honorable mention
Fergus Coyle united kingdom
title
The Randonneurs
Although shorter rides exist, classic Audax distances are made up of 200, 300, 400 and 600km. Complete all four in one season and you'll gain the coveted Super Randonneur award, a gold standard for any Audax Randonneur. Another challenging and popular award is the Randonneur Round The Year, whereby a ride of at least 200km is completed in 12 consecutive months. This one can be particularly challenging in the winter with shorter days and less favourable weather.
After a few years of riding events, I began to realise how little is known about Audax by the outside world. Compared to other forms of cycling such as road, endurance or gravel theres very little marketing or sponsorship of its riders. Quiet legends are acclaimed from within the community but are unlikely to grace the latest cycle brand campaign. Everyday people doing extraordinary things for their own satisfaction. If theres such a thing as a typical randonneur, they could be described as having a stoic demeanour, perfectly skilled in self sufficiency with a proportionate balance of good humour.
It became clear that I was in a unique position as a photographer and should use the opportunity to begin documenting the Audax community around me.
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entry description
There are many intricacies to the world of Audax, but fundamentally, it consists of riding a pre determined course, completed under a time limit dependant on distance. You carry a brevet card which gets stamped at controls, often based out of cafes or village halls with tea and cake on offer. The emphasis is on completing the distance and its never considered a race.Although shorter rides exist, classic Audax distances are made up of 200, 300, 400 and 600km. Complete all four in one season and you'll gain the coveted Super Randonneur award, a gold standard for any Audax Randonneur. Another challenging and popular award is the Randonneur Round The Year, whereby a ride of at least 200km is completed in 12 consecutive months. This one can be particularly challenging in the winter with shorter days and less favourable weather.
After a few years of riding events, I began to realise how little is known about Audax by the outside world. Compared to other forms of cycling such as road, endurance or gravel theres very little marketing or sponsorship of its riders. Quiet legends are acclaimed from within the community but are unlikely to grace the latest cycle brand campaign. Everyday people doing extraordinary things for their own satisfaction. If theres such a thing as a typical randonneur, they could be described as having a stoic demeanour, perfectly skilled in self sufficiency with a proportionate balance of good humour.
It became clear that I was in a unique position as a photographer and should use the opportunity to begin documenting the Audax community around me.
about the photographer
Fergus Coyle is a photographer based in Bristol, U.K.back to gallery