Merselo-Verona 1200

[Ivo]

Just like in 2014 the Dutch BRM organiser Jan van Osch wil organise a 1200km brevet from Merselo in the Netherlands to Verona in Italy. Following the tradition of several international organisers, this ride won't be a traditional out and back or roundcourse but will actually take you across a large part of Europe. Starting at only a day's ride cycling from the North Sea we'll finish at less than a day's cycling of the Adriatic.
The ride is organised around the already well known format of a brevet with 3 hotel/hostel accomodations for the 3 nights on the road. Also included is this time the accomodation in Verona. Of course it's possible to aim for a sub 80 hour ride but then you'll have to arrange your own accomodation. The participation fee will be € 350,-. This includes a.o. 4 nights in hotels/hostels, the pre ride and after ride dinners luggage transport (max. 40liter) and the usual registration costs. There will be a maximum of 50 participants. If there are more than 50 entries, we'll have a waiting list.
The start of the event will be on Monday august 27th at the Merselo windmill. 4 days later, august 30th will be the finish in Verona. On the way to Verona riders will pass the Maas and Rhine valleys, the hills of the Alb in southern Germany, and two Alpine passes, the Arlbergpass and the Reschenpass/Resia pass. South of the Reschenpass we'll ride along the Valley of the Etsch/Adige and the Garda Lake.
We'll open our registration on Saturday december 16th, the exact hour will be communicated in a later stage. After registration the riders will receive information how and when to pay. We'll accept credit card payments, PayPal and payment via the usual Dutch, German and Belgian payment systems.

Registration and bike check will be on Sunday august 26th, followed by the pre ride dinner.

For a first impression you can see a photo series of the 2014 event on https://fotoalbum.dds.nl/ivo_m/merselo-verona, a video of the event by Alexande Neumann you can find on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaPmLh2Hj_w&feature=youtu.be

For further information please check https://merselo2verona.wordpress.com/

[mattc]

I'll be interested to see the exact route. Direct is only 984km, so there are lots of possible ways to make it up to 1200.

Certainly looks like a great adventure - more so than Paris to Brest and back

[Ivo]

I'll be interested to see the exact route. Direct is only 984km, so there are lots of possible ways to make it up to 1200.

Certainly looks like a great adventure - more so than Paris to Brest and back

There won't be many changes to the 2014 route which you can find here: https://www.gpsies.com/map.do;jsessionid=488CA4718E9671D61F8795D49F8FF9F2.fe2?fileId=syrjrsceeamqmabf&client=summit&language=nl (including the ride to the start from Solingen)

[parkysouthlondon]

This is what my Garmin looked like when I turned it on at the start under the windmill in Merselo in 2014.
Notice the Distance to Destination 

[Ivo]

How to enter Merselo-Verona?

You can only enter Merselo-Verona via the form on the website https://randonneurs.nl/event/brm-1200-m2v-nl-merselo-verona/. Please use the 'registreren' button to access the entry form. A translation of the entry form will be provided on the website www.m2v1200.nl, our facebook event page and on various internet fora. Entries by email are not valid.
The form will be available and entries will start on Saturday december 16th, 17h00 CET.

The first 50 riders with a succesful entry will receive a confirmation and a payment link. Payments will be done via the payment provider Mollie. Payments are accepted via Credit Card, PayPal and the usual online banking systems of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, Ideal, Bancontact and Sofortüberweisung. Riders will have 14 days to complete their payment. Furthermore the riders will have to provide some additional information in this stage of the registration.
Once we receive a confirmation of your payment by Mollie, you're in.

We'll have a waiting list for riders who didn't manage to be among the first 50. If a rider informs us that he/she won't participate, the first rider on the waiting list will be notified and receives a payment link. As long as a registered rider who pulls out can be substituted, he/she will receive a refund. For organisational purposes we may limit the time period for the substitution of riders. We'll inform riders of this time limit.

[Ivo]

Translation of the Randonneurs Nederland Entry Form


Naam            Name         
Voornaam         First name      
Straat en nummer      Street/Number      
Postcode         ZIP code      
Plaats            Town
Land            Country         
Geboortedatum      Date of Birth      
e-mail            E-Mail address
Mobiel    nummer      Mobile number/Cellphone
Nummer in geval van nood   Phonenumber of next of kin.
Tracker ID         Tracker ID in case you use a Spot tracker, to be used on our website
NTFU            Membership number of your national cycling association
ACP            ACP number of your club (please use drop down menu)

Accoord verklaring      Waiver

Ik heb kennis genomen van het BRM (brevet Randonneurs Mondiaux) reglement en ga accoord met de gestelde regels en voorwaarden.
I read the BRM (Brevet Randonneurs Mondiaux) rules and accept these rules and conditions.

Ik verklaar dat ik een passende verzekering heb afgesloten voor aansprakelijkheid bij ongevallen en andere gebeurtenissen.
I declare that I am insured for liabilty in case of accidents and other unforseen events.

Inschrijfgeld      Entry fee
organisator      Organiser
Datum         Date of entry

Bedrag         Amount
350,-

Aanvullende opmerkingen      remarks

[Ivo]

We're taking entries.

[markcc]

Well that was a completely confusing process. Haven't the faintest idea if I've mangaged to register or not.

[Ivo]

Well that was a completely confusing process. Haven't the faintest idea if I've mangaged to register or not.

The form is the standard online entry form for Dutch audaxes, so built for a bit less time pressure.

[Ivo]

we're over 50 riders now. We're still taking entries, but only for the waiting list.

[markcc]

Well that was a completely confusing process. Haven't the faintest idea if I've mangaged to register or not.

The form is the standard online entry form for Dutch audaxes, so built for a bit less time pressure.

It all worked out.  Thanks for your help, Ivo!

[Rumps]

Parky and I are on the waiting list. Stayed out too late on the club run and did not enter till after 5pm............Fingers crossed....

[Ivo]

The event is done and it was a tough one. We started out with a force 4 headwind and a completely splintered peloton. There were already a few riders packing at the first night, the second evening was a disaster evening with riders staying in various hotels in the Schwäbisch Alb. I had to scratch myself in Sigmaringen taking the early morning train to the Bodensee control. The last group on the road then got hit by a thunderstorm descending the Arlbergpass. Only the last day was an ideal riding day. All in all 30% DNF-ed, quite a high rate.

For a first impression, my photo's are on : https://fotoalbum.dds.nl/ivo_m/merseloverona2018/1

[mattc]

Wow  - that's a good way to start a legend

Was this just the 2nd running? Did a few more riders finish last time?

[It doesn't sound like the Audax version of "Race To The Sun" that the title suggests! ]

[Ivo]

It's indeed only the 2nd edition running. Last time there were also quite some DNF's but a bit less. In 2014 there was a sizeable bunch sticking together with some experienced randonneurs dictating a sensible pace.