French BRM calendar

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The FFCT website calendar now lists all of their brevets for next year. Go to http://ffct.org/randonner-a-velo/ou-quand-pratiquer/calendrier-des-randonnees/?ligue=09 and filter for Randonneurs [distance you are interested in] if you are looking for a PBP qualifier in a specific location or date. For instance, there are 7 x 1000km BRM in various parts of France, all in July. This may be useful if you are looking at a number of ACP awards that require a 1000km BRM to be ridden in the same year as a BRM Super Randonneur series.

Be aware that there are a number of other brevet types in the calendar that don't count for PBP qualification (e.g. Audax [distance]). HK and I are looking very hard at riding the Paris-Nice 1000 Audax starting Sunday 5 July, just for fun.

[Jacques]

Good spot thanks.

This could be very useful for me next year although funnily enough I live in the so called heartland of cycling in France (Bretagne) and there isn't one ride listed around here .

Maybe it will fill out later hopefully.

[drgannet]

This may be useful if you are looking at a number of ACP awards that require a 1000km BRM to be ridden in the same year as a BRM Super Randonneur series.

Which awards?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

R5000 (which is a very recent change) and R10000
http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/462%20-%20Rules%20Randonneur%2010000.html
http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/382%20-%20RulesRandonneur%205000.html

Previously, the 1000 could be in a different year to the SR.

[Charlie Boy]

Jacques

You can try here too in due course http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/313%20-%20Schedule%20of%20BRM%20France.html

[drgannet]

R5000 (which is a very recent change) and R10000
http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/462%20-%20Rules%20Randonneur%2010000.html
http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/382%20-%20RulesRandonneur%205000.html

Previously, the 1000 could be in a different year to the SR.

That would be very frustrating, because my 300 last year was not BRM!

Is this definitely the case? The link just says "The full series of ACP brevets (200, 300, 400, 600 and 1000 km)", nothing about in 1 year. If it has changed then the award just becomes a 2 year challenge. Puzzled...
",

[SR Steve]

Hmmm, next year could be looking a bit too busy if I have to squeeze in a BRM 1000 as well as a Super Randonnee 600 and the PBP

At the end of that I should hope to be awarded French citizenship and the freedom of Paris, never mind the Randonneur 10000

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The R5000 has always had a 4 year time limit, based around PBP. The 200, 300, 400 and 600 have to be in the same year or they aren't a Super Randonneur series, which has always been required.

Previously the 1000 for the ACP R5000 could be done in a different year (that was how I qualified for my R5000, I think) but the way it is written now, you need to do the full 200-1000 range in a single year. It appears that the wording changed at or after the time the R10000 was introduced by ACP, which has always specified exactly that requirement.

Personally I think that the change is wrong and qualification for the R5000 should be the same as before. The R10000 is a new award, so requiring the 1000s in the same years as the SRs is reasonable. Something for the LRM President or incoming ACP representative to deal with, I guess.

[Aunt Maud]

Where does it say that the full BRM series including the 1000 has to be done in a single year, I can't find it ?

The only reference to a time limit that I can see is this: "The qualifying events must be completed within a four year period, beginning on the date of the first qualifying event."

I can't see any specific reference to a Super Randonneur series either, just a reference to the full series of ACP brevets.

It would be a slight bummer as I never did a 200 BRM last year, but never mind, I'll probably end up doing a double full series this year anyway seeings I've got a full season and not a half like last year.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Good luck with arguing that the 200, 300, 400 and 600 series don't have to be done in the same year. That R5000 requirement was previously described as a Super Randonneur series, which by definition has to be completed in the same year. Accordingly, if ACP are talking about a 200 - 1000 BRM series, that means in the same year.

For interest's sake, there is no minimum time limit. Several folk complete the ACP R5000 (4 year limit) within a single year with PBP, SR, 1000, Fleche Velocio and at least 1000km of other BRM.

[marcusjb]

Ah well -- thought I had qualified for 5000 this year with the Arrow (just awaiting BRM number), but it appears not in that case.

Ah well - they can stick their badges up their trou du cul 

[Reg.T]

Sorry to hear that Marcus 
I guess this might be a good time & place to post a link back to the details of your Super Randonnee, as there may be a few more folk seriously contemplating following in your wheel-tracks now...

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Informal negotiations will probably be opened on the basis that the R5000 requirements have become more stringent without any warning or 'grandfather' allowance for those only partway through gaining qualification.

[marcusjb]

Sorry to hear that Marcus 
I guess this might be a good time & place to post a link back to the details of your Super Randonnee, as there may be a few more folk seriously contemplating following in your wheel-tracks now...

It's not what motivates me, so not at all fussed really.

You need to do a Super Randonnee for the R10000 I think?  Again, not what motivates me to tackle them - the one I have ridden was a simply superb ride that was very challenging in many ways, quite easy in others, but rewarding beyond belief.  I'd hoped to get another one in this year, but things haven't worked out that way.  Next year hopefully.

I hope some more AUKs have ridden them this season - I highly recommend the one I did and have nothing to suggest that the others aren't just as superb. 

[Veloman]

I needed the Easter Arrow and a 1000 for ACP R5000 which resulted in 2 rides I had not planned to ride, but glad I did, particularly the 1000 event which was in France and great fun.  I also ensured I did the 200-1000 SR series in the same year and tend to opt for BRM events as they can serve 2 purposes.  (And this season is full of BRM events as they are required for PBP)

If you did PBP in 2011 and you want the 'clock to start ticking' from then, I would have thought a good case could be made for applying the old rules and not the recent change as LWB highlights along with 'grandfather' rights.

The thought of the SR aka Marcus ride has occupied my mind and the 'let's do the easiest' springs to mind, but even the easiest in hard!

(X-post with others)

[Aunt Maud]

Good luck with arguing that the 200, 300, 400 and 600 series don't have to be done in the same year.

Shame your good lady's stepping off the mill, I'm sure she'd present a worthy case. Anyways don't we have a man on the inside ?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

LRM is not the same as ACP. Hopefully the situation will be resolved sensibly but I'd expect that it would be difficult to get any grandfather exception past next PBP.

[Aunt Maud]

LRM is not the same as ACP. Hopefully the situation will be resolved sensibly but I'd expect that it would be difficult to get any grandfather exception past next PBP.

Quite, but I'm sure his voice carries a certain gravitas. It was you that suggested he may argue the case however.

[marcusjb]

The thought of the SR aka Marcus ride has occupied my mind and the 'let's do the easiest' springs to mind, but even the easiest in hard!

Going way OT here - but at least we're talking about my favourite topic now - me!   

I've ridden what is probably the hardest 600km event in the UK (Pendle) and what is certainly the hilliest of the Super Randonnees (15000m of ascent in the 600km). 

The Pendle is a brute - 10000m of ascent in the 600km and 40 hours to do it.  There's not much opportunity for sleep and you're always watching the clock.  It's a hard ride for sure, the hills combined with atrocious overnight weather in 2013 made it a memorable event!

Whilst the Super Randonnee was very demanding and I wasn't prepared for the cumulative effects of the climbing (it is, in effect, a substantial power output for between 1 and 2 hours, relax for 30 minutes, substantial power output for 1 to 2 hours, relax for 30 minutes repeated 5 or 6 times a day), the relaxed time limit of 60 hours for that one enabled me to stop in a hotel for 6 to 7 hours each night. 

So the time pressure is far less on a Super Randonnee, but you'll need that rest as the days will half kill you! 

They are really fast tours, very hard fast tours.  The climbing is completely different to our UK style climbing; I'd have probably found it easier this season having done all my training based around the 24hr (compared to the 2013 season where it was all about going up hills) as I was trained to give a constant power output for (very) long periods of time this year. 

They are very achievable for anyone who has decent legs on them - the riding is very challenging (in terms of ascent, day 1 featured just under 7000m of climbing in the first 190km including two passes of over 2000m) but the time is there to recover a little ready for the next day.  None of them look easy, you are right, but they are an achievable goal for sure.  I found the Pendle a little harder on balance, but that's because of the time ticking away!

I do plan to do more of them as I love the big mountains.  I chose the Pyrenean one partly to recapture a tour of my youth, partly because it was the hardest of the lot, and partly because it features more famous climbs than the others (starting on Tourmalet and finishing with Aubisque).  I've some plans involving some of the others - just need the time, next year may be better as my mega-project I am working on will be over and done with. 

But I would totally encourage any AUKs to give them a go and report back on some of the other ones (they all look fabulous!).

[Aunt Maud]

The Norwegian one looks especially tempting and it includes a spectacular ferry ride from Flåm. Plus one of the worlds nicest train rides from Myrdal to Flåm, where the train descends to the valley floor of Flåmdalen in a corkscrew tunnel. You can stop the train at the top of the valley and freewheel all the way down to the ferry to the start at Flåm.

http://www.randonneurs.no/ritt/jotunheimen-super-randonnee/

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6315732

[marcusjb]

^ that does look good.  I will start saving now, should be able to afford another trip to Norway by the end of the decade.

The train is amazing - especially when they stop it by the big waterfalls and a large Norwegian lady leaps about up on the cliffs singing some operatic stuff.  Amazing!

That would be a great trip for sure.

[Aunt Maud]

It's got some dirt road stretches in it too, for added amusement.

[mzjo]

The FFCT website calendar now lists all of their brevets for next year. Go to http://ffct.org/randonner-a-velo/ou-quand-pratiquer/calendrier-des-randonnees/?ligue=09 and filter for Randonneurs [distance you are interested in] if you are looking for a PBP qualifier in a specific location or date. For instance, there are 7 x 1000km BRM in various parts of France, all in July. This may be useful if you are looking at a number of ACP awards that require a 1000km BRM to be ridden in the same year as a BRM Super Randonneur series.

Be aware that there are a number of other brevet types in the calendar that don't count for PBP qualification (e.g. Audax [distance]). HK and I are looking very hard at riding the Paris-Nice 1000 Audax starting Sunday 5 July, just for fun.

Sorry I am coming to this thread a bit late.
The best french BRM calendar is here  http://jeanpba.homeip.net/?page=90&onglet=1&annee=2015  it's the standard for the french (and it is easier to use for BRMs than "Où Irons-nous?" )

[mattc]

The Norwegian one looks especially tempting and it includes a spectacular ferry ride from Flåm. Plus one of the worlds nicest train rides from Myrdal to Flåm, where the train descends to the valley floor of Flåmdalen in a corkscrew tunnel. You can stop the train at the top of the valley and freewheel all the way down to the ferry to the start at Flåm.

http://www.randonneurs.no/ritt/jotunheimen-super-randonnee/

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6315732

Looks like that route has pros and cons:

Distance:   596.3 km
Elevation:   + 9854 / - 9306 m

[Phil W]

I emailed Geneviève on the point about riding the 200,300,400,600,1000 in the same year. The response is that they do not need to be in the same year, just within 4 years (R5000) or 6 years (R10000) of the first qualifying event. In the R10000 where you can make up the additional distance with SR, the 200,300,400,600 must be in same year (for it to be an SR. clearly).