Audax Australia Cycling Club is a non-profit national cycling organisation with about 1400 members. Audax Australia is affiliated with Audax Club Parisien and other Audax cycling clubs in many countries that specialise in non-competitive long-distance bicycle rides from 50 to 1200 km, called “randonnees”. The challenge of Audax is not in racing, but in pushing your own boundaries and experiencing great personal achievements. Audax enables riders of any ability to set and achieve riding goals with a group of like-minded cyclists. This spirit of achievement is what attracts so many riders to Audax.
As the time limits required to complete events are generous, Audax appeals to a wide variety of cyclists, whether they are from a touring, racing, recreational or commuting background. All riders on Audax events are issued with and must carry a ‘brevet’ card. This card acts as a type of passport that riders must have stamped at checkpoints or controls as a demonstration that the ride has been completed within the time limits.
Audax events are held in most parts of Australia, and you will be made very welcome when participating in rides when visiting other Regions.
Rides are open to all reasonably fit riders – non-Audax members are most welcome to join our friendly and supportive participants.
The word Audax comes from the Latin for bold or courageous. In 1897 a group of Italian cyclists rode 200 km between sunrise and sunset, and became known as “les Audacieux”. In 1904, Henri Desgrange, the father of the Tour de France, formed an Audax style of riding. It consisted of a team of cyclists riding under the control of a captain at an average speed of 22.5 km/h. While this style still exists, it’s popularity has been surpassed by the “randonnee”, individual long-distance touring style cycling, which later developed.
Audax Australia offers randonnees in Australia under the auspices of Les Randonneurs Mondiaux, the world-wide body of which it is an original member; and fixed pace group rides under l’Union des Audax Francais.
In 1931, Australian Sir Hubert Opperman, “Oppy”, won the 1200 km Paris-Brest-Paris race. No longer a race, and held every four years, this has now become the most famous randonnee of all, the “PBP”. Until his death in 1996, Oppy was the patron of Audax Australia.