SWEDEN

Randonneuring in Sweden

Sweden is a great country to ride in. Compared to many other places our country is sparsely populated and it is not difficult to find quiet, smaller roads with little traffic for our rides. One great thing about riding in the north is the light in the summertime. Most of our riders can do the entire Super Randonneur series without the need for bicycle lights. Even if you ride the 600 km straight through the night you will only need lights that makes you visible to other traffic.

For 2007 we are arranging ‘Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux’ in 8 places around the country. I am glad to see a new organiser in the north of Sweden. I wish them good luck. April is really early for rides this far north. It is very difficult to stay warm and comfortable for 200 km if the temperature is 5 degrees below freezing.

I am looking forward to 2007 and PBP. The atmosphere and spirit a PBP year is something special. All the qualification rides you do with old and new friends. The trip to Paris, the magnificent, awesome ride and all the marvellous people along the roads and on the roads. It is an absolutely fantastic adventure that I long to do again.

Everyone can ride Paris-Brest-Paris. But you really need to want to do it. You need an iron will and perseverance above average to finish. But the sense of success and pride you feel afterwards is above almost everything and makes it all worth while.


The first Swedes participated in the 1979 edition of Paris-Brest-Paris. That year we had 6 finishers. For the following years we have had an ever increasing number of participants. In 2003 we where 50 starters of which 42 completed this epic ride. I hope this trend will continue and that there will be an even bigger group of Swedes at the start line in Saint Quentin en Yvelines come August.

I will see you all there!

Bengt SANDBORGH
Randonneurs Sverige