Hello,
This post will give the organizer's view of the Israeli 1200 km brevet of 2022.
This is the 3rd time that a 1200 km brevet is held in Israel.
The previous editions were in 2014 and 2018.
Most of the same preliminary words apply this time as well:
I believe that randonneuring should be accessible to all.
It should not be an expensive sport, and it can be done using cheap equipment, and there's really no need for bling.
This is one of the reasons that our registration costs is low.
This brevet involved several additional costs:
a) Hostel
b) Car to carry drop-bags, and give water and food in the desert sections
c) Food and water
I believe that this edition went really well, and that the participants enjoyed it.
A ride jersey and medals were not offered, to cut on costs.
As promised, we didn't do a ride jersey this time, and medals were not offered.
The riders were ok with it. More on the medals below.
We used Good Old paper cards, which were stamped by the volunteers, or shop owners.
Quite a few riders rode in previous editions.
Giorgio Bozza (IT) even brought 2 of his friends.
The tireless Lev Broitman (the first Israeli to ride PBP, in 1999) volunteered again to man the Sde Boker HQ, together with another volunteer.
There were quite a few cancellations in the weeks leading to the brevet, and I emailed some riders I haven't heard from in a while.
Some said "Sorry," and others said "Of course I'm coming."
It was too late to get a refund from the down-payment to the hostel, and most of the late cancellations covered our loss.
At the pre-ride dinner I performed the bike check and distributed the brevet cards and frame badges, and collected money for the hostel.
No help was needed, as riders were very cooperative.
We all went together to the start, and riders put their drop bags in the car.
Some friends and family were there to cheer them up.
Bjoern Lenhard (DE) was with inner tubes this time.
They all departed at 22:00:00 after we all counted down together, from 10 to 1.
I used the same orange traffic wands from 2014.
The riders went on their own through the Tel Aviv park, and out of the city.
Shuki (IL) who rode it about 1 week ago manned the 1st control in Caesarea.
Side Note
This time the car had a mileage limit, which is less than what I drove in 2018, so I feared of the additional costs.
We (Gaby, Lev, and me) went out in the morning to hunt some riders.
We stopped at Urim for coffee, and continued on, as we didn't catch the first riders.
Shuki reported that Bjoern and Evgeniy are riding together at the front.
We caught up with Michael Patzer (DE) and Ben Urbanke (DE), who said Bjoern and Evgeniy are in front of them.
Evgeniy, who said that Bjoern is in front, all by himself.
This time Bjoern was faster than in 2014, and he arrived at Sde Boker before us.
He didn't need any help, and continued riding.
We arrived at Sde Boker after Bjoern has left, and I got the keys to one room (arranged with the hostel that one room should be checked-in at an early hour.)
By the time Evgeniy arrived - We were prepared. A room was ready for him, as well as his drop-bag.
Side Note
We were assigned rooms in the same area (on the ground, so no need to handle staircases,)
but the area was renovated recently, so the rooms were not adjacent.
At the official check-in time I got the other keys, and we were ready for the rest of the riders.
Mark (IL) who rode it last week stashed water on the climb out of the Dead Sea, so I was in no hurry to supply the front riders with water there.
The rest of the riders (e.g. Anders Linder (SE)) came in at the expected time. Boris Steinberg (LU) arrived last, saying he got on a bus, DNF'd, and will stay and volunteer to help.
Tino Kramer (DE) had 3 punctures till here (from 3 different causes,) so Manuel (DE) gave him one. I gave him a floor pump.
Manuel was supposed to ride this brevet, but DNS'd the day before. Nevertheless, he kept his room in Sde Boker, and came there for vacation.
It was raining on the course, and there were reports that the roads are closed.
I told each rider to call me if they have the slightest fear.
Bjoern returned from the Dead Sea, and said that the road is "passable."
All the riders went through, without calling me.
I was able to sleep about 3 hours before leaving.
On my way to the secret control on the climb out of the Dead Sea I met Evgeniy who just finished the climb.
It was night, and he had enough water, so we said "hello" and continued.
I rode along the course, to get a feel on the gap to the next riders.
It wasn't too hot, so there was no need for ice this time.
The stashed water weren't there, so I put 2 bottles there, at the top of the climb.
The riders came at the expected times, and I gave most of them water:
Apostolos-Gerasimos Gazis (GR),
The Italians Giorgio Bozza (IT), Francesco Paolon (IT), and Andrea Falomo (IT) together,
Anders Linder (SE) and Tino Kramer (DE),
Francis Lim (AU) who didn't stop,
Bernard Flynn (IE) and Matthew Levy (US) (Matthew DNF'd in 2018 due to miscommunication with another rider (waited for a rider who DNF'd...))
Some didn't need any water and continued without stopping. All knew about the stashed water, and later I noticed that some used it.
Bjoern Lenhard (DE) was already in Eilat, and on his way back.
I was missing Hermann (DE) and I left the secret control way past its closing time.
Assaf (IL) manned a water spot before the Big Crater.
He even handed beer to some riders.
Back at Sde Boker, the riders rested before heading off to Eilat.
Bjoern and Evgeniy met in Shizafon - Bjoern on his way back from Eilat, and Evgeniy on his way to Eilat.
Then Bjoern met Ben (DE) and Michael (DE). He arrived at Sde Boker before I left to support most of the other riders on their way to Eilat.
I got a call reporting me that Hermann got held up on his way back from the Dead Sea, which cost him more than 30 minutes (which he didn't have...)
Assaf was setting up the support point in Shizafon. This time he had freshly brewed coffee (on a gas stove,) and some food.
I went to replace Assaf in Shizafon. On my way there I met some riders (Matthew Levy (US) and Bernard Flynn (IE)) and gave them food and water.
He had some time, so we stayed together, helping riders, and chatting in between.
I got a report from Sde Boker that Hermann arrived, and was leaving to Eilat. He was way past the controls' closing times.
Assaf left after the last rider passed us on their way to Eilat.
I had some time, so I drove down to Yotvata for breakfast.
As riders arrived - I drove back up to Shizafon to support them.
Waiting for the riders to climb, I got a call from one of the Italian riders saying that Giorgio (IT) is DNF'ing about half way from Eilat.
He had no phone (it broke,) and no money. It was late Friday morning, and I had no way of helping him beyond Sde Boker.
After a quick calculation, I decided to get him on the bus to Tel Aviv.
I drove to him - He wasn't at the designated place. I finally tracked him with minutes to spare before the bus goes by.
We go to the bus station 2 minutes before the bus arrived there (the next bus was 2 hours away. He HAD to get on that bus!) I gave him some money, and we waited for the bus.
The bus came, but didn't even slow down.
We hopped in the car and started chasing the bus, which we caught in Yotvata.
The driver said he has no room, and that's why he didn't stop (it's forbidden to ride a bus without a seat.)
I almost broke in tears. Then it seems that the passenger that was supposed to go on that bus at the Yotvata station didn't arrive, so Giorgio had a room! :-)
I went back to Shizafon and gave water and food to the last riders on the road:
The remaining Italians and the Swedish: Francesco Paolon (IT), Andrea Falomo (IT), and Anders Linder (SE)
The Lanterne Rouge Matthew Levy (US) and Bernard Flynn (IE)
I didn't see Hermann pass by, so I had no idea where he was.
Later he notified me that he DNF'd in Eilat.
On my way back to Sde Boker I gave water and food to any rider I passed.
All the riders arrived, and had enough time for a good long sleep before the last leg to Tel Aviv.
I had a long sleep as well, and left to Tel Aviv in the morning.
Had some last minute errands, and went to prepare the Post-Ride BBQ, which I felt the riders enjoyed.
The next edition of the Israeli 1200 km brevet is expected to start on Tuesday 27/Oct/2026 at 22:00 from Tel Aviv.
Official Results:
Falomo Andrea (IT), Passed
Flynn Bernard (IE), Passed
Francesco Paolon (IT), Passed
Gazis Apostolos-Gerasimos (GR), Passed
Klauck Jörn (DE), Passed
Kramer Tino (DE), Passed
Lenhard Bjoern (DE), Passed
Levy Matthew (US), Passed
Lim Francis (AU), Passed
Linder Anders (SE), Passed
Ogorodnik Evgeniy (RU), Passed
Patzer Michael (DE), Passed
Urbanke Ben (DE), Passed
Steinberg Boris (LU), DNF
Bozza Giorgio (IT), DNF
Odenthal Hermann (DE), DNF
Links:
* Strava of Ben Urbanke (DE)
* Strava of Evgenyi Ogorodnik (RU)
Tal.
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