Sportives/Audaxes what's going on?

Charlie_Croker

Put simply, where do I go to get up-to-date, correct, reliable information on events – or isn’t it that simple?
Who do you believe?
How do you make plans?


Background: 2020 was going to be the year I tried my first Audax, so I’m new at this. Then Coronavirus…
I read on the sportivehq.com website that all 2020 events have been cancelled. Then just this week (Monday in fact) I get an email from britishcycling.org.uk that has a big splash saying “Sportives and non-competitive events to resume from September 5” following the links through to an event is no clearer. Statements like “COVID 19 - Update 20/08/20 The risk assessment is ongoing before we can 100% commit to the 6th September. We hope all will be fine but the worse case is that we will need to postpone the event...”

gethinceri

Keep your money in your pocket and wait for next year.

pangolin

Audaxes are not sportives so if it's an audax you want to do you should not be looking at sportivehq...

Permanent Audaxes for some distances restarted in August. Calendar events (probably what you want to do) will be allowed, up to 300km, from 1st September I believe. What distance did you want to ride?

You may find them hard to book onto as there are limits on rider number I think, but if you can find one to book you should be pretty safe to do so. Audaxes are pretty cheap so not much risk involved.

https://audax.uk/news/covid-19-update-13-august-2020/

webboo

There was a sportive in the East Yorkshire Wolds a couple of weeks ago. The arrows are still in most places. I’ve no idea who organised it though.

ugo.santalucia

As above AUK will allow calendar events to resume in September. That said, Audax UK only validates the rides and doesn't organise events, so it's down to the individual organisers like myself to go ahead or not. I have cancelled everything for 2020 and my first planned event is June 2021. If by then there is a vaccine, then t will be business as normal, otherwise I will most likely run it in a more self sufficient format and maybe spend the money I have already cashed on a new bike on some freebies for the riders

Charlie_Croker

Thanks for the input. I am guilty of mixing Sportives and Audaxes up I guess, or at least lumping them together as one (slapping wrist). Yes, it’s the Audax I need to focus on. Thank you for putting me straight!

I've decided I’m going to re-set my start date to 2021, I’ve confused myself so much trying to figure out was is and is not happening, my heads spinning. I should just go for a quite ride LOL I'll possibly start with the Lincoln Imp Audax if it goes ahead in 2021 as this was my intended ‘have a go’ event this year, before the world changed. It’s not too long or hilly for a toe in the water, plus its quite local for me    

ugo.santalucia

It's going to be a different experience and "self supported" cycling will be even more self supported. That suits Audax to the bone, although over the years many events have taken the rider-pampering route with food provided at start and finish and sometimes even at control points. That will inevitably change and we'll go back to a more bare bone approach.
Sportives will struggle more, given the higher numbers and more lavish degree of pampering they offer

amrushton

you can of course do your own audaxes by downloading the route of the permanent ones and sending the appropriate receipts with the details

https://audax.uk/about-audax/event-types/do-it-yourself-diy-events/

it's cheaper obviously and do it with someone else and it's a good day out (or not!)

ugo.santalucia

amrushton said:

you can of course do your own audaxes by downloading the route of the permanent ones and sending the appropriate receipts with the details

https://audax.uk/about-audax/event-types/do-it-yourself-diy-events/

it's cheaper obviously and do it with someone else and it's a good day out (or not!)

You can...

and you can enter my permanent and contribute to my retirement plans... GPS validation, cloth badge included and all

https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=7978