For the safety and comfort of the participants, support vehicles are not permitted to follow the rider they are supporting.

The narrow and winding roads used for the course allow very few opportunities to pull off the road safely. The extra traffic that results from being repeatedly passed by caravans of support vehicles can be a nuisance to riders. Violation of these rules will result in disqualification.

Support vehicles may meet riders at control points and other places specifically designated by the organizer. The organizer will provide a list and map of these locations.

The organizer may specify that support vehicles use alternate roads or state highways that do not interfere with the cyclist’s route. Please note that support vehicles at Boston- Montreal-Boston and Paris-Brest-Paris are similarly restricted.

WHY DO WE DISCOURAGE SUPPORT VEHICLES?

The purpose of a qualifying brevet is to prepare the cyclist for the longer and more challenging randonnée events ahead. Part of this preparation is learning to be self-sufficient in the face of adverse conditions: fatigue, weather, darkness, on-road bicycle repairs, etc.

While the presence of a support team can be a morale-booster for many riders, we have also seen it to be a detriment. We have observed food-less, water-less, light-less, or under-dressed riders waiting around for their support vehicles to arrive. Coordinating a cyclist and vehicle can be difficult and stressful for both rider and support team; attempting to support multiple riders with a single vehicle is a recipe for disaster. We strongly encourage participants using support vehicles to do at least one of the longer brevets unsupported to ensure adequate preparation.