There's a six page article in this month's Cycling Plus under my byline. I'm a bit peeved with myself that I didn't make it clearer that half of the pictures are by Dave Robinson, my long-term collaborator.
I was introduced to the deputy editor, Paul Robson, at Loudeac on PBP 2015, by an AUK who had ridden with him from Fougeres, and we supplied C+ with images, hence the connection. Paul has incorporated quotes from interviews I sent him, and from Danial, as Paul obviously has a better idea of what appeals to his readers.
I grew up with parents who were active in clubs; drama/ musical comedy and sailing, so I saw how the show was put on, from behind the scenes, from the age of 5. The brief was to look at how LEL is put together. As with am-dram, there are limits to how much you want to criticise any unpaid endeavour.
I feel that a by-product of a more professional approach, is that the event can draw in people who aren't steeped in the amateur tradition. They look for clues about the nature of the event in places such as this, and don't realise that there are codes to be adhered to in describing how rides have played out. The one thing you never do in am-dram is to undermine the confidence of the principals, and that's reflected in how Audax reports itself to itself.
In terms of expectation management, I envisage LEL and PBP as amateur versions of the Tour de France, seeking to involve the Women's Institute. That requires the riders to have knowledge of both the TdF and the WI. It was encapsulated for me by Bradley Wiggins' joke on the TdF 2012 podium, wondering when he had to draw the raffle. The roots of all cycle sport are in village halls with tea urns and trestle tables.