Cheltenham Flyer 200(Cider With Rosie 150, Character Coln 100)Sat 21 March 2020

[3peaker]

CHELTENHAM FLYER 200 (CIDER WITH ROSIE 150, CHARACTER COLN 100) SAT 21 MARCH 2020
I recently wrote (referring to event 16 Mar 19):
“21 Starters from an initial entry of 45 for Flyer 200. Lesser rides hit hard with 15 start from 65 entries 77% DNS; most are not the hardened (younger?) AUKs, with less (prestige/PBP Qual) to lose.
Big losers are the support teams at Fernham and Burbage, who have stuck by me to support the riders for this, the 8th edition of my Flyer.
Thoughts to use later March dates in future years, rather than link to day after Cheltenham Gold Cup. So, I will look at 21 Mar for 2020 and not before 20 Mar in future. Any thoughts??”

Thinking it through, I intend to discontinue following the Cheltenham Racing Festival; now I will follow the Vernal Equinox/1st day of Spring, so will not be before 20 March. So please pencil in Sat 21 Mar 2020 for these 3 events. Halls and support teams booked; all we will need is more spring-like weather and no Calendar clashes! You will still have the Winter GMT time but you do not have much dark on a 200 in late March.

[Wobbly]

That's a heck of a DNS rate

[Philip Whiteman]

Stephen, interested to read about your suggestion on a later date.  I probably fall into the lightweight cyclist who firmly stays in bed at the slightest hint of frost or anything stronger than Force 2 on the Beaufort Scale (well perhaps I exaggerate on the latter), so have pretty much given up on early March events.   Whilst late March is by no means a guarantee of better conditions, it has a greater probability. 

The New Cheltenham Flyer is a great route and I would certainly love to ride it again at some stage. So a later date gets my support.

[Ajax Bay]

That's a heck of a DNS rate

Well, it was forecast to blow all day at 23mph ish and gusting above 40. In the 'vent it wasn't so bad and the last 60k was a breeze. Worth pointing out that the w/e closest to the spring equinox last year was pretty poor in the SW iirc. CNF ran on the Saturday but Mad March from Exeter had two starters - we waved them off - one (full cross bike/tyres) got to the climb onto Exmoor before inches of snow and more falling and no motor vehicle tracks forced him to call it an (excellent) day.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/february2018-snow - scroll down to the end.
Statistically, how is moving 7 days in March (or at any other time of the year) going to affect the likelihood of forecast conditions being below CNF (etc) ride entrants' DNS threshold?
You have a great ride there, Steve, and the controls are a significant element of that: welcoming, efficient, warm, great cake/soup. Can't remember the last time I didn't visit a garage or a shop on an audax. Just need to add in a bit of Fosse Way gravel to up the boldness quotient.

[De Sisti]

That's a heck of a DNS rate

Worth pointing out that the w/e closest to the spring equinox last year was pretty poor in the SW iirc.  Mad March from Exeter had two starters - we waved them off - one (full cross bike/tyres) got to the climb onto Exmoor before inches of snow and more falling and no motor vehicle tracks forced him to call it an (excellent) day.

I wonder if the numbers of non-starters would agree?

[3peaker]

CHELTENHAM FLYER 200 (CIDER WITH ROSIE 150, CHARACTER COLN 100) SAT 21 MARCH 2020
I recently wrote (referring to event 16 Mar 19):
“21 Starters from an initial entry of 45 for Flyer 200. Lesser rides hit hard with 15 start from 65 entries 77% DNS; most are not the hardened (younger?) AUKs, with less (prestige/PBP Qual) to lose.
Big losers are the support teams at Fernham and Burbage, who have stuck by me to support the riders for this, the 8th edition of my Flyer.
Thoughts to use later March dates in future years, rather than link to day after Cheltenham Gold Cup. So, I will look at 21 Mar for 2020 and not before 20 Mar in future. Any thoughts??”

Thinking it through, I intend to discontinue following the Cheltenham Racing Festival; now I will follow the Vernal Equinox/1st day of Spring, so will not be before 20 March. So please pencil in Sat 21 Mar 2020 for these 3 events. Halls and support teams booked; all we will need is more spring-like weather and no Calendar clashes! You will still have the Winter GMT time but you do not have much dark on a 200 in late March.

Entries are trickling in nicely for all 3 distances, as this year’s date sees no local clashes. Hopefully, being a week later than previously will bring better weather and a little more evening daylight. No change to the routes and the Controls have the same Uffingham WI and Burbage Church teams.

All routes go South through the R Coln Valley to Fernham Church/VH. 200 continues South to Burbage and then traverses the Vale of Pewsey to Lacock to return to Andoversford via Tetbury and the Whiteway; 150 goes West through England's longest Village to Malmesbury and Tetbury to return via Stroud and the Slad Valley; 100 retraces Coln valley by either low level or high level (Chedworth/ Whiteway) route.

[oggy]

I have entered this is any one else riding

Steve

[S2L]

I'm not... decided to draw a line on Audax this year.
Spoke to Stephen and it is going ahead

[De Sisti]

"Stop mass gatherings and non-essential travel"

Will it still go ahead now?

[S2L]

"Stop mass gatherings and non-essential travel"

Will it still go ahead now?

It shouldn't... but...

[Jamesha]

Just got an email from Stephen saying that it is cancelled (as are all other audaxes).

[3peaker]

ALL AUDAX UK EVENTS, COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS SUSPENDED
ANDOVERSFORD EVENTS 21 MARCH 2020

The AUDAX Board has made a most difficult but, some may agree, inevitable decision. Please see below:


AUDAX UK - ANNOUNCEMENT- 16 March 2020

COVID-19 PANDEMIC: ALL AUDAX UK EVENTS, COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS SUSPENDED
 
Following today’s updated guidance from the government, the Audax UK Board has taken the difficult decision to suspend recognition of all calendar, permanent and DIY events, with immediate effect, until further notice.

This means that AUK will not validate any rides undertaken from midnight tonight, 16th March, until the decision is taken to lift the suspension. Anyone undertaking such rides will not be allocated AUK points or AAA points, their rides will not be counted towards Mileater or Randonneur Round the Year awards, and they will not be covered by AUK’s insurance policy while riding.


Clearly, I cannot now run the Andoversford Events on 21 March.