Audax series background
Audax rides are NOT races. Everyone rides to their own limitations and the primary objective to ‘get round’. There are minimum and maximum time limits, which are designed to suit everyone from the fittest of recreational riders, to more occasional riders who have plenty of determination. The routes typically feature lots of quiet, scenic lanes. Most events can be quite hilly, and even the flatter ones usually have one or two challenging climbs.
The name Audax is Latin for “Courageous” and was first used in 1904 in France where this type of event was developed. For official Audax UK events, each rider carries a ‘brevet card’ which is stamped at intermediate checkpoints and at the finish. When validated, the brevet card is later returned to the rider as a certificate of their achievement. Some famous Audax’s include London-Edinburgh-London (LEL) and Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP). The club has had a good number of participants complete both these events.
The club runs its own series of Audax events each year starting with the 50km Audax in January and progressing monthly to a challenging 175km in May/June. These are a great way to start with a really achievable ride and progress to longer and longer distances. Please see the calendar for the events planned. From 2019, there are no brevet cards and the routes area available as GPX downloads.
Open Audax
There are many open audax events running throughout the year and many of the local ones are frequently ridden by club members. Examples include Barrys’s Bristol Ball Buster, Heart of England, Gospel Pass. Chippenham Wheelers puts on its own open event in support of cycling in general. This is affectionally known as the “Flapjack” for obvious reasons. Participation requires pre-registration as numbers are limited. Club members are encouraged to volunteer to help make this event run smoothly. More information is published on the web site nearer the time.
Club Audax series 2018
| Distance | Date | Start time | Entry fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50km | 20 Jan 2019 | 10:00 | £2.50 |
| 75km | 17 Feb 2019 | 09:30 | £1.00 |
| 100km | 17 Mar 2019 | 09:00 | £3.50 |
| 125km | 14 Apr 2019 | 09:00 | £1.00 |
| 150km | 12 May 2019 | 08:30 | £1.00 |
| 175km | 23 Jun 2019 | 08:00 | £2.50 |
Information about route details are available on the club website.
All club Audax events start and end at the Chippenham Sports and Social Club. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the start time to register and pay the small entrance fee. Riders have taken to return to the social club for a quick drink at the end of the ride.