Le Petit Brevet is an annual brevet that explores the hills of Banks Peninsula. With over 290kms of riding and over 9,000 vertical meters, Le Petit Brevet isn't for the faint of heart! Stella recently went down to Otautahi to give it her best shot, and came away with a new respect for this iconic ride!
With a crisp fresh morning starting at 6am with first light the sense of adventure was rife. As we embarked on the first climb up the port hills, the sun slowly grew over the ridgeline and there were some stunning views back over Christchurch.
Shortly we were on some speedy single track rolling along the tops, where I momentarily got lost in a maze of tracks in the forest before bombing it down the other side of the hill. There was a âpretty smallâ 200m climb over Gebbies Pass towards the rail trail which I tackled with a group of riders as we exchanged adventure stories. The rail trail to Little River was our only real flat section of the day and it was accompanied by a decent cross wind then an awesome tailwind to boost the last section up to Little River. This is where I met the first infamous Banks Peninsula climb, a relentless 800m non-stop grind. I was enjoying the slog but also coming to the realisation that my tip track laps crammed in since six corners may not have been sufficient training.
At the top of this first climb we turned off the nice gravel roads and onto a rather grassy track known as fencline, this started as a rather enjoyable but gusty adventure with some great views over the bays and of some incredibly windswept trees. There were endless stiles to hop over and I quickly learned to put my bike over first then hop over after the wind pinned me between my bike and the stile post. I think that post being there was one of the luckiest things that's ever happened, without it I wouldâve ended up falling backwards onto barbed wire with my bike on top of me :/ Towards the end of the fenceline, just as I was getting excited for the descent the track split, walking one way and biking the other. The gps clearly showed the route following the walking track so I trusted and ventured down it. True to the signage, I was doing a lot of walking. Iâm still not convinced this was the intention of the route but it added a bit of excitement to the day!
With a very speedy descent down some steep gravel roads I turned my rotors thermonuclear and dropped back into Little River for a feed. I managed to snag the last couple pies in the store and wash them down with a banana and coke to give myself a re-up before the next chonker of a climb. This climb was definitely feeling slower than the previous hills but I was happy plugging away in my lowest gear. As I reached the top of the climb I was definitely ready for a quick bomb down the hill. I was briefly rewarded with a quick descent before a 200m climb popped up on my gps and it was a steep one, holding a 20+% gradient for a good chunk on the climb. This really just broke me, I think it was a mix of the unexpectedness and I shouldâve just walked it instead of trying to grind up it, then having a sit down half way. Thankfully I eventually made it to the actual start of the descent and got some stunning views over the bays to Akaroa and the hills I would be heading to next. As I dropped down into the bays I realised I needed a good rest and feed to keep the legs turning, thankfully Duvauchelles was just round the corner. It turned into a rather leisurely and extended break as I tried to do as much to reset and recharge as I could. I got some good food onboard, had a quick stretch then brushed my teeth and got back on the bike.
Heading up the next climb I was definitely fighting to keep the mental game strong, I realised just how cooked I was feeling and I wasnât even halfway yet. I was also getting pretty short of breath, I couldnât work out if my asthma was deciding to show up or if I was getting sick, maybe a mix of both. Looking back I think it was just because I was working pretty hard up the hills in cold air which just put my lungs through their paces. Thankfully another rider joined me on the climb so I could be distracted from my legs and thoughts as they entertained me with their stories. Towards the top of the climb it became me, the road and my thoughts again. After ignoring my legs for most of the climb they made sure to let me know how they were feeling, especially my knees which were not loving all the vert. As I got to the âtopâ which was just going up and down along summit road I was coming to the realisation that I just didnât have it in me to ride through the night. This was a pretty disappointing moment and came with some tears on the side of the road. I had set myself a goal of sub 24 hours which mightâve been ambitious but I was still on pace to do so, however having to accept that I just wouldnât be able to keep going for that long was pretty rough. I booked a cabin at the campground in Akaroa but the prospect of a warm bed did little to cheer me up or hinder my feelings of failure. I finished the day with a quick and dreary ride down the hill into Akaroa for fish and chips, with a brief stop on the descent to cry to Liam and Jak as I caught them hauling it back up the hill.
The next morning my body still felt pretty ruined, my lungs still rather short of breath and mentally I was even worse. It seems like my bike was the only thing in a good condition! I was pretty unmotivated after having failed my goal and I was annoyed at myself for not being fit enough, strong enough or just generally good enough. I chose to take a leisurely and beautiful ride out to Little River where my lovely brother came and picked me up. I have a million what ifs and maybes going through my head as I question why I couldnât finish and what I couldâve done differently. Iâm realising that every one of those questions and thoughts is an opportunity to learn and take that experience into the next event and Iâve learnt far more from scratching this event than I have before. Iâm slowly coming to terms with my scratch and that I am not the failure I think I am. When you tackle big challenges youâre bound to fail at some point and that is what makes succeeding all the more special. Bring on Le Petit Brevet 2027!
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