Paris-Brest-Paris 2023

[LateStarter]

It's been a bit quiet here lately but I assume it has escaped no-one's attention that today is exactly 2 years until the next PBP.

Probably a miracle if I manage to be actually ready, but Audax Club Parisien is said to consider it a matter of French Honour that it will go ahead so I guess we just have to press ahead and believe. Lots of PBP veterans council that 12 months is adequate for a successful preparation but I think I will need every day of the next 24 months although these lockdowns are a bit of an obstacle, I am currently reduced to circuits of Centennial Park, getting a bit boring. Have also been riding the 2019 PBP route on my smart trainer, done the 1220 kms once so far with an acceptable moving average that would allow adequate sleep & other time off bike (but stages were spread over more than a month!), preparing for another go with reduced gaps between stages.

Australian participation peaked in 2007 with 124 but has declined each PBP since with the 79 in 2019 about the same as 2003, might have to manage a bit more enthusiasm.

I would like to do it at least once, anyone else dreaming the dream?

[LateStarter]

Slowly coming together, the organisers are organising, expectations building, preparation kms being ridden (I had better pick up my tempo)

The latest from "le telegramme" (Brest France)

"It is from Sunday August 20 to Thursday August 24, 2023 that will be run the twentieth edition of the largest sport cycling tour in the world, the Paris-Brest-Paris, organized every four years by the Audax Club de Paris (ACP). . A legendary race for more than 8,000 courageous people from around 70 different countries, which also benefits from very strong media coverage"

https://www.letelegramme.fr/finistere/b ... 868620.php
(if your French isn't up to scratch Mr Google will help)

[queequeg]

I’m doing my best to be able to qualify for it, but the logistics of getting there and back with two kids in school and it not being school holidays, and the fact there is no way my wife will let me go by myself means the costs escalate, and it’s a long way to go for just the ride itself so I’d want to stay at least a few weeks to make it worthwhile.

So many challenges to overcome. Ironically the least of my concern is the riding distance. I often kick myself for not getting involved in my 20’s rather than my 40’s.

[LateStarter]

Not an overwhelming interest here but as a matter of record...and for any one still thinking / dreaming / fantasising...

Last Sunday was 1 year & 6 months till the PBP 2023 start, so if, like me, you aren't well on the way with preparation you had better start NOW!

Organising in France is well under way, not much (anything really) available in English yet but with the help of Dr Google...

In the last few days Rambouillet has been announced as the start / finish like 2019

The controls (except secret) are the same but the course, (nothing announced yet), will have some modifications to increase the separation of the out-bound & in-bound streams a bit more.

Because 2019 had the lowest French participation (1500) for a while they are "reserving" 2500 places for French riders but have increased the overall total to 8000 so the non-French get an additional 500 places too.

Pre-registration / Registration scheme will be the same as 2019, ie a "longest" Nov/2021-Oct/2022 Audax year ride (1000/1200, 600, 400, 300, 200) will determine your priority for pre-registration dates (with the possibility it will fill up along the way) and then a 200, 300, 400, 600 series from Nov 2022 - approx June 2023 is required to complete registration.

Randonneurs USA (RUSA) have already started a good series of Webinars / Seminars and the recording of these is on YouTube, mostly very good and informative (especially Mark Thomas, veteran of 54 x 1200), nothing much yet locally or elsewhere.

https://rusa.org/pages/pbp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mOpy6A215A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drg1zDi28JE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25KMZKJaj_E
More to come

My prep is not going very well at all, (spirit is willing but...) I may have lost the long distance skill somewhere over the last couple of years since my accident. Have given myself the next 3 months to turn this around else I might as well just buy a Harley and get fat.

Good luck to the hopefuls.

[queequeg]

I am having enough trouble just getting in my long rides here in Australia. The Syd-Melbourne was postponed/cancelled, then my backup 1000/1200 is actually being held at Easter so I can't get away because accommodation is an issue because it's also school holidays.

I am now flicking through all the 300/400/600/1000/1200 options I put on the calendar back in October. I am really trying to qualify for the Woodrup 5000 and just need the 1000/1200. My attempts last year saw all the 1000 and 1200 options get cancelled on me. September is likely for the 1000 as I try for the Mallee 1000 again.

I think my chances of the PBP are extremely slim. I had kids too late in life and they are not quite at the age where they can look after themselves without constant supervision.

[LateStarter]

2 years until the next PBP.
1 year until the next PBP.
10 months until the next PBP.
9 months 11 days until the next PBP......

Looking less and less likely, but there is always 2027?

[queequeg]

2 years until the next PBP.
1 year until the next PBP.
10 months until the next PBP.
9 months 11 days until the next PBP......

Looking less and less likely, but there is always 2027?

It's a non-starter for me. All my options for getting qualifiers done went up in smoke, and my 1200 and 1000km rides were again cancelled in the current year.


So, my focus is on just getting any 1200km and 1000km ride done this year and I can worry about 2027 and start planning for it now!

[Dreama]

Not that I'm about to ride it, but its been great watching the youtube footage of PBP from last year.

What an amazing effort people are putting in

[LateStarter]

Not that I'm about to ride it, but its been great watching the youtube footage of PBP from last year.

These videos are my favourites, some Hong Kong riders videoed their whole journey only stopping the camera when they were asleep, they gave up at 900km so thankfully not actually 90hrs of watching (and it is double speed, but can speed it up or slow it down), great to see the actual route. I dream too but more a fantasy but who knows, quite a few riders older than me have entered and some even finished but they were probably born on a bicycle.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... tlynJTETFX

[Dreama]

Yeah wow - I'll check that one out too.

This one - https://youtu.be/ujpTZyKd-RQ?si=801h4xY7s0o-D277
This was a good one: https://youtu.be/GljyA2nTx0g?si=NSYULnFM1FIEHL7g
and this one: https://youtu.be/TO2ZsdbS7UM?si=49vGm54LXhN01P1D