mont ventoux

speaking of steeper, in correspondence kasia-ela/mama/babcia, kasia reveals that nick is going to attempt the "top of mont Ventoux tomorrow - infamous Tour de France stage"

what is he up against?

oh not much, here is the grandient Malaucène to Mont Ventoux

someone else's master plan of their "assault"

well, nick started started his stage of the tour sweetly enough, but just like in any tour de france, tragedy struck early with nick's tyre blowing out just 6 k into the trip.
WITH NO BACK UP CAR nick had to turn around.

nevertheless, here we see the triumphant summit --

On mont Ventoux at 6.35pm