AUK’s representative, Peter Marshall, reports back from the ACP meeting last weekend in this thread on YACF.
When Saturday Comes….
Saturday rides from Dublin will commence on January 22nd – the rides will generally be around 200km in length, and will start from Baggot Street Bridge at 8am each week. There will be be no ride if there is an audax taking place anywhere in the country that weekend. The routes will become hillier as the season progresses and should provide excellent training for anyone planning on entering the longer events in the summer. I will post a provisional route early in the week prior to the ride.
You should come prepared as you would for any audax event – bring tools, food, and spare clothing. We will probably make at least one cafe stop so bring a little money, and lights would also be advisable for rides early in the year as we may finish in darkness. If you don’t want to do the full distance, you are welcome to join us but you will have to find your own way home when you turn back. If you plan to join us regularly, you must have Cycling Ireland license or comparable insurance.
The route this Saturday will be an easy 130km around the villages of Meath – out through Phoenix Park, Dunboyne, Summerhill, Rathmolyon, Prosperous, Clane, Maynooth and home.
Entries Open For Easter Fleche
I am now taking entries for the Easter Fleche. The Fleche is a 24-hour team audax event – each team devises its own route, and rides to a common finishing point (which will be the Stephen Roche Monument in Dundrum again) over the Easter weekend. You can start at any time between noon on Thursday and 10am Saturday, with the honours going to the team that completes the longest distance. Full rules are in the Gazetteer.
If you’re interested in entering, send me the names of the members of your team – minimum of 3 members, maximum of 5. By the 1st of April, send me your proposed start time and route which must be at least 360km measured by the minimum distance between the control points – this is to provide enough time to make any changes that may prove necessary. The entry fee will be €5 per individual and Cycling Ireland membership will be required.
This is a particularly favourable year for doing a Fleche as Easter is very late in the calendar, and it will be excellent night cycling experience for anyone planning on doing PBP later this year. Completing a Fleche is also one of the requirements for a Randonneur 5000 award.
Last year was the first year of the Fleche in Ireland – one team entered, managing 430km in bitterly cold conditions in mid-March. It would be great to see multiple teams on the road this year. If you have any questions, please get in touch.