Author Topic: Haute Route sportive; effect on PBP numbers ?  (Read 2393 times)

Haute Route sportive; effect on PBP numbers ?
« on: 09 December, 2010, 04:29:22 pm »
I've just seen a notice on Bike Radar about a new multi-day sportive, The Haute Route, in the Alps next August.  It is being organised on the 21 - 27 August.  An unfortunate choice of dates? I can see cyclists who want a challenge but who are not dedicated audax riders being drawn to that instead of PBP.  I wonder if this will significantly reduce the number of entrants from the host country   

mmmmartin

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Re: Haute Route sportive; effect on PBP numbers ?
« Reply #1 on: 09 December, 2010, 04:54:00 pm »
no chance. it's one of those "small challenge, big fuss" events. I can't imagine anyone interested in PBP would bother with it.

Itinerary is this: Sunday 21st August 97 km; Monday 103 km; Tuesday , 162 km; Wednesday,   12 km, time trial; Thursday 119 km; Friday 78 km; Saturday 145 km.

seven days to do 720k, and including a short day in the middle?

Ok, there are some big hills in that, but nothing a small chainring won't fix.

This is the bit I like the most though: "Entry costs €595 if you register before December 31 2010, or €630" after that.
Besides, it wouldn't be audacious if success were guaranteed.

mattc

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Re: Haute Route sportive; effect on PBP numbers ?
« Reply #2 on: 09 December, 2010, 05:06:57 pm »
 An unfortunate choice of dates? I can see cyclists who want a challenge but who are not dedicated audax riders being drawn to that instead of PBP.  I wonder if this will significantly reduce the number of entrants from the host country  
I would agree.

(Not sure how it might dent french participation, as I don't know very much about the makeup of the french contingent.)

We know from LEL that some sportifs/racers are interested in going further. This is a different challenge to PBP, but it's a step up (further) from regular sportives, so there has to be some overlap.

If this were organised by a UK company I'd label it another example of the astonishing ignorance about Audax in this country!

EDIT: actually, to be fair, if they could only get late August-ish slots, then they might have realised noone would want to do both events close together. So I'll postpone my verdict :)
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