{"id":1916,"date":"2016-07-14T13:24:29","date_gmt":"2016-07-14T04:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/slingadventures.com\/?p=1916"},"modified":"2018-08-20T06:31:43","modified_gmt":"2018-08-19T20:31:43","slug":"mont-ventoux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slingadventures.com\/destinations\/france\/mont-ventoux","title":{"rendered":"Mont Ventoux"},"content":{"rendered":"`\"They're pointing to his bike, he needs a bike...\" claimed legendary Tour de France commentator Phil Liggett. Yellow jersey holder and defending champion Chris Froome is running in cycling cleats through a throng of crazed fans. Each draped in flags of their respective country. \u00a0Each having camped out for days to grab a glimpse of\u00a0the best in the business scale 'The Best of Provence', Mont Ventoux.\r\n\r\nIt is Bastille Day in France. The French National Day. While 180 professional cyclists perform the annual lap of France on expensive bikes a whole other tour is occurring. This is the Tour de Fans that follow in campervans, tour buses, motorcycles and even bicycles themselves. Bastille Day is bang in the middle of the tour. Mont Ventoux is the beginning of the Alps where the serious contenders come out to play.\r\n\r\n