Audax Australia Cycling Club

The Opperman All Day Trial is an annual event held by Audax Australia. The Oppy is an event for teams of three to five bicycles and is held over 24 hours. The course and distance are chosen by each team and must be at least 360km long and finish at a designated location in each state.

The Fleche Opperman All Day Trial event is modelled on the Fleche Velocio event, held every year in France and begun by the Patron Saint of Cyclists, Velocio.

How does it work?

You get together with some friends and/or family and tell them what a great challenge you've found. Sit down and work out a route which does not cover the same road twice in the same direction, and allows you to finish in one of the above locations. The route, going by the map, must be at least 360km - there is no upper limit. Calculate where you will want some rest stops - these will be your controls where your support team (if you have one) can meet you and provide you with food/water/support. You are permitted to sleep, if you have spare time, but you must ride a minimum distance of 25km in the last 2 hours of the event - i.e. you can't ride your total distance straight to the finish and be early. All teams finish roughly between 8am and 9am on the Sunday morning, and then partake in a communal breakfast and exchange stories of hardship.

Standard Audax lighting rules apply. You can also ride the event unsupported, in which case you will probably want to stop at towns that have 24 hour services. It's your choice - book your team a motel room for a few hours or ride for 24 hours straight. The challenge lies in having all members of your team complete the chosen distance and finish within the time limit. Set your distance and route realistically, based on the fitness and experience of the riders in your team.

Once you've decided on a route, highlight it on a map and contact the State organiser (see column on right) well before the closing date. The organiser will check the route and give you some brevet cards which you will need to have stamped at controls along the way (approx every 50-80km). This is a team event and members should ride together.

View the Fleche Opperman Ride Rules (PDF Document)

Support Crew Tips

Tips for a good "Fleche Opperman All Day Trial" Team/Support crew relations:

A good support crew can make all the difference to your team
Remember that supporting a team for 24 hours is as tiring as riding the event
Have good lines of communication with your support crew. Some small towns have more than one park, oval, toilet block etc. For Victorian participants, Vic Roads has an excellent country directory that lists all amenities in each Victorian town
It is not necessary to drive the route prior to the ride. We take the distance from the highlighted map that you supply
Try to keep at least one support crew member rested for the journey home
Give clear directions to your support crew with regard to food and your expectations. If your crew is new it may be necessary to explain just how fast a team of bicycles can travel between controls
During daylight hours when your team is strong, try to use a town as a "do it yourself" control, thus giving your support crew a rest
After the event profusely thank your team, buy them breakfast & a support crew souvenir and ask them would they like to support you next year

Hall of Fame

While the object is to take part in the "Spirit of the event", some teams push themselves to very spirited lengths vying for the "Opperman Shield" which is awarded to the team that cycles the furthest distance. The recipients so far: