Florida Today | Grueling 744-mile event tests cyclist

The quadrennial randonee called Paris-Brest-Paris kicks off tomorrow morning. Like the Tour, it starts and ends in Paris, and is uniquely French, but unlike the Tour, the riders are regular cyclists. They leave Paris in three groups (the 90-hour, 84-hour, and 80-hour groups), and must complete the 1200-km (744-mile) event within the time limit of their group. The clock is ticking from the moment a rider starts, so careful planning of stops, sleeping, and spares is crucial.

I've thought about doing this ride in the past, and think I could do it, but the longest ride I've ever done was 170 miles (and that was Cross Florida, very flat).

Other PBP links:

• Joel's PBP2003 page


• Paris-Brest-Paris 1995 account by Matthew Chachere.


• Randonneurs USA, the American qualifying body.


• Pamela Blayley (nee Blaylock) has a number of PBP tips, including training and qualifying, picking a bike, lights, shoes and pedals, "tyres", and bags.


• Harriet Fell's account of the 1975 PBP, the first with American finishers since 1901.


• Dave Dodwell's photo gallery from the 1999 PBP.