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Some cyclists have already completed the Rapha Festive 500 ... on Day 1

Riders in Far East and Australia ride 500 kilometres on Christmas Eve to nail annual challenge

It's Christmas Eve, which for around 70,000 cyclists worldwide means just one thing  - the start of the Rapha Festive 500.

> Rapha Festive 500 back for an eighth year

But, given that it's currently early afternoon in the UK and the middle of the night on the West Coast of the United States, if you're  in Europe or the Americas, you may wish top look away now.

Because, while you were sleeping, the 500 kilometres that participants are tasked with racking up from 24-31 December had already been completed by several cyclists in the Far East and Australia.

Currently top of the leaderboard on Strava is Patrick Ng from Malaysia, with an impressive 584 kilometres. He's followed by Tokyo-based Philippe Masawa.

Rapha Festive 500 leader board 24 Decemnber 2017.PNG

Meanwhile, Ian Parnell and his friend Cameron Hinde from Brisbane, Australia, rode laps of a circuit at a local park to polish off the 500 kilometres, with Parnell edging over the 10,000-kilometre mark for the year in the process.

Ian Parnell Festive 500 2017 via Strava.PNG

He wrote on Strava: "Let's do Rapha 500 in a day Cam said..it will be fun he said! #aerofordays Thanks for all the tows friends and Nundah crit regulars."

It won't be lost on cyclists in the Northern Hemisphere wrapping themselves up warmly to start the challenge today that the Australian pair will be enjoying rather different conditions - more hours of daylight, and an average high of 30 degrees Celsius during December, although rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Queensland in the days ahead.

 

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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23 comments

Avatar
andyp | 6 years ago
2 likes

Isn't it a  little cold for willy-waving?

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to andyp | 6 years ago
3 likes

andyp wrote:

Isn't it a  little cold for willy-waving?

you need the Rapha ultimate willy warmer - their most versatile bad weather willy warmer, redesigned for the needs of the modern rider, it combines wind- and waterproofing with incredible breathability, efficiently transferring moisture vapour away from the foreskin while keeping the elements at bay.

Waterproof and wind-resistant with comfortable stretch
Highly breathable fabric regulates temperature during hard efforts
Taped internal seams to keep out the worst of the weather
Concealed front pocket
Debossed logo on shaft
Drainage holes in ball pockets

Avatar
don simon fbpe replied to beezus fufoon | 6 years ago
2 likes

beezus fufoon wrote:

andyp wrote:

Isn't it a  little cold for willy-waving?

you need the Rapha ultimate willy warmer - their most versatile bad weather willy warmer, redesigned for the needs of the modern rider, it combines wind- and waterproofing with incredible breathability, efficiently transferring moisture vapour away from the foreskin while keeping the elements at bay.

Waterproof and wind-resistant with comfortable stretch
Highly breathable fabric regulates temperature during hard efforts
Taped internal seams to keep out the worst of the weather
Concealed front pocket
Debossed logo on shaft
Drainage holes in ball pockets

Only available in smaller sizes. Obvs.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to beezus fufoon | 6 years ago
3 likes

beezus fufoon wrote:

[you need the Rapha ultimate willy warmer - their most versatile bad weather willy warmer, redesigned for the needs of the modern rider, it combines wind- and waterproofing with incredible breathability, efficiently transferring moisture vapour away from the foreskin while keeping the elements at bay.

you can gain 5 watts by getting circumcised - the air doesn’t get trapped inside the foreskin causing a balloon effect which increases drag. Plus it’s a more streamlined shaped, generating nice vortices behind the glans to give you a bit of extra boost.

Avatar
Leviathan replied to ConcordeCX | 6 years ago
1 like

ConcordeCX wrote:

you can gain 5 watts by getting circumcised - the air doesn’t get trapped inside the foreskin causing a balloon effect which increases drag. Plus it’s a more streamlined shaped, generating nice vortices behind the glans to give you a bit of extra boost.

 

Too much thought gone into this.

Only 8431.5km for me this year so far. I must be a pathetic example.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to Leviathan | 6 years ago
4 likes

Leviathan wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

you can gain 5 watts by getting circumcised - the air doesn’t get trapped inside the foreskin causing a balloon effect which increases drag. Plus it’s a more streamlined shaped, generating nice vortices behind the glans to give you a bit of extra boost.

 

Too much thought gone into this.

yes, sorry about that. Too many pigs in blankets over Christmas.

 

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to ConcordeCX | 6 years ago
0 likes

ConcordeCX wrote:

Leviathan wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

you can gain 5 watts by getting circumcised - the air doesn’t get trapped inside the foreskin causing a balloon effect which increases drag. Plus it’s a more streamlined shaped, generating nice vortices behind the glans to give you a bit of extra boost.

 

Too much thought gone into this.

yes, sorry about that. Too many pigs in blankets over Christmas.

 

Avatar
alansmurphy replied to Leviathan | 6 years ago
0 likes
Leviathan wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

you can gain 5 watts by getting circumcised - the air doesn’t get trapped inside the foreskin causing a balloon effect which increases drag. Plus it’s a more streamlined shaped, generating nice vortices behind the glans to give you a bit of extra boost.

 

Too much thought gone into this.

Only 8431.5km for me this year so far. I must be a pathetic example.

8k and you've still got cutting to do? Blimey!

Avatar
Angry Egg | 6 years ago
4 likes

Done it with no sleep in British weather, it was absolute shi** out there
 

https://www.strava.com/activities/1326880497

Avatar
A2thaJ | 6 years ago
2 likes

Just jealous that these guys have the weather to make 500km in a day remotely desirable.

Avatar
cyclisto | 6 years ago
3 likes

I am a bit tired of super epic rides just to tick the bucket list.

I would rather hear that somebody locked his car and picked a borrowed bicycle for his first 5km commute to work rather than any 3 or even 4 digit miles epic ride.

Avatar
Redvee | 6 years ago
1 like

This Rapha 500m thing isn't much of a challenge is it, they should have made it 500KM 

Avatar
kevvjj | 6 years ago
3 likes

Very little on Strava can be trusted. It's all a bit of a yawn really. Nice ad for Rapha though...

 

Avatar
Housecathst | 6 years ago
0 likes

“with Parnell edging over the 10,000-kilometre mark for the year in the process.”

Is that considered a lot ? I’m on 13,500 miles this year. But I only managed 100 Miles today. 

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to Housecathst | 6 years ago
0 likes
Housecathst wrote:

“with Parnell edging over the 10,000-kilometre mark for the year in the process.”

Is that considered a lot ? I’m on 13,500 miles this year. But I only managed 100 Miles today. 

You're right, 6,000 miles isn't what you'd consider a major achievement, back when I was commuting the short 9 mile a day to route to college in 1986 I knocked out about 5000 miles that year with a single ride at the weekend tagged on the day after or before playing a game of rugby. This was on a Raleigh Winner.

Given how much better bikes are and how much more serious some are (clearly very given 300miles on xmas eve) and a country that's not known for shitty weather it's hardly something to broadcast as a big deal.
Well done on the miles, I never topped 10,000 in a year but came close a fair few years.

Avatar
alansmurphy replied to Housecathst | 6 years ago
5 likes
Housecathst wrote:

“with Parnell edging over the 10,000-kilometre mark for the year in the process.”

Is that considered a lot ? I’m on 13,500 miles this year. But I only managed 100 Miles today. 

You're my hero

Avatar
fustuarium | 6 years ago
4 likes

Let me guess, they rode it themselves, have no friends and are social train wrecks. They do realise no one else really cares don't they?

Avatar
cam00 replied to fustuarium | 6 years ago
4 likes
fustuarium wrote:

Let me guess, they rode it themselves, have no friends and are social train wrecks. They do realise no one else really cares don't they?

U jelly bro? Matter of fact we had loads of friends come down to ride with us. Cool comment tho.

Avatar
alansmurphy replied to cam00 | 6 years ago
3 likes
cam00 wrote:
fustuarium wrote:

Let me guess, they rode it themselves, have no friends and are social train wrecks. They do realise no one else really cares don't they?

U jelly bro? Matter of fact we had loads of friends come down to ride with us. Cool comment tho.

He cared enough to comment on a news story that he'd cared enough to read and someone else cared enough to write.

#doesnotcare

Avatar
Daveyraveygravey | 6 years ago
6 likes

Call me a wimp, but 100 km today was quite enough...

Avatar
Rapha Nadal replied to Daveyraveygravey | 6 years ago
6 likes

Daveyraveygravey wrote:

Call me a wimp, but 100 km today was quite enough...

I'm more concerned that you mount a pump to your frame and your cages don't match  3

Avatar
KoenM | 6 years ago
3 likes

That Patrick Ng dude wrote 1 ride with 3 gps's 2 of his rides are flagged, don't just believe the numbers!

Avatar
FrankH replied to KoenM | 6 years ago
1 like

KoenM wrote:

That Patrick Ng dude wrote 1 ride with 3 gps's 2 of his rides are flagged, don't just believe the numbers!

Hmmm... Three rides, each taking around 10 hours, on the same day. I see why you're just a touch suspicious.

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