The Flèche is a 24 hour team event of at least 360K in distance. It is run like a brevet, except that each Flèche team plans its own route.
Each Easter weekend French randonneuring clubs ride in small teams from their respective towns to converge at a designated location in the south of the country. The Flèche ("arrow") refers to arrows aimed at a target. Rules are few but important.
Randonneuring clubs around the world participate in national Flèches on the same weekend. Clubs in the northern climates (e.g., Canada) are granted a one-month extension from the traditional Easter date due to (supposedly) harsher weather.
1/ Submit to the VP/Brevet Administration a detailed route with controls, a list of team members and not more than 2 alternates, name, e-mail address, and telephone number of the team leader no later than 2 weeks before the designated Flèche weekend.
2/ For planning purposes, consider the likelihood of the distance being greater than the proposed route. However, distances 20% greater than that of the proposed route cannot be certified. Similarly, distances 20% less than that of the proposed route will not be recognized.
At the end of the 22nd hour of the ride, the exact time and the location of the team must be noted on each route card and verified by the signature and stamp of a local merchant, official, etc. Lack of the 22nd hour checkpoint verification will result in disqualification. All route cards must indicate the time and location of this verification.
For your Flèche Ontario ride to be registered with Audax Club Parisien and the results counted toward team awards: at least 3 team riders must have ridden the entire distance; at least 25K must have been ridden between the end of the 22nd hour and the end of the 24th hour of the ride. These two checkpoints cannot be the same place, even if the planned distance has already been completed.
If you have any questions about the Flèche Ontario event, please contact the VP/Brevet Administration
.The Flèche event is limited to teams of riders. Each team is can have a maximum of 5 members and a minimum of 3 members. (Tandems, mixed or otherwise, count as a single member.)
The purpose of the Flèche Ontario ride is to promote teamwork, camaraderie and synergy of purpose. The goal for each team is to complete their stated objective, enjoy the journey, and celebrate its completion of this early season event.
Distance traveled is calculated on the basis of the shortest route between checkpoints. Maps will be used to determine distances. In the case of forced detours due to road construction, accidents, etc., only the additional mileage verified by a independent third party signature or stamp with time and location at the far point of the detour will be counted. Further, such mileage will be counted only if shown on the maps.
Routes may not use the same road twice in the same direction.
Members of the same team may assist one another; however, teams are expressly forbidden to aid each other.
No following cars are allowed. Teams can meet a support car only at the rest stops.
This is a randonnee, not a race. Each participant is considered to be on a solo ride and is responsible for any accidents caused by or suffered by the same. Riders must be civil at all times, must abide by all applicable traffic laws, and must follow the directions of all law enforcement authorities.
Only human powered vehicles are allowed. All vehicles must be equipped with functional lights. Lights must be firmly affixed to the vehicle and be of sufficient wattage. Riding in a group does not change the lighting requirement. All riders must use their lights.
An affixed lighting system and reflective vests are required for each machine. Light-coloured clothing, reflective ankle- and arm-bannds, and fenders are strongly recommended.
The minimum distance required for the 24 hour period is 360K. Riders may start their rides from 6:00 PM on Friday to 10:00 AM on Saturday of the designated Flèche weekend.
The longest rest stop a Flèche team may take in any one spot is two (2) hours. (Note: This is a new rule, instituted by ACP in 2002.)
The Trace Nationale is the “younger sister” of the Flèche Nationale. It runs parallel to the Flèche with a shorter distance of at least 200km and a possible overnight stop. The purpose of the Trace is to ride a tourist route in daytime hours with good team spirit being key to success, and a celebration with other Flèche and Trace teams at a common finish.
A Team can start and finish on the same day, or it can start a day earlier, make an overnight stop and arrive the next day and in contrast to the Flèche there are no time limits for rest stops or overall minimum ride time. Although less distance than a Flèche and not requiring night riding, the Trace remains challenging in May when weather is unpredictable and long-distance training is still fresh.
For your Trace Ontario ride to be registered with Audax Club Parisien and the results counted toward team awards, 1) at least 2 riders on a Team must have completed the entire distance, and 2) at least 3 controls spaced 50km apart or more, not including start and finish controls, must be noted on finishing rider’s cards.
If you have any questions about the Trace Ontario event, please contact the VP/Brevet Administration
The Trace Ontario ride, along with the Flèche, promotes teamwork, camaraderie and synergy of purpose. The goal for each team is to complete their stated objective, enjoy the journey, and celebrate completion of this early season event with other team members.
The Trace is limited to teams of riders, with 2 to 6 bikes per team (tandems count as a single bike). Members of the same team may assist one another; however, teams are expressly forbidden to aid each other except in case of an emergency. Teams can meet a support vehicle at designated rest stops only, with following vehicles not allowed. Team members on at least 2 bikes must complete the whole Trace distance for the team to successfully certify the ride with ACP.
The minimum distance required for a Trace event is 200km and the maximum is 360km, with at least 3 controls spaced 50km apart or more (not counting start/finish). While the route start is determined by the Team, the route must end at the designated Flèche Finish location. A team’s route may not use the same road twice in the same direction.
Trace team planned completion times must be between 6pm Saturday through 10am Sunday of the Flèche weekend. A Team may start its ride from midnight on the day before its planned arrival at the Finish location, or it may start anytime on the same day of planned arrival. If a Trace Team starts on the day before its planned Finish, then it may make an overnight stop. Different teams cannot ride together, so if several teams use the same starting point and route, then start times for these teams must be spaced at least 1hr apart. In contrast to the Flèche, a Trace has no limitations on the duration of rest stops and no minimum duration between start and finish.
All the usual Randonneurs rules for riders apply to individuals participating on a Trace team.
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