- What is Paris-Brest-Paris?
Run every four years by the Audax Club Parisien, Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) is a timed 1200-kilometer "randonnée" that goes from the French capital to the port city of Brest on the Atlantic,
and returns along the same route. The maximum time limit to complete the distance is 90 hours.
In recent years the event has attracted over 3000 entrants from around the globe who want to try
their hand at this demanding test of human endurance and cycling ability. There are three
staggered starts, depending on one's abilities. The fastest riders get 80 hours, the intermediate
group has 84 hours, and the slowest group is allowed 90 hours. Each rider is free to choose his or her
starting group. Entrants can ride PBP non-stop (except for having one's route book signed and
stamped at checkpoints) in 44 hours, snatching food in mussette bags from support crews as the
fastest riders do. Or, like most randonneurs, one can catch a little sleep at night and eat a few sit-down meals along the way. Support can only be given to riders at the checkpoints, which are
spaced approximately 65-90 kilometers apart, so there are no following cars as in a normal road
race. Support crews must leapfrog their rider; in between contrôles, the randonneur must fend for himself.
However, the vast majority of entrants don't use personal support crews at all; they are true
randonneurs and find whatever they need along the route. (Each checkpoint serves hot food
around the clock and has some primitive sleeping accommodations.) The PBP route, while not
mountainous, is quite hilly, and weather can play a major role in the outcome of the ride.
For more details and rules, see PBP: Paris-Brest.
Begun in 1891 as a professional race, PBP gradually evolved into an amateur "randonnée" in the middle part of the 20th century. There were PBP professional races in 1891, 1901, 1911, 1921,
1931, 1948, and 1951. Though the starting fields of racers were always small, each PBP attracted
some of the best endurance racers of the day and the winner of each PBP race was
awarded great fame. Unlike the equally grueling Tour de France, with its sleep time between the
daily stages, PBP was raced "all in one go" and this created huge interest among fans of cycle
racing. It was thought that such a demanding race was too hard on the racers' bodies, so PBP was
organized only once every ten years. However, proper preparation meant the entrants had to
forego the very lucrative criterium season which follows each Tour de France, and interest
among the pros declined until the racing version eventually died out.
Along with the racing field at the first PBPs, there was also a slower "tourist" category for
enthusiasts who wanted to see if they could make the distance too. There were usually at least a
hundred of these amateur riders at each PBP, but in 1931 the race organizers dropped this
"unglamorous" group. The Audax Club Parisien stepped in to fill the void and there has been a
PBP for randonneurs ever since. The 2003 PBP will be the 15th such event organized by the
ACP. Successful completion of PBP means one's name is entered into the "Great Book" in Paris
along with every other finisher going back to 1891, and a much-treasured medal is awarded.
- How do I qualify for PBP?
RUSA applies the ACP's normal PBP entrance requirements: all would-be PBP participants
must do a Super Randonneur brevet series (200-, 300-, 400-, and 600-kilometer events) in the year of PBP,
finishing the series by mid-June. Each qualifying brevet must be on the calendar of the
Randonneurs Mondiaux and run under the guidelines of the ACP.
Note: as of 2007, it is no longer required to do the brevet
series in ascending order as was needed in previous years.
| Individuals intending to register for PBP through RUSA
must be RUSA members prior to riding their first qualifying brevet.
This can be accomplished as late as the day of the first qualifying event
by completing a
membership application at the brevet and giving it, along with payment, to
the RBA.
Membership applications received by RBAs are forwarded to the Membership Office
for processing in tandem with submitted brevet results.
|
- If I do a brevet in Canada, does it still count when I register for PBP through RUSA?
Yes, any ACP-sanctioned brevet done successfully anywhere in world in
a PBP year may be used to qualify for PBP, provided it is done prior
to the mid-June cutoff date. However, note that ACP events ridden
outside the USA are not registered with RUSA, so the applicant will
need to supply the brevet homologation number for any foreign brevet
on their PBP application.
- May a Canadian do a US brevet series and register for PBP through RUSA?
RUSA only processes PBP applications for its members, but Canadians are
welcome to join Randonneurs USA. Beyond that, all that is required for
registration is a successfully completed brevet series in the PBP year done
by mid-June, a properly completed PBP application with supporting
documentation (and payment) submitted on time. Since Canadian events are not
registered with RUSA, the applicant will need to supply the brevet
homologation numbers with the application if some of their qualifiers were
outside the USA.
- How do I register for PBP?
All RUSA members are required to register for PBP 2007 by using the
special PBP 2007 entry form that will be in the May 2007 issue of
AMERICAN RANDONNEUR. (The form will be available from the RUSA website
in a PDF format.) Read the form carefully and fill it out completely.
(Incomplete forms will not be processed.) The registration period for
RUSA members begins June 1 and ends July 1. (All entries must be
postmarked by July 1.) PBP entry forms require the brevet
certification number for each of the four PBP 2007 qualifying brevets.
Each member is instructed to go to the RUSA website, and access
"Results" to find his/her brevet results number before filling out the
form. Registration also requires a photo, a copy of your medical
insurance card, a note from your doctor as to your physical condition,
mailing address labels and payment in the form of a check made out to
Randonneurs USA in US dollars for the amount specified. On the entry
form you may buy a ticket to the PBP pre-ride meal, order an official
PBP event jersey, "extra" copies of the PBP 2007 DVD (one copy is
included in the entry fee) and cancellation insurance. Your check must
include payment for any of those items. Once filled out completely,
send the form by mail to the address printed on the form along with
the other required items as specified on the form. (Entry forms will
not be accepted by email or by fax.) Confirmation of PBP registration
will come directly from the ACP in France in the form of a packet
mailed to the address on your entry form and will include your PBP
participant frame number.
- What is the preferred method to send my PBP entry form?
Send your PBP entry form by first class mail. If you want to track its
delivery, you can send it by different methods, but do not require a
signature. You can send it by:
- USPS Priority Mail, with delivery confirmation . no signature required.
- Fed Ex Envelope, with tracking - no signature required.
- UPS Letter, with tracking - no signature required
- USPS Express Mail, with tracking - no signature required
Do not send your PBP entry form by Certified Mail or Registered Mail,
because it will just take longer. If I am not here to sign for the
letter, it goes back to the main post office where it will sit for a
few days until I can get there to pick it up.
- Can I register online for PBP?
No. All Americans are required to register for PBP through RUSA by
using the paper-entry system outlined above.
- Can I send my photo via email?
No. Send your photo along with your paper entry, payment and other
requested materials.
- What is the PBP entry fee?
The PBP 2007 entry fee for RUSA members is $160 per person.
RUSA accepts payment in the form of a check or money order made out
to Randonneurs USA or by Paypal. There is a $5.00 processing fee
for using Paypal. Members using Paypal can send their PBP entry
fee to pbp2007@rusa.org. RUSA does not accept credit cards.
- Once the PBP qualifiers are done, should I buy an airline ticket or register first?
Do both at the same time. Make your travel plans now. You can always
cancel them, if need be. Start filling in your PBP entry form and
gathering the necessary documents. Once you have all four of your
brevet certification numbers, send in your PBP entry form. You will
get confirmation back in mid-July. If you wait until mid-July to make
your flight and hotel arrangements, you may not get a seat on the
flight that you want and/or the hotel may be sold out of rooms.
- Will RUSA arrange housing at, or air travel to, PBP?
No. But RUSA will provide relevant details allowing you to do so either individually or through a
travel agent.
- Will RUSA arrange for a "bag-drop" at PBP in 2007?
RUSA does not arrange for a bag drop at PBP, but Des Peres Travel does.
Riders can send one bag to one or two checkpoints (Villaines-la-Juhel and Loudac)
for a fee of $45 per bag. Riders can send ahead clean clothes, fresh batteries,
and other supplies in a small duffel. To sign up for the PBP Bag Drop program visit
the Des Peres Travel website at
http://www.desperestravel.com/pbp_bagdrop.htm .
- What does RUSA recommend we do to finish PBP?
Starting PBP fully rested is a key ingredient for success. This will also allow plenty of time
for bike assembly and, if necessary, to untangle or fix problems resulting from less than satisfactory
airline travel. Obviously, you must have trained a lot prior to the event. Most successful PBP finishers have at least 5,000 miles of training during the spring and summer leading up to PBP. Along with that, you must bring a "never say die" attitude to get you through the tough times that every PBP rider encounters.
- What is the medical certificate required for PBP?
It is a letter from a doctor. You need to provide a simple note from a doctor attesting to your physical fitness.
This note can be one sentence on a prescription-pad piece of paper that simply says
"I have examined this patient and found him/her to be physically fit (to ride 1200k)."
It has to have your name on it, be signed by the doctor and dated within 3 months of the PBP registration period.
- What is the PBP schedule?
See PBP: Paris-Brest for the latest entry requirements and schedule.
If you are curious about the schedule of the most recent event, see the PBP page. Modern
PBPs have followed this format and we don't expect major changes for the next one.
- Is there a limit on participants?
On the PBP website it says there is a field limit of 4300. It is
possible that this is not going to be an imposed field limit and that
the organizers will accept a few more over that expected participation
level. Historically, no foreign rider has been turned away from PBP
due to a rider cutoff.
- Is there a chance I might be denied entry even though I have completed the qualifying brevets?
Probably not. If you are denied entry, it would most likely be due to
some other reason, like an incomplete entry form, lack of the required
medical paperwork or that you did not follow the proper registration
procedures.
- What do I do when I get an email confirmation from the ACP regarding my PBP registration?
You will get two emails from the ACP. If the first message is just
asking for documents, there is no need to respond. If there is nothing
is incorrect in the second message with the PDF file, there is no need
to respond. If there are errors, you can respond to
inscription@paris-brest-paris.org.
- What if my PBP bike inspection time has been changed?
It means that too many people have already taken that bike inspection
time, and you have been assigned the next closest available time.
Don't fight it - just accept it. It is the left to the ACP to assign a
final bike inspection time to each rider.
- Is someone at RUSA designated to answer
specific PBP questions? Whom do we call or write?
Send your questions to pbp2007@rusa.org.
- What about other questions?
General questions should be directed to the RUSA President. Topic-specific questions
should be directed to the appropriate RUSA Executive Committee member.
