Speed Racer Posted March 15, 2017 Share The Jo'burg edition of the Flèche Thomlinson will be held on Saturday 15/4/2017. Here are details of the Easter Flèche. It's not your typical Audax, and you can't just pitch up and ride without a little bit of planning! So it's a bit of an experiment for all of us Firstly - why are we scheduling an Audax over an Easter holiday? Simple really - Flèches Nationales are only held at Easter, it's part of the tradition (and rules!). As you will see, this is completely unlike any Audax, and believed to be the first of it's kind held in South Africa. Second up - also uniquely, Flèches are team Audaxes. You need to gather together a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 friends to ride with. At least 3 of your team must finish to be validated. Third - the goal is for your team to ride as far as possible in a 24 hour period (with a minimum target of 360km). No rest break can exceed 2 hours, and at least 25km must be completed in the last 2 hours. So you need to get your card stamped at 22h and 24h and there must be at least 25km between these two points. It doesn't matter if you reach the finish point of your planned route, as long as you have ridden at least 360km with all controls validated along the way, including these last two points, and your covered distance is within plus or minus 20% of of your planned route. Third - where do we start? Well anywhere you like - as long as it isn't the same start as another team (if it is, you will need to start 1 hour apart). All teams are aiming to meet at the end at the same point though:The Lido Hotel, AddressPlot 17, Johannesburg road R82, Eikenhof GPS Coordinates-26°19'40"27°59'13" http://www.lidohotel.co.zaMost will make this their finish point but it is not mandatory. You can start between 6am and 10am on the Saturday, aim at a finish control close to the meeting point, which you then ride to after finishing. As long as you have ridden the minimum 360km, finish with at least 3 riders, and obtain the 22h and 24h validation stamps plus controls on the way. Very importantly though - your team captain must present your completed brevet cards no later then 10am at the meeting point to have them validated. So what route do you use? Well, any you like - as long as it covers at least 360km in the 24 hour period. And you don't have to start near home. If you think you can reach The Lido from Bergville in 24 hours, knock yourselves out! And yes, you can ride on gravel or even off-road. You just need to ensure your route has designated controls as for any Audax (i.e roughly 60 to 80km, with no shortcuts possible between them). Very importantly though - you need to submit your team names, nominated captain, and route for validation to us at least 3 weeks before the ride. The closing date is 25th March. We need to check and approve the route and controls, and also look for conflicts with other routes and start times. You also must not ride with other teams on the day. We will also be limiting this first edition to 10 teams - so get your names and routes in early to be sure of a place. Gauteng routesheets and team lists should be submitted to:Clive Collier: clivec991@gmail.com. The routesheet should be in the format of a ridewithgps.com file (GPX). The controls should be clearly indicated. You can enter at: www.audaxsa.co.za. The cost is R150 per rider. Do the usual min and max speeds of 15km/h and 30km/h apply? In a sense yes, 360km over 24 hours can only be achieved at a minimum speed of 15km/h. But there is no maximum - in fact you are aiming to go as far and as fast as you can. And there is no close time for controls, as long as you complete the minimum distance. All other Audax rules apply - you must be self sufficient, you are riding on a private excursion for which you are fully responsible and must be adequately prepared, and you must obey all local traffic laws including lights and helmets. Confused? Well, yes, this is a learning curve for all of us. So ask questions, get your mates together, map a route that excites you, enter, and come enjoy a rather different Audax experience. Oh, and there may be awards too for teams that finish e.g. longest distance, worst dressed team, most unusual route etc. Full rules and info: http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/442%20-%20Rules.html If you are wondering about the name - 2017 marks 20 years of Audaxing in South Africa. So it seemed about time that the father and inspiration of our local Randonneuring scene had a ride named after him. Thanks Eddie, this one is for you! Look forward to seeing you all at The Lido Hotel at Easter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mecheng89 Posted March 15, 2017 Share Looks insane! Will discuss with my mental mates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakkals. Posted March 15, 2017 Share .......I might be in JHB over that weekend...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypot Posted March 15, 2017 Share I'd be keen for something like this in CT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speed Racer Posted March 15, 2017 Share There is a Cape Town event on the same day. See www.audaxsa.co.za. The basic idea is to see how far a team of 3-5 can ride in 24 hours ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowbee Posted March 15, 2017 Share calling Velouria !!!! You did 450 odd in half a day ... how far can you go in 24 hrs ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcza Posted March 16, 2017 Share Cullinan2Tonteldoos then ride back to Lido Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velouria Posted March 16, 2017 Share calling Velouria !!!! You did 450 odd in half a day ... how far can you go in 24 hrs ?I'm always up for stupid bike rides, but my accomplices at #BigDayOut still aren't speaking to me! 600kms is definitely doable on a route that doesn't include 5 mountain passes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogs Posted March 16, 2017 Share I'm always up for stupid bike rides, but my accomplices at #BigDayOut still aren't speaking to me! 600kms is definitely doable on a route that doesn't include 5 mountain passes Nice warm-up for 36One the next week. Are you defending your team title? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velouria Posted March 16, 2017 Share Nice warm-up for 36One the next week. Are you defending your team title?Yup Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speed Racer Posted March 16, 2017 Share 3 teams so far. Our team, Flèche Crèche, are going to take a scenic ride from The Border Post on Oliviershoek Pass back to the Lido???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speed Racer Posted March 21, 2017 Share Four teams so far. Entries close on Saturday 25/3/2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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