Post by manuel6b2 on Dec 4, 2009 1:17:03 GMT 1
Well, this has been in the works for a while - we spent a while talking about it on the REK 400 back in June, Paul submitted it on the calendar to ACP and they approved it last week, so now it's time to start forming teams and thinking about routes (best done over a hot toddy in front of a roaring fire, given recent weather conditions).
If you don't know what I'm talking about, a fleche is a 24-hour audax ridden by teams of three to five. Each team comes up with its own route, which has to be a minimum of 360km but will usually be a bit more to be on the safe side. Traditionally they're ridden over the Easter weekend (you pick your own start time) and all routes should end at a common location, which for 2010 will be Dublin - I imagine we'll pick somewhere new each subsequent year. I've knocked up the basic rules over here - audaxireland.wordpress.com/route-index/fleche-irlandaise/
If you find this intriguing, then I'd suggest pulling the bones of a team together and pitching some route ideas. Mark Tyrrell and I will certainly be putting a team together and obviously we could use 2-3 more charming and capable cyclists who reckon they could stand 24 hours in my company but it would be nice if we could get two (or even more) teams together. Closer to the time you'll submit your proposed route to Paul - he'll either approve it or suggest a few revisions and once any kinks have been ironed out, he'll provide cards and come the day you're good to go. Obviously this is going to involve several hours of night riding (NB this is a plus...night riding really is one of the best things about audax, country roads, no cars, nothing but the sound of your chain whirring) so a proper lighting rig is essential. When planning your start time, bear in mind that all the pubs and a lot of shops will be closed on Good Friday places to eat and get proof of passage could be hard to come by.
Bragging rights, as ever, to the team that does the longest distance.
If you have questions, fire ahead...it took me days of reading various versions of the rules and old forum posts and ride reports to really get how everything works.
Eoghan
audax-ireland@googlegroups.com
If you don't know what I'm talking about, a fleche is a 24-hour audax ridden by teams of three to five. Each team comes up with its own route, which has to be a minimum of 360km but will usually be a bit more to be on the safe side. Traditionally they're ridden over the Easter weekend (you pick your own start time) and all routes should end at a common location, which for 2010 will be Dublin - I imagine we'll pick somewhere new each subsequent year. I've knocked up the basic rules over here - audaxireland.wordpress.com/route-index/fleche-irlandaise/
If you find this intriguing, then I'd suggest pulling the bones of a team together and pitching some route ideas. Mark Tyrrell and I will certainly be putting a team together and obviously we could use 2-3 more charming and capable cyclists who reckon they could stand 24 hours in my company but it would be nice if we could get two (or even more) teams together. Closer to the time you'll submit your proposed route to Paul - he'll either approve it or suggest a few revisions and once any kinks have been ironed out, he'll provide cards and come the day you're good to go. Obviously this is going to involve several hours of night riding (NB this is a plus...night riding really is one of the best things about audax, country roads, no cars, nothing but the sound of your chain whirring) so a proper lighting rig is essential. When planning your start time, bear in mind that all the pubs and a lot of shops will be closed on Good Friday places to eat and get proof of passage could be hard to come by.
Bragging rights, as ever, to the team that does the longest distance.
If you have questions, fire ahead...it took me days of reading various versions of the rules and old forum posts and ride reports to really get how everything works.
Eoghan
audax-ireland@googlegroups.com