1. Introduction
1.1. ANDALUCIA BIKE RACE is a mountain bike stage race (XCS), split in five marathon stages (XCM) and a time trial (XCT), which is raced in teams of two members.
1.2. The competition starts on Sunday 24th of February 2013 in Córdoba and finishes on Friday 1st of March 2013 in Jaén.
1.3. The competition follows the UCI (International Cycling Union) technical and sport regulations for both UCI Elite women and men categories.
1.4. ANDALUCIA BIKE RACE is a UCI S1 class event.
2. Registration
2.1. Any person who wishes to take part in this competition must register through the official website: www.andaluciabikerace.com. For the registration to be valid, it is compulsory to fill-in all the required details that are requested on the form and to pay the registration rights.
2.2. The registration period ends on the 11th of January 2013.
2.3. The participants must hold a competition cycling license, issued by a national cycling federation and approved by the UCI.
2.4. Touring licenses are not accepted. Neither are licenses from other sports.
2.5. Those who do not have an annual competitive cycling license, can issue a temporary license valid only for the competition, approved by the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC).
2.6. This has an extra cost of 60 € per person and allows this person and his team mate to compete in the corresponding category with the same rights as any other participant.
2.7. Participants willing to compete in the UCI Elite women or men category must hold an annual competitive cycling license. These compete for UCI points and prize money but also have to strictly obey the UCI rules.
2.8. The registration rights per team member have a price of:
Registrations up to and including 12th November 2012: 340 €.
Registrations from 12th November 2012 and until 11th January 2013: 480 €.
2.9. Registration rights include:
Right to take part in the competition.
Registration gift.
Electronic timing control device.
Liquid and solid feed zones (three per day except for time trial stage).
Medical assistance on and off the course.
Bicycle washing service.
Bicycle parking.
Other additional services in the paddock.
3. Participants
3.1. All ANDALUCIA BIKE RACE participants must be at least 19 years of age on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place.
3.2. Participants can register in any of the following categories:
UCI ELITE MEN. Two men that must be 19 years or older on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place. Both must hold an approved UCI Elite license, strictly obey the entire UCI regulations, will compete for UCI points and prize money.
UCI ELITE WOMEN. Two women that must be 19 years or older on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place. These must hold an approved UCI Elite license, strictly obey the entire UCI regulations, will compete for UCI points and prize money.
ELITE MEN. Two men that must be 19 years or older on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place. These must hold an approved cycling license (UCI, national or temporary), will not compete for UCI points neither prize money.
ELITE WOMEN. Two women that must be 19 years or older on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place. These hold an approved Elite (UCI or not) license, will not compete for UCI points neither prize money.
MASTER 30. Two men that must be 30 years or older on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place. Those holding Elite category license cannot compete in this category.
MASTER 40+. Two men that must be 40 years or older on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place. Those holding Elite category license cannot compete in this category.
MIXED. Woman and man that must be 19 years or older on the 31st of December of the current year in which the competition takes place.
3.3. If a competitor does not pair-up with another of the same age group and/or license category, the team must register in the category that corresponds to the youngest and/or highest level category. This is not accepted for those who wish to compete in the UCI Elite categories.
3.4. Participants holding a Master license cannot to compete in the UCI Elite categories.
3.5. IMPORTANT: According to the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) regulations, foreign participants holding a cycling license not issued by the RFEC, must have a written authorisation from their national cycling federation that certifies that their insurance is valid in Spain.
4. Administrative checks
4.1. The administrative checks and Welcome Pack pick-up take place on Saturday 23rd of February from 15:00 to 19:00 at Hotel Ayre Córdoba (Paseo Poeta Alonso Bonilla, 3), having the possibility to leave the bicycles in the specific parking.
4.2. Race numbers are assigned according to the categories and last updated UCI ranking.
4.3. During the administrative checks an identification bracelet is handed out to each participant, who has to wear it during all the competition days. This bracelet allows access to the participant areas.
5. Teams’ meeting
5.1. There is a daily team meeting to which any Team Manager is welcomed. It reviews the next stage and reports possible unexpected changes in the development of the race. It is only compulsory to attend the first one, previous to the start of the competition.
5.2. Any change are announced on the race’s news board, having the participants the responsibility of keeping themselves informed.
6. Race procedure
6.1. The race will follow the general UCI rules and the UCI’s specific mountain bike regulations.
6.2. On the official website and news board, the stage results, general classification and participants allowed to take the start will be previously published at 20:00 prior to the next day’s stage.
6.3. All stages, except for time trials, are mass starts. The start of the time trial is done in inverse order to the overall classification. Each team takes the start with a time difference of 30 seconds.
6.4. The start grid opens 20 minutes before the starting time. For time trial stages, each team must be ready to take the start with this time in advance.
6.5. There are different start grids according to the competition’s overall classification.
6.6. The leading teams of each category must wear the official leader’s jersey awarded the previous day.
6.7. Five minutes before the start time, the access to the start grid is banned, being placed at the back of its corresponding starting group.
6.8. No team is allowed to start once the official start has been given, unless a Commissaire allows it.
6.9. Team members must complete the whole competition together with a maximum time difference of two minutes between them at any point of the route.
6.10. If a team reaches a stage finish, any way point or is spotted by a Commissaire at any point of the route with a time interval of over two minutes between its members, it will get a five minute penalty (each time the rule is not obeyed), added to the second member’s time.
6.11. Each way point, cross section, feed zone, start and finish have a maximum time allowance, at which the service will be closed. Teams must ride inside this time period to avoid being disqualified. The time to reach these points is very broad.
6.12. Completing the route using other methods other than those regarding the participant’s individual physical effort and his own bicycle, leads to the team’s disqualification. Team members can push or pull each other, as long as there is no physical/mechanical device connecting them or their bicycles.
6.13. Any unlawful aid will mean the team’s disqualification.
6.14. Participants that are no longer officially classified can continue taking part in the event in a recreative way, provided they do not influence on the development of the competition. Not obeying this rule leads to the expulsion of the race, without the chance of continuing it.
7. Neutralised starts
7.1. For security reasons the start of any stage can be neutralised. The Course Director leads the participants on an official race vehicle. Once the stage is started by the Course Director the participants must start racing.
7.2. Once the official race vehicle has reached the end of the neutralised stretch, it will stop aside and indicate the end of the neutralisation.
7.3. During the neutralised start it’s banned to overtake the Course Director’s vehicle, under a 120 minute time penalty.
8. Neutralised finishes
8.1. For security reasons, the finish line can be advanced before reaching an asphalt stretch. If this is so, a time will be set to complete the distance from the finish line to the paddock. Any delay in reaching the paddock will have a one minute penalty per delayed minute.
9. Road book
9.1. A road book is released for each stage detailing distance, altitude, type of trail, way points, cross sections, feed/aid zones and time closure for each service.
9.2. The road book also reports if the start or finish are neutralised, the distance of the neutralised stretch and the time allowance between the finish line and the paddock, if the stage has a neutralised finish.
9.3. This road book is purely informative and is not required to follow each stage.
10. Route
10.1. The competition will be raced in six days:
24th February - Stage 1 (XCM): Córdoba
25th February - Stage 2 (XCM): Córdoba
26th February - Stage 3 (XCM): Priego de Córdoba
27th February - Stage 4 (XCM): Bedmar- Mancha Real
28th February - Stage 5 (XCM): Jaén
1st March - Stage 6 (XCT): Jaén
10.2. The route is properly sign posted with route indicators specially at trouble spots, such as cross sections, road crossings or streets.
10.3. The route is open to traffic but properly under control. The participants must follow the traffic authorities’ indications and ride with caution.
10.4. During the route there are two kind of controls: way points (WP/CP) and cross section (CS/CI).
10.5. At the way points a Commissaire scores the participant’s number plate and time.
10.6. Skipping a way point leads to disqualification.
10.7. Not following the indications of a cross section leads to disqualification.
10.8. Abandoning the route set by the organisation leads to disqualification.
11. Feed and aid zones
11.1. Feed and aid zones are properly sign posted all throughout the route and at the end of each stage. These have everything necessary to cover the participants’ food and hydration needs during all the race.
11.2. Feed zones will match team’s aid stations.
12. Sign posting
12.1. The course is sign posted. It does not require any electronic device to be followed.
12.2. Every ten kilometres, the distance to the finish line is indicated. The last five kilometres to the finish line is also indicated.
13. Unrideable stretches
13.1. The competition’s Commissaires, Course Director and Race Director may decide that a stretch of the route is unrideable and impossible to clear, the route can be diverted through the points foreseen by the organisation.
13.2. If it is not possible, the finishing time is taken where the last timing control is placed.
14. Quitting
14.1. If one or both members of a team quit, it must reported to the Commissaires or organiser as soon as possible.
14.2. Not reporting an abandonment leads to the expulsion of the team from the race.
15. Results
15.1. The results of each stage are arranged according on the time spent to complete each one, by the last of the two members of the team, plus added time penalties.
15.2. The total time of the completed stages and the sum of the time penalties, establish each team’s overall classification.
15.3. The following results are established:
OVERALL.
ELITE MEN.
ELITE WOMEN.
MASTER 30.
MASTER 40+.
MIXED.
15.4. Separately there is a UCI Elite women and men classification in order to award these participants with UCI points and prize money.
15.5. Any team that has not officially completed a stage (disqualification, DNS, DNF, etc.) is not considered a Finisher
16. Prizes
16.1. Each stage has an award ceremony for each category.
16.2. Only team category stage winners and team category race leaders are immediately called up to the podium after crossing the finish line.
16.3. At the final award ceremony, the top three overall ranked teams of each category, are immediately called up to the podium once all of them have crossed the finish line.
16.4. Prize money and UCI points are only awarded to UCI Elite categories.
16.5. Prize money is only be held out after the last stage.
16.6. Competitors who carry prize money must fill-in and submit at the Race Office all the documentation requested by the organisation before Friday 1st of March at 21:00. If this is not so, the organisation understands that the participant refuses to perceive the corresponding prize money.
17. Bicycle
17.1. Bicycles must satisfy the UCI regulations, both technical characteristics and security.
17.2. Bicycles deposited at the official race bicycle parking can only be taken out by participants whose bracelet matches the bicycle’s number plate.
17.3. Tandem bicycles are not permitted.
18. Equipment
18.1. It is compulsory to compete with the number plate and number held out by the organisation. The number plate must be properly placed on the front of the bicycle. The number must be on the rider’s back. Both must be clearly visible and cannot be modified. The electronic timing control device cannot be modified neither and must be placed where the organisation indicates it.
18.2. The teams leading the general classification of their category must wear the leader’s jersey, provided by the organisation. The leader’s jersey has a blank space on the front and on the back, to place the team/rider’s sponsors.
18.3. It is each team/rider’s responsibility to place their sponsors on the required space of the leader’s jersey.
18.4. For security reasons, it is recommended to carry a mobile phone.
18.5. It is also recommended (but not compulsory) that team members keep a dressing uniformity during all stages.
18.6. Carrying some warm clothes (rain jacket, arm and leg warmers, etc.) during certain stages might be necessary. The organisation will not provide this to the participants and will not be responsible for each team’s clothing pick.
18.7. The organisation offers the participants the possibility to take off their warm-up clothes at the start area and collect them at the finish area. The organisation only collects clothes properly stored inside a backpack/bag labelled with a numbered bracelet provided by the organisation. The backpack/bag is only returned to the team/rider whose bracelets match each other.
18.8. The organisation is not responsible for any clothes that is left free or is not properly stored in the backpack/bag.
19. Sport and nature
19.1. Our sport, mountain biking, is a competition or leisure activity that takes place in nature and its impact in this environment is a responsibility for all the participants and sport organisers. We beg you to be respectful with the natural environment which ANDALUCIA BIKE RACE’s route passes through; taking care of the rubbish, wrappings, feed & aid zone litter, riding outside the trails, not taking short cuts that damage the vegetation, respecting pedestrians, being careful with animals in the mountain, not leaving behind any spare parts, etc.
19.2. The Commissaires have the right to disqualify any team that does not respect the environment or the private properties that are crossed during the race, expelling it from the competition without any possibility to continue taking part in it.
20. Considerations
20.1. Any participant can be subjected to an official antidoping test following the UCI rules.
20.2. All participants must be respectful with the other riders, Commissaires, members of the organisation, media and spectators.
20.3. The trails on which the competition takes place are assigned only and exclusively for the days of the race, therefore it is not allowed to spread the route’s tracking.
20.4. The Commissaires have the right to disqualify any team that does not respect these considerations, expelling it from the competition without any possibility to continue taking part in it.
20.5. All participants assign their image rights to the organisation, being able to use any photograph or video where they appear.
21. Claims
21.1. The claims must be formally presented to the Commissaires and processed by these following the UCI regulations.
22. Paddock
22.1. The teams that want a space in the paddock must previously request it to the organisation, which will award it as long as their is space available.
22.2. No participant or team assistant can camp nor stay overnight at the paddock, except authorised by the organisation.
22.3. The organisation does not provide water neither electricity to the teams settled in the paddock, which must be self-sufficient.
Organisation
REGISTERING FOR ANDALUCIA BIKE RACE INVOLVES ACCEPTING AND ACCOMPLISHING THESE REGULATIONS
