Pan Celtic Race 2023

[steveindenmark]

I have just got this image Bob. I am doing the short course. 1066 has a nice ring to it😁

 

[steveindenmark]

Here is the long course

 

[bluenotebob]

I have just got this image Bob. I am doing the short course. 1066 has a nice ring to it😁

Nothing "short" about that. How many days are you allowed to do it all in? (I'd happy with 1066 miles in a month..).

It looks like St Malo/Fougères/Rennes - as in the long course - and after that, perhaps through the Forêt de Paimpont (if so, a lovely ride). It's hard to know exactly where that route goes .. but you might be on part of the Nantes-to-Brest canal (I can't imagine racing along there in July with all the strollers, dog-walkers and idiots who haven't ridden a bike for 20 years but have decided to rent one for a day), probably through Josselin and maybe Mûr-de-Bretagne before striking north and hitting the coast just east of Roscoff, I think. The north coast heading east towards Mont-St-Michel follows 'la Littorale' - a very lumpy ride in places ... someone on this forum did it in the other direction and wrote about it back in 2019 (or perhaps 2018).

I've made a note for early July 2023 to come and watch somewhere along the short route and cheer you on ..

 

[Ming the Merciless]

View attachment 669810

That’d be a no then, shame it’s a great place.

 

[steveindenmark]

It is "officially" a race. But Mally, the organiser, has the opinion that it is your adventure and you can do what you want with it. It certainly is not the Transcontinental Race. The Pan Celtic is very much concerned with including everyone and having a good time.

All the places are now sold out.

 

[Proto]

#1 daughter had made noises about riding the Pan Celtic next year but the entry fee (£450) has put her off, just can’t afford it, so she‘s looking for something else.

Shes fairly experienced, rode the Montañas Vacias and Rapha Pennine Rally this year. Any recommendations?

 

[steveindenmark]

#1 daughter had made noises about riding the Pan Celtic next year but the entry fee (£450) has put her off, just can’t afford it, so she‘s looking for something else.

Shes fairly experienced, rode the Montañas Vacias and Rapha Pennine Rally this year. Any recommendations?

£450 does sound expensive. I am not sure the price of the Transcontinental Race this year, but that will not be cheap either. All these ultra races appear to be expensive.

But the same riders come back each year for the Pan Celtic which leads me to believe that it must be good value for money. This year the riders are from all over Europe, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand. They are actually travelling from those countries to ride. The Pan Celtic fee also covers the ferry trips needed during the race, this year from France to the UK. The PCR organisers are also very good at organising discounts with their sponsors such as Exposure lights. They also have a very good social cycling scene all the year round. People who take part are always referring to it as a family. I think people prefer it to a lot of other races as there is more of a relaxed atmosphere.

The transatlantic Way 2023 is £380. Unfortunately, it is an expensive hobby.

 

[matticus]

... but the entry fee (£450) has put her off, just can’t afford it, so she‘s looking for something else.
...
Any recommendations?

Depends how uncool she thinks Audax is ...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Yep, she’ll be able to get 600km of the joy of audax for less than £10 to enter. She needs to be aware audax are tougher than ultra racing, with stricter time limits. I think there’s a 1000km audax up starting up in Scottish Borders next summer.

 

[steveindenmark]

Yep, she’ll be able to get 600km of the joy of audax for less than £10 to enter. She needs to be aware audax are tougher than ultra racing, with stricter time limits. I think there’s a 1000km audax up starting up in Scottish Borders next summer.

I think the riders doing the ultra rides and also use audaxes as training rides would disagree with you. Otherwise why would these riders even bother turning up for the ultra rides.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I think the riders doing the ultra rides and also use audaxes as training rides would disagree with you. Otherwise why would these riders even bother turning up for the ultra rides.

Train hard, race easy

 

[steveindenmark]

Train hard, race easy

Im 65 and am not racing anywhere. But my normal nights sleep is about 4 hours. It gives me a lot of time to ride a bike slowly. 🙂

 

[matticus]

I think the riders doing the ultra rides and also use audaxes as training rides would disagree with you. Otherwise why would these riders even bother turning up for the ultra rides.

I'm not sure what point you're making here. It's pretty standard for audaxers to view shorter audaxen as "training" for the longer ones.
(although sometimes the short ones are the hardest ride - certainly applied to my 2022 season 😰 )

The big difference - in this context - is that long audax events follow a standard for the minimum speeds: Ultra-race owners just choose what they see fit. (for some events that will be harder, some easier - I imagine, anyway, it's not like I've audited every Ultra-race ever staged :P )

 

[Dogtrousers]

Good luck.

Looks like UK leg goes down roughly through the Welshpool, Kington, Clun sort of Wales/Welsh Border area. It's lovely cycling but its relentlessly rolling terrain.

 

[Alex321]

I'm not sure what point you're making here. It's pretty standard for audaxers to view shorter audaxen as "training" for the longer ones.
(although sometimes the short ones are the hardest ride - certainly applied to my 2022 season 😰 )

The big difference - in this context - is that long audax events follow a standard for the minimum speeds: Ultra-race owners just choose what they see fit. (for some events that will be harder, some easier - I imagine, anyway, it's not like I've audited every Ultra-race ever staged :P )

I think his point is that while the ultra races may be "easier" for those who only want to complete within the time limit, they aren't easier for those who are actually racing them, or even who are just trying to complete them as fast as they personally can.