Ronde Picard-Abbeyville

RallyBiker
RallyBiker Posts: 378
edited September 2017 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
After a bit of advice in entering this French sportive which runs early September.
Am I ok in just downloading the medical cert and taking it filled in by my quack to registration, or is this event only open to licence holders. Any advice from more experienced hands greatly appreciated!

http://www.grandtrophee.fr/epreuve.php?C=12

Comments

  • stanthomas
    stanthomas Posts: 265
    Yes. Download the medical form, fill it in and either upload it via the website or hand it in on the day.
  • RallyBiker
    RallyBiker Posts: 378
    Thanks. All entered , ferry and accommodation booked. First French event so it's a bit of an adventure! :D
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    It's a lovely event, will be back there this September for my fourth.

    Usual excellent Sport Communication organisation, nice fast course. Be prepared for a *very* long welcome speech from Abbeville's mayor!
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    I've also done it for the past few years. Nice town, nice event. Never had a medical certificate, always entered as a randonneur.
    Half man, Half bike
  • giropaul
    giropaul Posts: 414
    Ridgerider wrote:
    I've also done it for the past few years. Nice town, nice event. Never had a medical certificate, always entered as a randonneur.

    That only applies to the shortest of the 3 distances. Otherwise medical certificate is French law ( not a cycling federation thing) . A BC full licence was accepted, but for some events the organisers have cottoned on that you don't need a full medical to get one, unlike most countries.
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    If you join British Cycling you can get a Provisional License as a Bronze member (cost: about £20), which I use in place of a medical certificate. I decided to do this a couple of years ago after my local GP offered to fill out the form for £60.

    The great thing about these events in France is that road junctions are marshalled in your favour. They actually stop the traffic for you. I couldn't believe my eyes the first time we rode it.

    Sometimes the start is a bit shambolic regarding timings. Last year for some reason there was an hour and a quarter between the 'pros' setting off and the rest. This meant the last two hours of the event were in miserable weather.

    Whereas at the Ventoux one this year they decided to start the long and the shorter races at the same time, despite the shorter one being booked to start fifteen minutes later. Caught me by surprise as I came out of the toilet to see hundreds of cyclists riding past me.
  • londoncommuter
    londoncommuter Posts: 1,550
    edited July 2017
    ppppp
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    The one in the Abbeville event is always well stocked. The one at Mont Serein on Ventoux two years ago had two pieces of French bread and a tray of jelly beans. It's probable that I just got there at the wrong time. Still, you want more than one piece of dry bread to get you up the last 6km of Ventoux.
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    londoncommuter wrote:
    The brie at the feedstations stands out in my memory!

    The first year I did it they had fantastic fruit cake there too. I stuffed my pockets with it, fueled me all the way to the finish.
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    Also not to be missed are the frankly David Lynch-esque post race dining experiences, although I imagine (and hope) that last year's was a one off.
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    Enter the Ventoux one, you get a free bottle of wine at the signing in! Quite nice too.
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    Just got back from doing this one yesterday. 192km in total by th time we got back to town. Having done Liege, Flanders etc we thought we'd try something that was 'proper French'

    This was a fabulous event, for the first 50km we had a groupetto and had motorcycle outriders clearing our way, there were gendarmes and marshals at every junction stopping all traffic for us, the feed stations had bread, Brie and delicious garlic ham which saved our lives with what was effectively 120miles on a very hot day.

    All in all, probably one of the best sportives I've done and would strongly recommend it. One word of caution, surprisingly for France, Abbeville has virtually no restaurants, so unless you like kebabs, you'd best choose a good hotel, or stay a little way down the coast.

    I can't recommend this one highly enough
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    Shipley wrote:
    Just got back from doing this one yesterday. 192km in total by th time we got back to town. Having done Liege, Flanders etc we thought we'd try something that was 'proper French'

    This was a fabulous event, for the first 50km we had a groupetto and had motorcycle outriders clearing our way, there were gendarmes and marshals at every junction stopping all traffic for us, the feed stations had bread, Brie and delicious garlic ham which saved our lives with what was effectively 120miles on a very hot day.

    All in all, probably one of the best sportives I've done and would strongly recommend it. One word of caution, surprisingly for France, Abbeville has virtually no restaurants, so unless you like kebabs, you'd best choose a good hotel, or stay a little way down the coast.

    I can't recommend this one highly enough

    That's my favourite bit.

    Though I see more punctures at this event than any other I have taken part in (not an extensive list, to be sure). This year I was one of them. :x

    Weather was a huge improvement on last year's rain.
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    I can't imagine doing it in the rain, the last 50k is very exposed.

    Yes we saw lots of punctures. Bad luck chap, hope it didn't spoil your day
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    There are a few restaurants up the hill towards the motorway, buffalo grille and the like...

    Was it a mass start this year, or did they split it up like last year at 15 minute intervals?
    Half man, Half bike
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    Must have missed them...we ate in the hotel in the end.

    Yep, mass start and all very well organised. Loved it, I need to find more such sportives in France, they are hidden gems.
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    The Challenge Vercors is definitely worth doing, run by the same people. A beautiful area with plenty of variety to make it worth the trip south of Grenoble.

    The Ch'ti Tour is also excellent, although it makes the Ronde Picarde look like a gentle Sunday ride.
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    We stayed in Saint Valery this year which certainly gives more dining options than Abbeville. Planned to ride to the start but had forgotten the hour forward meant we would have had to leave in the pitch dark to get to the 0800 start so chucked the bikes in the car.
  • RallyBiker
    RallyBiker Posts: 378
    Just want to echo the above posts. It was more or less like doing a closed road event the majority of the time. The pace at the start was stonking! Saw one bad multiple pile up at a bottleneck gravel bend. Feed stations were good, as were the spectators cheering us on in all the villages. Car drivers also were very considerate, unlike over here. Road surfaces were also good. I've got the overseas sportive bug now. La Fleche in Normandy area next year maybe? :-)
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    Shipley wrote:
    I can't imagine doing it in the rain, the last 50k is very exposed.

    Yes we saw lots of punctures. Bad luck chap, hope it didn't spoil your day

    Well, I reckon it definitely ended my chances of winning the thing.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Less that 4 weeks to go to this year's event...getting excited.
    I cycle to Abbeville from Eastbourne via the Newhaven/Dieppe ferry on the Thursday
    Laze about in the Ibis budget hotel like a true pro on the Friday (HyperU has a great cycle department)
    Ride the long event on Saturday...Buffalo Grill in the evening.
    Cycle back to the ferry and home on the Sunday.
    Approx 240 miles of rolling French lanes in total.
    Lovely.
    Half man, Half bike
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    You go to France and eat in a Buffalo Grill?
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Needs must when you are staying on an industrial estate and your legs ache...
    Half man, Half bike
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Just celebrating in the Buffalo Grill as usual...

    When cycling history is written, la ronde picarde 2017 will always be known as...The Wet One.

    The forecast said heavy rain showers, but each one lasted about an hour...so that is rain to me.

    If you ever do it, bring tough tyres...I had no 'inner tube incidents' but met a man who had 5.
    Half man, Half bike
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    Ridgerider wrote:
    Just celebrating in the Buffalo Grill as usual...

    When cycling history is written, la ronde picarde 2017 will always be known as...The Wet One.

    The forecast said heavy rain showers, but each one lasted about an hour...so that is rain to me.

    If you ever do it, bring tough tyres...I had no 'inner tube incidents' but met a man who had 5.

    :D

    Couldn't make it this year unfortunately but sounds very much like two years ago. Had a lovely ride in sunshine on the Friday, and lovely drive home in the sunshine on Sunday and a soaking in between.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Yes...nice ride to Dieppe this morning to in autumnal sunshine. 3.5 hours...shut up legs! 4 hour recovery on the ferry before a short hilly final leg home.
    Half man, Half bike
  • rpherts
    rpherts Posts: 207
    Ridgerider wrote:
    Just celebrating in the Buffalo Grill as usual...

    When cycling history is written, la ronde picarde 2017 will always be known as...The Wet One.

    The forecast said heavy rain showers, but each one lasted about an hour...so that is rain to me.

    If you ever do it, bring tough tyres...I had no 'inner tube incidents' but met a man who had 5.

    A shame, as it is a nice ride. Definite potential for punctures though, especially from about km 5 to about 50.

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