast yet, I'm taking it day by day."

Ruby Roseman-Gannon – A Piece of Climbing on Vacation with Dad

Other female cyclists have experienced the Ventoux just like us mere mortals: as cycle tourists on vacation. Australian Ruby Roseman-Gannon took advantage of this after the 2024 Tour, having withdrawn from that edition, missing the opportunity to climb Alpe d'Huez.

"I went there once with my dad, on a family vacation after the Tour. I didn't make it to the top. I was doing some runs, and there were so many cyclists I couldn't believe it: I'd never been on a climb with so many people. I overtook someone, slowed down, lost speed..." she said. "I got above the tree line, then I thought: OK, now it's time to go home."

She will be at the service of Canadian Nadia Gontova , who will experience a special moment all her own: she will climb the Ventoux on her 27th birthday – a curious detail to keep in mind for those looking for extra motivation when choosing their fantasy cycling lineup.

In short, the Ventoux is more than just a climb: it's a piece of personal history for each of these athletes, and tomorrow will also be the perfect platform to see who truly has the legs and the mindset to write a new chapter, perhaps decisive for the general classification of this Tour de France Femmes.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency