Brevet (cycling)
A brevet or randonnée is an organised long-distance bicycle ride. Cyclists - who, in this discipline, may be referred to as randonneurs - follow a designated but unmarked route (usually 200km to 600km), passing through check-point controls, and must complete the course within specified time limits. These limits, while challenging, still allow the ride to be completed at a comfortable pace - there is no requirement to cycle at racing speeds or employ road bicycle racing strategies.
Randonnée is a French word which loosely translates to 'ramble or 'long journey'. Brevet means 'certificate' and refers to the card carried by randonneurs which gets stamped at controls; it is also used to refer to the event itself, ie: a certificated ride.
Randonneurs do not compete against other cyclists; randonnées are a test of endurance, self-sufficiency and bicycle touring skills. Riders are expected to carry appropriate clothing for inclement weather, spare parts and tools needed for likely repairs. Brevets frequently involve night riding and then participants are required to carry lights, spare bulbs and reflective gear. No specialist bicycle is required; most riders use either a racing bicycle or a fast touring bicycle - several manufacturers provide models with a Randonneur or Audax name to reflect their target market.
The classic distances for randonnées are 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km, though there are also shorter and longer events, plus some permanent routes. Metric measurements tend to be used to reflect the French origins of the discipline - the Audax Club Parisien is the global body overseeing randonées and has affiliated organisaitions in many countries (for example, Audax UK coordinates activity in the UK, RUSA does the same in the USA).
Paris-Brest-Paris
Sometimes regarded as the Blue Riband randonnée, Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) is an approximately 1200km event held on an out-and-back course between Paris and Brest every four years. Begun in 1891, it is the oldest bicycling event that is still regularly run. It began as a race for professional cyclists, but is now a noncompetitive endurance challenge. To qualify, a cyclist must complete a series of sanctioned brevets within the same year and in the specified order.
Boston-Montréal-Boston
Boston-Montréal-Boston (BMB) is also a 1200 km out-and-back course between Boston and Montréal. BMB is sometimes regarded as the North American equivalent of PBP. It is held every year except when Paris-Brest-Paris is held.
Race Across America
The Race Across AMerica (RAAM) began in 1982, and runs a randonnée style for 3000 miles/5000 km. The winner typically finishes in just over eight days. The first race was from the Santa Monica pier to the Empire State Building.
Other 1200 km and longer brevets
- Cascade 1200 (USA)
- Gold Rush Randonnée (USA)
- Great Southern Randonnée (Australia)
- Last Chance 1200k Randonnée (USA)
- LEL: London-Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
- MGM: Madrid-Gijon-Madrid 1200km (Spain)
- PAP: Perth-Albany (Australia)
- PBP: Paris-Brest (France)
- Rocky Mountain 1200 (Canada)
- SVS: Sofia-Varna-Sofia 1200km (Bulgaria)
- Super Brevet Scandinavia 1200km (Denmark, Norway, Sweden)
See also
External links
- RUSA - The ACP-sanctioned brevet coordinating organization for the United States of America.
- Audax UK
- British Columbia Randonneurs Canada
- French website of ACP
- Ultra Marathon Cycling Association
- Race Across America
- Seattle International Randonneurs