Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Finally team-endurance cycling race for roadies!!!

i was waiting for one of those.... finally i'll be able to cycle in team with my friends in a relay race... Have you heard of this 24 hours cycling race in Le Mans (www.24heuresvelo.fr)? Im might go with 5 of my friends??? anyone else planning to go, any crazy guys for a solo???

Finally? Have you ever heard of RAAM (http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/subwebraam/default.php?N_webcat_id=1)?

http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/userfiles/featphoto.jpg

http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/userfiles/Promo_Poster.jpg

well "finally a TEAM endurance race for roadies"... RAAM = 3000 miles SINGLE stage... I loce cycling on my own when I need calm and when I need to think, but i also love the idea of a relay race with my friends, have to build a strategy with my friends, have to give my best for me but also for the whole team... i'm part of a collective challenge not an individual!

RAAM has a division for teams...

i think the OPs looking for something a tad shorter than raam.

i think the OPs looking for something a tad shorter than raam.

Furnace Creek 508 (http://www.the508.com/), then?

Black and Blue 200-mile relay

There's also the HooDoo... http://www.planetultra.com/Hoodoo500/index.htm

"4-Man Team Road Rage smashes course record in 23:52 time!"

The Davis 12/24 Hour Challenge (http://davisbikeclub.org/Ultra/DBC1224hr.htm) also has 2-person and 4-person relay divisions. There are lots of long distance events with relay divisions. If the OP is in France, then LeMans seems like a fine one. If he's here in the USA, then there are plenty of closer events. On the other hand, if he's looking for an excuse to go to France, the LeMans event looks pretty good. They don't have a relay division for PBP, after all.

I agree with the perspective of the original poster. The UMCA is hardly recognizable as a race governing body. And while RAAM is a unique event, it is hardly suitable as a test primarily designed for elite cyclists.

Its really sad that the USCF doesn't see fit to promote more 200k or 300k road races along with 100mile time trials etc......

I believe there was at least one roadie team at the last Texas Time Trials http://www.tt24tt.com/
500 mile, 200 mile, 100 mile and then 24 hour and 12 hour divisions. 4 person, two person or single.

Aren't most mtn bike 24-hour races team/relay events?

Aren't most mtn bike 24-hour races team/relay events?

Most of the ones I've seen are team events, but I think the OP is looking specifically for team based road events, which for whatever reason do seem to be less popular than the MTB events.

How many randonneur clubs in US run a fleche (http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/fleche/fleche.html)? I'm thinking dozens.

How many randonneur clubs in US run a fleche (http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/fleche/fleche.html)? I'm thinking dozens.

Well, a fleche is a team event, but it's not a relay.

Well, a fleche is a team event, but it's not a relay.

The event in question is advertised as a "sportive," with categories:

Categories
The race is open to all bicycle users (members or not of a Cycling Federation) and can be competed as a single competitor, a pair or teams of 4, 6 or 8 members. Contestants need to be at least 18 on the day of the event and are categorised as follows:

- SINGLE (1C*) :1 Man or1 Woman

- PAIR (2C) : 2 Men or 2 Women or 1 Man and 1 Woman

- PRESTIGE (4C) : 4 Men or 4 Women (Mixed not available)

- COMPETITOR (6C) : 6 Men or Mixed (2 Women minimum)

- LEISURE (8C) : 8 Men or Mixed (3 Women minimum)

The OP also asked if any solos were up for it. A fleche would be a good way for someone to experience a 24 hour event locally. Fleches in NA (http://www.rusa.org/flecherules.html) are patterned after events like the ACP's Flèche Vélocio.

I'm more into the competitor team... I've been following the car races on this circuit, looks great... i'd love to go and race on this circuit. just afraid that it might be boring to race on the same circuit during 24 hours. Just hope it will be nice and friendly, just going to hav fun with my friends!

I'm more into the competitor team... I've been following the car races on this circuit, looks great... i'd love to go and race on this circuit. just afraid that it might be boring to race on the same circuit during 24 hours. Just hope it will be nice and friendly, just going to hav fun with my friends!

I just did Bike Sebring - the last 12 hours is on a race track too. In the dark, it's not boring at all.

Well hope it won't be boring... we are planning to go for 8 relays of 30 min each and between each relays means 2h30 of rest... not sure it's a good strategy!! hope i'll be fine especially through the night, when I'll feel sleepy!

New this year - a 200-mile solo OR relay team RACE! http://www.redrock200.com
St. George, Utah.

Do you have any advices about the preparation of a 24 hours race?? I'm doing it with 5 other friends, means 8 relays of 30 each with 2h30 between each relays... does it seem good?

there is an article about the preparation of the race, and the management of effort,... http://www.24heuresvelo.fr/en/PREPARATION-OF-THE-RACE-108.htm

looks pretty good, except for a few things specially about NO massages...??what do you think!

Mscott, where are you located?

I've heard of several similar events, a couple being mentioned above. However, I think both the Texas Time Trials and the Sebring race are a lot smaller in terms of participants than the LeMans race you're linking to. I expect that shows in the competitiveness of the events, too- the TTT was pretty laid-back at least. With 3,000 people there, it would be a lot different.

On the Texas Time Trials, they run on a 20-mile loop, so the relays are normally 1-loop each with 4 people on a team, and it seems like that wouldn't be too bad for sleeping.

Stephen H, i'm from Milford, Delaware. I'm actually planning to go in England and visit some European Countries, from June to September. That's why i'm thinking of going to this 24H cycling race on the Bugatti Circuit! This circuit is around 7 miles, so we are more thinking in terms of time spend on the bike then laps to go.
I have registered to the newsletter and apparently they have already more than 160 teams. Here is the article about the registration, pretty interesting to see that there are quite a lot of solos, never thought it would be as popular for a solo rider! Quite a few coming from foreign countries, bet everybody will register later (actually i'm only going to register when every thing will be definitly planned --> end of june mid july!)
The teams are divided up in the following way:

· Single: more than 30 racers

· Pair: around 20 teams

· 4 riders-team: around 60 teams

· 6 riders-team: around 30 teams

· 8 riders-team: around 20 teams

The current race entries from all over Europe show your interest in this brand new cyclo-sport:

· 15% of the teams registered are from the Sarthe Department

· 20% of the teams registered are from Paris area

· 60% of the teams registered are from the rest of France

· 5% of the teams registered are from foreign countries

well well, one of my friend send me this video because he knows that I might do this race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEfgYznr1hA
Pretty interesting, I knew te circuit coz of the motor race... it is great to see what it looks like with a bicycle... Have a look, a shame that it is only in French!

Great video of the 2010 Le Mans cycling race, enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPtIKK9ovIU

well well, one of my friend send me this video because he knows that I might do this race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEfgYznr1hA
Pretty interesting, I knew te circuit coz of the motor race... it is great to see what it looks like with a bicycle... Have a look, a shame that it is only in French!

That's the Bugatti circuit, rather than the one used for the 24 Hour sportscar race. Still, being able to say "I did a 24 hour race at Le Mans" would be pretty cool!

Great video of the 2010 Le Mans cycling race, enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPtIKK9ovIU

Cool video.

One thing I hadn't thought about until a while back, is that some of these races are non-drafting, some allow drafting. (RAAM is non-drafting, I think). So the look of it is a bit different.

There's a directory of rides and races here and some other info on long-distance riding:
http://www.ultracycling.com/events/races.php

And meanwhile, the Texas Time Trials are Saturday a week from now. I'm volunteering and also riding the 12-hour race. I won't be competitive, but will do it anyway. www.tt24tt.com (http://www.tt24tt.com)

The Sebring race sounds sort of fun to me, too, so I might try it one of these days.