LEL is the flagship event of
Audax UK. It is held every four years, two years after
Paris–Brest–Paris. It is part of the
brevet series and is a noncompetitive endurance bicycle event.
1989 to 2001 The first LEL was in 1989, when there were 29 starters and 26 finishers, all British. For that inaugural ride, the distance was , and the route included a stretch of the
A68 road. Finishers of that original event are sometimes referred to as the A68 Club. The inaugural ride did not start in London, but in
Doncaster, the home town of the organiser. Riders headed first north to
Edinburgh and back, then south to
London and back.
2005 For the fifth edition in 2005, there were 306 starters and 246 finishers, from the UK, mainland Europe, and other countries including Japan, Russia, Australia, the USA, and Canada. Riders set out from
Cheshunt, on the northern outskirts of London, or from
Thorne, close to the original
Doncaster start. The 2005 route was just over 1360 km long and arrived in Edinburgh via The Granites.
2009 31 nations took part in the 2009 ride, which started and ended at
Cheshunt.
2013 The 2013 edition was held between 28 July and 2 August and 34 nations took part. This was the first edition organised by Danial Webb, who has organised all subsequent editions. In a departure from previous editions, the route took a loop through Scotland, and for the first time passed over the
Humber Bridge. 805 riders finished the event in 2013. The ride started and ended at Davenant Foundation School in Loughton. The control points/accommodation stops were at: •
Great Easton (southbound only) •
St Ivo School in St Ives •
Middlecott School in Kirton •
De Aston School in Market Rasen • Lyndhurst School in
Pocklington •
Thirsk School •
Teesdale School in Barnard Castle •
Alston (optional shelter) •
William Howard School in Brampton •
Moffat Academy (northbound only) •
Gracemount High School in Edinburgh •
Traquair (southbound only) •
Eskdalemuir (southbound only) All other controls were used in both directions.
2017 The 2017 edition took place between 30 July and 4 August 2017, attracting 1600 entrants from 55 nations. 810 of these finished in time. The 2017 route was 1441 km long and had 11,128m of climbing. The time allowance was 117 hours 05 minutes, or 100 hours for those riders who choose it. The ride started and ended at
Davenant Foundation School in
Loughton. The control points/accommodation stops were at: •
Great Easton (southbound only) •
St Ivo School in St Ives •
Spalding Grammar School •
King Edward VI Grammar School in Louth •
Pocklington School •
Coxwold (optional shelter) •
Thirsk School •
Barnard Castle School •
Alston (optional shelter) •
William Howard School in Brampton •
Moffat Academy (northbound only) •
Eskdalemuir (southbound only) •
Innerleithen (southbound only) •
Gracemount High School in Edinburgh All other controls were used in both directions.
2022 The 2021 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result took place between 7 and 12 August 2022. The route was extended to 1540 km, with a time allowance of 128 hours and 20 minutes for the main group and 100 hours for the first group. The route extended out to Dunfermline so included a crossing of the
Firth of Forth, and passed through Edinburgh city centre.
2025 The 2025 event was the largest edition yet with over 2,100 riders from 57 countries crossing the start line at either the Guildhall Yard
Guildhall in London or at Writtle College near Chelmsford
Writtle University College on Sunday 3 August. However, the event was curtailed the following day due to
Storm Floris. The Event had controls at Northstowe, Boston, Louth, Hessle, Malton, Richmond, Alston, Brampton, Hawick, Moffat and Dalketh on the way North. The return route included Innerleithen and Eskdalemuir but not Hawick. During the Monday, as concerns about the storm continued, the organisers, first paused the event and then, in the evening, invited riders to return South from wherever they were. Only one rider at that point had actually made it as far as Dalkeith and large numbers of participants were at the controls in Yorkshire. Throughout the rest of the week, the riders returned south, calling at the controls. The curtailment represented a considerable logistical effort as the organisers repositioned food and materials which would otherwise been unused in Scotland. LEL 2025 was notable for the numbers of volunteers. Over 1,000 people were involved in supporting the event. Unused food from controls was commonly donated to local charities. == References ==