200      300      400      600     1000     1200*   Brevets     Km

France       6896     3883     3093     2543      183     1727    18,325   7,562,500  63.5%
U.S.A.        798      662      542      524       93      333     2,952   1,382,000  11.6%
U.K.         1303      510      565      356               140     2,874   1,021,200   8.6%
Canada        284      218      137      127       27       55       848     346,200   2.9%
Espagne       222      139      102       95        2       61       621     259,100   2.2%
Australie     393      148      106       80        6       30       763     255,400   2.1%
Belgique      247      111       95       82                43       578     221,500   1.9%
Norvege       130      111       98       80        1       61       481     220,700   1.9%
Danemark      109       92       82       75                63       421     202,800   1.7%
Pays Bas      144       88       69       61                49       411     178,200   1.5%
Suede    [non PBP brevet distance 81,600 km, or more]       23       ---     109,200   1.1%
Irlande  [non PBP brevet distance 58,300 km, or more]       15       ---      76,300    .8%
Finlande [non PBP brevet distance  2,100 km, or more]        4        --       6,900    .1%
Allemagne                      (142,000 km)                  3         3       3,600    .-%
Italie                                                       1         1       1,200    .-%
Luxembourg                                                   1         1       1,200    .-%
N. Zelande                                                   1         1       1,200    .-%
Suise                                                        1         1       1,200    .-%

#of Brevets:10526     5962     4889     4023      312     2611  = 28,323 Brevets
Km:       2105200  1788600  1955600  2413800   312000  3133200  =         11,850,400 Km

*1200s are all PBP

World-wide number of brevets:        ~28,323 Brevets
World-wide total brevet distance: 11,850,400 Km
Average brevet distance:                 413 Km (11,708,400 ÷ 28,323)
Percentage distance by French riders:   63.5% (36.5% etrangers)

A departure from the 1987 table measuring brevet participation, is the introduction in 1991, of a points system based not exclusively on distance - female PBP finishers are given a 50% (600 km/6 point) bonus. Further to this, the listing of brevet statistics is presented as a competition between countries, and between clubs, both internationally and within France. (The internal French club competition had been a feature of earlier PBP booklets). The international club 'competition' is particularly farcical because clubs can be any size including being national organizations - Audax U.K. is considered one club and not surprisingly wins the 'competition' hands down. Interestingly, it's a system which favours Canada. There are three Canadian clubs in the top ten, including the "Bicycle Ass of BC" right up there in second place (Prairie Rand. is 5th, and Toronto Rand. is 9th). Nevertheless the club competition angle is of only peripheral interest, and I have ignored these results. Similarly, I have removed the girl bonus from the nation points totals - this way the total column "Km" in the chart above reflects actual distance rather than points.

Only the top ten Countries are included on the chart from page XXIV - distance information is given for some clubs in Sweden, Ireland, and Finland but these countries were excluded from the main list. Also, PBP finishers' distance information for a handful of riders from Germany, Italie, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and Switzerland (available on page XXVII) was also excluded from the chart on page XXIV. I have integrated all this information into the chart above. Since the brevet distribution information for Sweden, Ireland, and Finland is not available, I have not included brevet totals from these countries - but I have inlcuded the distance amounts. [Eric F.]