The Flèche is based on the amazing rides of Vélocio's Ecole Stephanoise ("School of Saint-Etienne"), who rode their bikes to Provence in spring-time, where they met with other riders. Since 1947, the Audax-Club Parisien has organized the Flèches, which have teams of riders congregate on a meeting point. Spring-time Flèche rides are organized in many countries and regions.

The Flèche is one of the last traditional randonneuring events with a strong focus on teamwork and performance, as is spelled out in the official rules of the Flèche:

• Create a team spirit during training and during the rider.
• Complete the longest route possible in 24 hours.
• Arrive at a symbolic place to meet with like-minded cyclists.

The "longest route possible" means that the fastest teams now ride 600 or more kilometers. The record stands at 778 km, set by the U.S. Métro in 1995. To complete that distance in 24 hours, riders pick a flat course, and usually try to take advantage of the Mistral winds in the Rhone valley.

The Cyclos Montagnards Flèche Challenge takes a slightly different approach. We encourage riders to select scenic backroads with little traffic, perhaps even some gravel, and still "do their best" in the tradition of randonneuring.

Find a team and design a Fleche ride that is in the original spirit of the event! Challenge yourself to design and ride a long, scenic route! Here is a list of the Flèche rides organized in the U.S.

After completing the ride, submit your route and ride report (and photos, if you have any).

We suggest you submit the route in Bikeroutetoaster, so everybody can follow it. The ride report should focus less on the athletic performance, but more on the teamwork and scenery. It's also nice if you can include information on the natural and cultural history of the landscape you traverse.

We'll publish the reports here, so they can serve as inspiration to other randonneurs.

The first Flèche Vélocio in 1947

Flèche Challenge Submissions:

Flèche Northwest 2011: Robert Higdon, Christopher Gay, Dylan Carney, Joshua Bryant. Read their ride report.

Flèche Northwest 2011: Hahn Rossman, Jan Heine, Ryan Hamilton. Read their ride report.