Audax event in Wales next June in memory of Mike Hall

Friends of Mike Hall, the ultracyclist from Yorkshire who founded the Transcontinental Race and was killed while riding in the Indian Pacific Wheel Race in Australia in March, are to hold an Audax-style event in his memory in June next year.

Held on the weekend of 2 and 3 June 2018 the event, called This Is Not A Tour, has been devised by some of his friends in the UK Audax community and will take in roads in Mid-Wales, where hall lived with his partner, Anna.

More than a dozen rides of distances between 100 and 600 kilometres will feature in the event, which has been drawn up after consultation with Hall's family and seeks to encapsulate his spirit.

"The result was a challenging 400 kilometre mixed surface route with some of the steepest 7,500 metres of ascent you’ll ride in Wales," they wrote on the event's website. "We felt that Mike would approve.

"The recce proved challenging but very rewarding, both in terms of terrain covered and the planning of supplies after night fall. However, it also highlighted the need for some alternative routes to ensure a wider cross section of cyclists could join in remembering him.

So, additional 100 kilometre, 200 kilometre and 300 kilometre single loop routes have been planned to run alongside that 400 kilometre ride with the possibly of a 600 kilometre. 

"These are not normal Audax events and are certainly not sportives. They will offer something not often found on the AUK calendar, or any calendar. They will all embrace the spirit of Mike and promise to be challenging in their own right.  

They added: "The spirit of self-sufficiency should be embraced. There will be no route arrows, no feed stations, no manned controls, no bag drops, no roaming mechanic, no sag wagon and no on-route cafe/shop information. 

"There will be an event HQ, gpx tracks and the information provided on this website, but once you leave HQ, you’re on your own folks. 

These rides will demand commitment to make the time allowances. Remember, this is not a tour! And whilst they are not races, we encourage spirited riding.

"However, don’t enter the longer events thinking you will be able to just ‘knock them out’ on your light weight race bike, you won’t! And that’s not a challenge."

Full details can be found here.