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Brevet (cycling)

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For other uses, see brevet.
Audax redirects here. Audax was also an archbishop of Tarragona (Spain) in ca. 633, who assisted to the Fourth Council of Toledo.

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.

Organizations

There are several organizations for the brevet. The Audax Club Parisien (ACP) 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).

Brevet Types

The classic distances for randonnées are 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km. To complete one of each during a given year is known as completing a "series". A randonneur is required to complete an ACP qualified series to qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris. There are brevets of distances greater than 600km but none under 200km. The organizations recognise and run events called Populaires for those events less than 200km in distance.

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.


Other 1200 km and longer brevets

  1. BMB Boston-Montreal-Boston 1200k (USA)
  2. Cascade 1200 (USA)
  3. Gold Rush Randonnée (USA)
  4. Great Southern Randonnée (Australia)
  5. Last Chance 1200k Randonnée (USA)
  6. LEL: London-Edinburgh-London (United Kingdom)
  7. MGM: Madrid-Gijon-Madrid 1200km (Spain)
  8. PAP: Perth-Albany-Perth (Australia)
  9. Rocky Mountain 1200 (Canada)
  10. VanIsle 1200 (Canada)
  11. SVS: Sofia-Varna-Sofia 1200km (Bulgaria)
  12. Super Brevet Scandinavia 1200km (Denmark, Norway, Sweden)

See also

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