A sportif is superficially like an audax in that it is a mass start event over a fixed route, but is not a race as such. Unlike an audax however, all riders receive a time, stops are short and speeds (at the front at least) can be very high. Many riders find these events a good addition or alternative to road racing, and they can be both very challenging and very enjoyable. In the UK, the most well known event is probably the Etape du Tour, which each year follows a stage of the Tour De France.