Brevets / Randonnees are timed events in which cyclists ride a pre-determined course, passing a number PCs (points de controle) and completing the overall course under a time limit. It’s not a race and results are not published ranked by completion time. The overall time limits are:

• 200 km – 13:30 h
• 300 km – 20:00 h
• 400 km – 27:00 h
• 600 km – 40:00 h
• 1000 km – 75:00 h

These limits mostly correspond to an average speed of 15 km/h, including all breaks for rest, food, sleep, etc.

Each PC also has a defined closing time. Before a recent brevet, I took a look at the PC closing times in a cue sheet and it seemed the first PC was open too late, i.e. later than what would correspond to a speed of 15 km/h from the event start time to the PC, but it turned out to be the correct time.

Today I had a look at the official regulations and found out why. Basically, the 15 km/h equivalency only applies above 60 km and until 600 km. For any PC in the first 60 km of the course, the closing time is one hour after when you would arrive there at 20 km/h (both formulas arrive at the same result at 60 km: 4 h * 15 km/h = 60 km; 3 h * 20 km/h = 60 km). This provides a sensible rule for participants who start later than the course opening time, for example because they arrive late or because the event has so many participants that it takes a significant amount of time for all of them to cross the starting line. A ride starting at 7:00 could have a final starting time of 8:00 and people can still make check points as long as they maintain an average of 20 km/h, making up the time within the first 60 km.

The average speed required after reaching the 600 km mark also drops, to 11.428 km/h between 601 km and 1000 km. In a 1000 km brevet, participants have 35 hours for the final 400 km vs. 40 hours for the first 600 km. This provides more time for sleeping on longer events.

Participants at Paris-Brest-Paris (1200 km) also have more time for the return journey from Brest than they have on the way out. In the slowest category, participants have 90 hours for the complete trip, vs. 40 hours for the first half, leaving up to 50 hours for the second half.

I understand the rules for control closing times a bit better now.

Personally, I am too slow to leave enough time for more than extremely short naps on a reasonably hilly course, such that I am unable to complete anything over 400 km because I end up with too much of a sleep deficit after about 27 hours. Therefore I will probably never experience the benefit of the more relaxed control closing times that kick in after the 600 km point.

I’ll be riding a 300 km brevet coming Saturday / Sunday and the trick, as always, will be to get enough sleep upfront to be able to make it through the (20 hour maximum) course without getting too sleepy during the event 🙂