The FNQ version of the Fleche Opperman All Day Trial – known in FNQ as the Big TrOppy and the Little TrOppy – will be held on 4 and 5 May 2024.   Yep – we’ve changed from March to May, hoping to avoid cyclonic weather or energy sapping heat.  And for those who don’t want to do the whole thing, or are looking for a more flexible approach to the TrOppy, we will again be offering the FNQ Fl-Oppy (a flexible Oppy). 

The Oppy is a 24-hour team time trial held annually by Audax Australia in each capital city and a few other places (like FNQ).  It is an event for teams of three to five bicycles (until FNQ got involved).  NB:  You can have single bikes, tandems or any other self-powered wheeled configuration.  Audax, in it’s wisdom, counts bikes, not people.

There are two levels of the Oppy (or three if you are in FNQ !!!) –

The full Oppy – Each team must ride at least 360km and finish at a designated location (Lenny Street Cafe – 73 Kennedy Highway Tolga for FNQ riders).

The FNQ Little TrOppy – If you aren’t up for 24 hours of riding, try the FNQ Little TrOppy (or Petit Oppy).  Ride the first 155km in 12 hours from Saturday morning, then take a break and finish the last 25km in two hours on Sunday morning to finish at the same time as the full Oppy (180 km in 12 + 2 hours).  Petit TrOppy finishers can claim medals and all the other official Audaxian recognition.

The FNQ Fl-Oppy – Ignore all of the Oppy rules above.  Design a ride that you (+/- any number of mates) want to do.  Start wherever, go where you want, ride as long (or as little) as you like, do loops/backtrack/take big breaks/start late/sleep in your own bed.  Give the Ride Organiser a vague idea of what you are planning to do.  Register for the Fl-Oppy and join us at Lenny Street on Sunday to self-declare your Fl-Oppy ride.  You can’t claim a finisher’s medal, but you will still be insured and part of the event.  And…. you are likely to have a good time.

The 2024 edition of the Oppy will start on at 7am Saturday 4 May and finish 24 hours later.  In FNQ, the Oppy will finish at Lenny Street Cafe in Tolga at 7am on Sunday 5 May 2024.  Join us for a celebratory breakfast afterwards.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Oppy is a unique time trial in which teams ride a route of their own choosing to a designated finishing point. The only restriction on route selection is that teams should ride a tour, not repeat circuits.

OK, BUT HOW DO I RIDE A SUCCESSFUL OPPY?

Follow our seven-step plan:

1. Gather your best riding buddies and sell them on the idea of riding the Oppy this year.
2. Work out a route. You can’t cover the same road twice in the same direction and you must ride at least 360km to reach the designated finish location within 24 hours. Otherwise, it’s up to you.  Start wherever you like, ride either 360km or 180km, and finish in Tolga.  Or just design a good ride and let us know what you are planning and how many are coming for breakfast.
3. Email your local organiser (in FNQ – gayle.sticher@audax.org.au) to enter your team. Also submit your route map for approval, including the places you are stopping for controls.
4. If you’re bringing a support crew, work out your control stops where you’ll meet them for food, water and support.
5. Ride it. Take breaks, eat meals, and even sleep if you have spare time.
6. Keep riding. You must ride a minimum distance of 25km in the last two hours of the event  This means you can’t just bowl over 360km and finish in the middle of the night.  Unless you are riding a Fl-Oppy – then you can do whatever you want.
7. Finish. Eat breakfast, and tell everyone who’ll listen how good you are.

Please familiarise yourself with the Fleche Opperman Rules and Audax Australia’s lighting rules .

After you enter, everyone in your team will be provided with a brevet card, which you have stamped/signed at controls along the way (roughly every 50-80km) as a record of your progress.

THE OPPY RECORD

The Australian record for the Fleche Opperman All Day Trial was set in 1993 at 770km

Read the report of that record-breaking ride here: “The Endorphins“.

Read more information on the history of Queensland Audax with the Oppy.