This was the first Wheelers Audax and as a club the idea to run an Audax originally came from the “ideas” man Howie way back in 2017 or so at one of our committee meetings, probably piqued by entering our nearest events the Windrush Winter Warm-Up/Down which run each January by Pete from Corinium Cycling Club.
At the time it seemed like an easy way for the club to run a formal event and this was way before we’d managed to grow the club to what it is today, Ady thought we probably had around 40 members after a period of shrinkage and I can recall Howie buying a round of coffees on a club run, a prospect that might bankrupt him these days. It’s taken a while for this idea to materialise into something tangible but we really only had two club members riding Audax regularly for quite a long time, the irrepressible Mark Williams, who’s way out there distance rides fly somewhat under the radar erring towards what we might call Ultra’s these days but are deserving of more recognition, and Robert Priday, who probably fits the description of what you’d expect an Audaxer to be, has also done some amazing routes and rides you should ask him about if you ever happen to have the luck to ride with him.
Ady Short got into Audaxing seriously over the last 3 or 4 years and after a chat with Mark Rigby of Black Sheep Audax when riding one of his events, Mark is a well renowned Audax event organiser, Ady decided that it was time to put Howie’s original idea into action. With Mark Rigby as his mentor Ady became an organiser which added yet another string to the club’s event capability and our ability to organise events from TT’s through BC sanctioned races and now Audax has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years.
Here we are in 2024 and after originally planning our first event to be held in 2023 to add to our centenary offerings we realised things were too busy last year and we held off until this year arranging for a limited field offering of a 200km and 100km event to go into the Audax UK Calendar listing.
Our routes were formed in part from well known SWCC club rides over towards Minchinhampton Common, via Sherston and then north towards Nailsworth for the 100km event and out towards Oldbury on Severn and then North East back through Wotton under Edge into Nailsworth for the 200km event.
There were a few hills in the middle of both routes which goes without saying anywhere near Minchinhampton, total ascent for the 100km route was around 3000 ft and just over 6000 ft for the 200km event. We had a manned control at Chalford Village Hall where we provided food at around half distance on each event’s route and a further manned control with food for the 200km route at Brize Norton village.
If you weren’t aware an Audax is basically a route where you ride between specific points called controls to log an entry on a provided route card which can be stamped or you use a code written from a notice somewhere at one of the controls if it’s not manned, the card the rider uses is called a brevet which translates to certificate or licence from the French. A lot of the language and the reason for use of KM’s rather than miles is that Audax UK was formed in 1976 with a parent organisation based off of the French Audax Club Parisien (ACP) which was formed in 1904 by Henry Desgrange creator of the TdF in 1903. Audax rides being considered “audacious” for the time due to their length and distance and hence where the name Audax came from.
The Wheelers Audax 2024
It was with 84 entrants across both events that our events started from the new Moredon Sports Hub on the 31st August, with an 8am start for the 200km route and a 9am start for the 100km route. We were lucky to have an ideal day for a longer route, although there was quite a bit of headwind between Thornbury and Brize but not too hot, we reached out to the club and had an army of helpers on the day, many thanks must go to these guys below as these events like this won’t happen without their help: –
- Mandi Short – prep, Moredon HQ and Brize control
- Ali and Dawn Bartlam – prep, Moredon HQ and Chalford control
- Paul Ashman – Moredon HQ & Chalford control
- Nigel Davies – Moredon HQ
- Howie King – Moredon HQ
- Bev Cejer – prep but laid low by Covid on the day
- James Lilley – Brize control
- Darren Chapman – Brize control
- Dave Kings – Moredon HQ and Brize control
The Route
The route for both went out via the cycle path and down through the Ridgeway Farm estate, crossing Thamesdown drive due to the underpass closure was probably the most awkward section but most managed this bit without too much trauma.
The 100km route came back the same way from the west side of Swindon after leaving Chalford and coming back via Cherington and Charlton, I understand that towards the afternoon the wind did pick up from the south east unusually so the section back from Charlton to Chelworth was a bloc headwind of around 9 miles and somewhat of a challenge.
Meanwhile the 200km route after Brize headed towards Childrey and then Uffington before heading back to the east side of Swindon and back to Moredon so their return leg would have been more of a cross tailwind which at 100 miles plus would have no doubt been more welcome than a headwind I’m sure. We had a great club turnout for the 200km route and a number of members riding their longest rides at around 129 miles when completed, well done to those guys a great effort which I hope makes them keen to get some more of these under their belts in the near future.
Post both rides there were definitely many thanks from the riders, maybe not for a couple of the hills we’d worked into the routes but hills and Audax rides are definitely a thing, however the general organisation and the food we’d laid on were well thought of and we’d definitely see some returning riders when we run the events again next year.
