I Climbed VEN-TOP For The FIRST Time - Mont Ventoux on Zwift

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[@chaddalrymple]

Happy to see that my comment kept you going in the Richmond race. After the initial 10 minutes, I realized that the pace of that lead group was too much for me. I dropped back into no-mans land with no draft for most of the race.

[@djconnel]

Very nicely done! 2.5 hours of continuous climbing is impressive. "Keep pedaling" is what I was told at the Paia bikeshop in Maui when I asked for advice on climbing Haleakala (3000 meters). It worked! Another option is to preview actual climbs on Fulgaz (video based), Rouvy (mixed), or Biketerra (browser-based, computer graphics, still a bit experimental).

[@kimpedersen]

Dude - you're such an inspiration! happy newyear and thanks for everything you've uploaded in '24 !

[@W.Zoeller]

8:36 Benji bringing rawdogging to zwift! I’m waiting until I have a good 2-3 hours of entertainment before I try this one.😊

[@mattgilmour9761]

Well done Benji, I went to Tenerife last year and can safely say Teide is one of the most savage climbs I've ever done. Good luck 🫡

[@escgoogle3865]

This explains a dream a few days ago. Me chilling at a fondo, 500m from the top at random conti team bus. A big dude rides by and i realize, "oh crap it's Benji, I wonder if he beat any of the conti guys." Yep, a few min later a conti guy in kit passes with his grey bearded dad. When he rode back down to the bus all the guys were giving him shit because Benji beat him.

[@RyanCondon]

Really good video. Huge effort as always Benji. 💪

[@boefferken8712]

Zwift collab?

[@kennielassen2839]

The mindset for the first race is how to do it moving forward. Every rotation in the pedals are worth it, keep going 💪

[@parsegov1]

Dude, I only recently discovered your channel after getting on Zwift, and you're just killing it! Love your energy on this channel! Keep it up!

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

Happy to have you on board. Hope you’re enjoying Zwift?

[@Windsail]

the biggest barrier is mental state, sometimes the last thing you want to do is get on the bike, but these are usually the best workouts you do. always worth getting on the bike seeing how you feel, worst case is a Z2 pootle, but doing something is always better than giving up

[@fabpsyclin]

You were right behnd me going up the last Libby Hill climb in Richmond, and after what you did to me the week before in Douce when I tried (and failed) to hold your wheel, I was waiting for the inevitable to happen on 23rd street. Great to virtually ride with you. All the best for '25.

[@ShawnIsBatman]

Great efforts Benji, congratulations!

[@1robdougherty]

Ven-Top is an absolute beast and so hard to pace, good job finishing. You noted your positioning issue in the race but I think you overemphasized trying to stay in the back of the draft for maximum benefits. Especially in the long races you want to keep a solid tempo and stay in the pack. You’ll move forward and back sometimes depending on parkour but you really want to avoid power spikes just to stay in the peloton when a steady effort will do.

[@Therogersuk]

Well Done! On your drafting tactics... it's actually by far the most efficient is to do what you do. The big risk though is as you said, you don't pay attention and get dropped. Risk-Reward.

[@glenncoussement480]

Succes in Tenerife, heel mooi rijden daar! Zeker is kanten van Masca opzoeken. Heel mooi rijden daar maar wel steil. De beste wensen voor het nieuwe jaar en blijf vooral doen wat je doet!

[@martincburns]

Looking forward to seeing how you get on in Tenerife! Was over there riding twice this year. Pacing is key for Teide, it will get harder towards the top as the effects of altitude really start to kick in, so save some legs 😃

[@dvproduction9]

Hi Benji, After watching couple of your videos, I recommend you to always try to keep a cadence of 90 while sitting since it the the optimal cadence to keep producing maximum power while preserving your energy. I recommend also doing small burst of standing up in big gears for longer, like 2 minutes standing each 10 minutes to change the muscles working. Nice video keep the work up!

[@BenjiNaesenbiggestfan]

Ohyes benjibenjibenjibenji beautiful performance on Ventop. Teide easymode.

[@GreggWalker-p7e]

Nice! Ride on!!

[@trannel73]

Good luck for Tenerife! It‘s brutal. Literally no flat roads 😂💀 But you will love it! Hope you have a Powermeter for Teide climb. :)

[@rickorwig986]

Nicely done. I’ve only done it once, 2 years ago. 😂 Not in a rush to do it again, obviously.

[@AdamWiegandtRacing]

Nice work! Failed Ven-Top 3 times before finishing it 😅

[@JBmadera]

good job Mate!

[@w00t3r]

Make sure to put the widest tires your gravel bike can take, will help you a lot with comfort, stability and confidence.

[@christianc9]

Did this one on the day I was set to get my Tron bike, so boring compared to Alpe du Zwift 😂 Nice to see another vid from ya, would be fun to see more outdoor rides you do! Also for climbing practice, the 8848 challenge over a month helped me a ton. Happy new year!

[@arhu74]

Have you ever seen the yeti?

[@mqritz_]

I did the Uber Pretzel a few days ago and with the Alpe at the end... can not say I enjoyed it

[@DBxCooper]

Well done benji. I’ve heard the wringer workout is extremely tough and a lot of people struggle to finish it. Maybe it’s something you can try for a video.

[@mandaswin]

Nice one! 👊Enjoy Tenerife.

[@czeckson74]

a creacking pedal on a new ZWIFT - bike ?

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

It's not a Zwift bike pedal, it's a third-party pedal I put on myself but I'll replace it because there's something wrong with it.

[@mopedvieh]

Well done. The problem with real climbs is that you can't go as slow as on Zwift, cos you would just fall over. Therefore, real world climbing is much harder when it gets steep.

[@ob1983]

Best of luck 📶

[@timothychalik3678]

Your drafting at the start of the first race was actually very good. The draft actually goes way further back than you realize. As long as you don't miss a move, you can finish a race with way less effort than others. I've got 200 races in and I almost always finish .2-.5 w/kg less than those around me. Stick with it!

[@MXPanther]

I also climbed it a month ago it took me 1h45 and it felt like it kept going endlessly, luckily the ven-top doesn't have the wind like in real life hahah

[@Chuck-i4h]

Way to grind it out.

[@aredouble4502]

Revisit Alpe du Zwift! 2023 you set a goal to do it faster in 2024! I'm sure you will do it quicker after all the work you have done this year. Keep on recording and inspiring others. Peace and Love Benji

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

Plan was to take on Alpe du Zwift last week but unfortunately I was sick in bed for 10 days. So I've postponed it to January or February now.

[@arhu74]

I am still in dubio about doing Ventop.I think it would spoil the surprise if I ever do the real Ventoux.

[@illukka]

I suggest getting a 29er mountain bike. then no terrain would be too hard for you :) nice job getting up there. also decent cadence, most of the time it was over 80 when visible

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

I don't like riding a mountainbike. 😅

[@illukka]

@@BenjiNaesenTV just add dropper bars :D i'm old so my back and knees love the suspension!

[@ZwiftyZwifter]

Nice vid! Ventop is harder than Ventoux imho, it’s so dull in Zwift. Wrt positioning, it’s far better to try to be at the back, in optimal position occasionally accidentally taking wind than being near the front deliberately doing so

[@robjones7556]

Mentally I agree Ventop is harder but not physically. I did Ventoux this year and found it harder with the heat and also trying to fuel for a single climb that went on over 2 hours. The one thing both have in common is the relief when you get to the top!!

[@lukestockton7348]

Come to the new forest. Best gravel riding in England

[@Greg.Sutton]

@Benji - Next challenge...... Mont Ven Two - clue is in the name. Oh and IMO Ventoux IRL is easier than Zwift. If i could haul my mid 40's backside up it after only riding a bike for 18 months and having never ridden up a mountain before, you can - so just get it done.

[@theoswinscow]

Benji how wide are your gravel tyres? Looks like you have more space to go wider!

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

Not completely sure but I think 42 mm.

[@lucvanschevensteen]

eindelijk zijde er op ne echte alp sterk karakter meer moet ni de rest komt nog top rit deze echt vet

[@JQ0110]

I hope that you can be more consistent with your cycling in 2025, then the gains come. :)

[@gemmafletcher5611]

Ventoux was a bitch in real life so kudos for struggling through it on zwift. I think I’d have given up after about an hour

[@andreasandreas7116]

You could gain a lot by fixing your breathing.

[@emielsproviewbot1423]

9:20 thats not cracking padels bro, your derailleur isn't installed correctly. that cracking is so bad for your chain and cassette

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

That is the pedal creaking. This is a Zwift Ride bike and doesn't even have a derailleur. 😅 I replaced the pedals and it's fixed.

[@ne0paul]

In almost every video I have watched of yours you constantly talk about your goals for the previous year and your goals for the next year. How about just get on with it?. Also...half this video was about socks, SOCKS! 👀. 0.0000001% of performance is down to socks...my god 🤦

[@bobkatanga]

Dude please stop shouting the entire video. Chill

[@Bo_Meirhaeghe_]

He is just talking💀 just lower your sound haha