Sunday southern loop at gruppetto pace (59 km at 20 kph)

Details

• When -- 9h00 Sunday, Dec. 14
• Where -- Bois de Boulougne
• Length -- 59 km
• Average speed -- 20 km/h
• Strava route -- PCB's version - CC11 Paris-Versailles-Paris 59km

This ride is with the "gruppetto," which is the Italian name for the group of cyclists that often forms on mountain stages behind the peloton and is typically occupied by sprinters and domestiques who lack the climbing skills of the contenders.

NOTE: The meeting place is NOT the Grande Cascade but east of there on Avenue du l'Hippodrome. We will meet on the west side of the gate that blocks the road from vehicles on Sundays. See the map below for the precise location.

The route today is a classic designed by the Classics Challenge group. Their routes are always interesting and different than the normal routes we follow, so be sure and save this route to your cycling computers. We will head south toward Chevreuse before turning right and coming through Versailles on the return to Paris. By the end we will have averaged about 20 kph, with higher speeds on flat stretches of the route and slower on the climbs, of course.

As always, please check the following before you arrive Sunday:

• do you have the cycling fitness and experience for this ride? no half-wheeling, try to stay around 30cm away from the wheel in front of you.
• safety comes first: no helmet, no PCB ride.
• this ride is for road bikes/velos de route, not for mountain or city bikes etc.
• bring spare tube, bidons, energy bars, gels, etc.
• bring money/card in case you need it.

REMINDER*: PCB rides are no-drop with a focus on staying together. Our rides fill a niche and are designed for people who want to ride in a group, together, at a medium pace with others who are more interested in the experience than in riding as fast as possible. We regroup at the tops of significant climbs and key turns, so no one gets left behind.

If you are looking for something different, perhaps a weekend training ride with a faster group of cyclists who compete in races and triathlons, then this is not the group for you. I recommend checking out Paris Cycling Group, which typically feature rides at an average speed of 25-30 kph. There are other groups, as well, which are organized by several bike shops in Paris.

For more information about Paris Cycling B-group, please check out our What We Are About section on our MeetUp landing page.