Meeting at: Tadpole Farm CE Primary Academy
Visiting: Williams F1 Team, Grove, Blake's Kitchen, Clanfield, Fire & Flow Coffee Roastery & Coffee Shop, Flying Monk Café & Taproom
Meeting at: Tadpole Farm CE Primary Academy
Visiting: Williams F1 Team, Grove, Blake's Kitchen, Clanfield, Fire & Flow Coffee Roastery & Coffee Shop, Flying Monk Café & Taproom
Third ride of the Trooper Series, extending TGV rides from the beautiful Cotswolds AONB into the quiet roads and lanes of Oxfordshire. Whilst declared as 150 km, the route itself is just over 100 miles (163 km) so this could be a goal in itself.
Aside from a few hills, nothing too difficult. The ride starts in Tadpole Garden Village and includes 2 info controls (1 of which can be a coffee stop) and 2 coffee stops!
The Audax distance award is 150K.
We operate all audaxes as shoestring+ events as we do not have access to a community hall/space.
We always provide refreshments (hot and cold) and light snacks at the start and end of each Trooper Series event. Those who have attended one of our events before will know there's usually a surprise at the end!
For 2027 we have decided to reverse the route rather than replace the route entirely.
The first info control at Grove brings you to the Williams F1 Team HQ where you can grab a selfie whilst answering the info question. Leaving the A road you are back on to quieter lanes heading towards your first coffee stop, Blakes Kitchen, Clanfield. It'll likely be a little busy as it's a popular spot but the food and drink offerings are worth waiting for.
Leaving the stop you're headed mainly "uphill" to an Info (optional coffee stop) at Fire & Flow, Bagendon which is at the highest point of the ride. The next section is mainly downhill passing through the historic town of Malmesbury, past the Abbey ruins, heading south to another Info control at the Flying Monk Café & Taproom, Hullavington. If you do get there in time and want to stop, we recommend their excellent barista-made coffee (cakes and even hot food are also available), but they can be busy, so stopping depends on your ride objective/timing.
Leaving the info control, you are on the final stretch back to Tadpole Garden Village. There's a hill at the end so prepare yourself for a final challenge.
38 km - Info at Grove
61 km - Control at Blakes Kitchen, Clanfield
95 km - Info at Fire & Flow, Bagendon
130 km - Info at Flying Monk, Hullavington
The main TGV Audax Trooper Series rides (scheduled between April and July 2027) are a great way to experience Audax events. The series is designed to be progressionary with enough time to prepare you and your bicycle for the next increment in distance.
As an added incentive, riders who complete all four rides (500 km) in the series will receive a complimentary patch.