Below you can read the rules applicable to all races, routes and charity challenges (generally referred to as „UltraBikers Cup events“) included in UltraBikers Cup series. By submitting the registration form, participants agree to accept these rules, and declare that they will not claim any compensation from the organizer for personal injury or property damage incurred during UltraBikers events (more below).
PHILOSOPHY AND SPIRIT OF ULTRABIKERS CUP
All events of the UB Cup are conceived as unsupported.
However, we do not want to go the way of extreme events, where participants have to cope with all problems just by themselves and are often prohibited from having even the slightest contacts with other participants or fans of UB events. On the contrary, we want to help forming new friendships and sometimes bring to participants of UB Cup – in addition to all the hardships of ultracycling – also a little of the pleasures 😀
The rules of UB Cup are a reflection of its main goals:
- visit interesting places and discover new nice routes
- meet new friends and share your experiences with them
- train well and perhaps prepare for more prestigious ultracycling events
- and above all to enjoy the whole day (or even several days) in the saddle to the maximum
The routes of our events are usually challenging due to their profile and terrain, but rather than the pursuit of make as tough sport event as possible, they are the result of the fact that the most beautiful panoramas can be seen from the tops of mountains and hills.
Situations when one rider pushes another one away – in fear of penalization or disqualification or being moved to the „pairs“ category due to drafting – we consider absurd, and we do not want to deal with any protests and complaints during or after our events.
Our universal rule is „to play fair at all times“.
Nevertheless, we want to set at least the basic rules:
1. REGISTRATION AND ENTRY FEE
To participate in UltraBikers events, riders must register via forms, which are usually available on its websites.
Riders are added to start lists of UB events after payment of entry fee.
In case that riders will not be able to participate in UB event, for which they have paid the entry fee, they have usually opportunity to transfer it once to another UB event, if cancelling from the race is made early. Every race has designated terms, after which organizer can deduct some cancellation fee.
Riders can transfer paid entry fee to another person, at any time, without cancellation fee.
2. RESPONSIBILITY
Participants of UltraBikers events attend them at their own risk. The organizer nor authors of routes don´t bear any responsibility for any health, material or other damages that occur to the participants during UB events (injuries, illness, technical problems, destruction of the bike, theft, loss of equipment, fines, etc.).
Organizer of UltraBikers events does not pay any insurance for riders. Every participant have to pay insurance against injuries and damages of equipment incurred during UltraBikers events by themselves, it is not part of the entry fee.
3. ALLOWED TYPES OF BICYCLES
Riders can attend UltraBikers events only on bicycles powered exclusively by human power. It is possible to attend UltraBikers events on e-bikes only in case of free capacity, but e-bikes riders will not be shown in result list.
Participants of UltraBikers Cup do not have to complete UB events on bikes for which their routes are intended (e.g. events on a route built for gravels can be completed on a mountain bike, routes for road bikes on gravel, etc.). The result list does not differentiate on which type of bike the participants completed given UB events.
Participants in UltraBikers events on scooters share the result list together with cyclists (in case of interest of a larger number of participants on scooters, it is possible to announce a competition purely for them).
4. FOLLOWING A FIXED ROUTE
Participants of UltraBikers events with fixed route (Moravia Divide and Race Across Czechia) must complete the route exactly as they receive it from the organizer in gpx format.
If a participants decide to leave a predetermined route (eg to buy groceries, to solve a technical problem or to visit some interest place nearby the route), they must return to the place where they left it. The only exceptions are slight deviations from the route such as taking parallel streets in cities, parallel cycling path along the road, crossing a turn, etc.), which does not significantly shorten the specified route.
Road closures and detours
If an unexpected road closure occurs on the route of race during it (especially during road races), the participant can decide for himself whether to take a risk and try to pass the repaired section (or walk through it, depending on the type of the closure) or not. If the participant decides to take a detour, he must return to the original route at the nearest possible point. The time spent on the detour is counted to the total time of the ride. It is recommended to consult the detour with the organizer and share the road closure with other participants of event through mutual WhatsApp group.
5. RIDING IN A PAIRS OR IN GROUPS
UltraBikers Cup events do not have a separate category „pairs“, but riders can complete the entire route in a pair or a small group and also share one GPS tracker (you can save 10 EUR on the costs for renting a tracker), but they can also ride their own. When sharing one tracker, all members of a pair or group get an additional letter after their number (eg 90A, 90B, 90C).
If two or more riders who started as individuals find a new companion during the event with whom they are comfortable riding together, this does not mean any change in their classification, nor time penalties, etc.
Participants riding in a pair or group will be classified in the same result list as other riders. If they will arrive to finish line together, they will have a shared ranking.
If one member of a pair or group riding with a shared GPS tracker scratches, the other members of the pair or group may continue in the event.
If a pair of riders with a shared tracker split during the event (but both/all continue), the GPS tracker will lead the fastest one, while the slower ones will share their movement through photos (via application „UB Tracking“, which is otherwise during events with GPS trackers only optional)
6. DRAFTING
We are glad that many participants of the UltraBikers Cup perceive our events as „races“, because they are the ones who give them the grades and inspire the entire ultrasport community with their performances.
However, from the position of the organizers, we still perceive our events rather as a „social ride“, during which you can not only sport, visit new places and discover unknown landscapes, but also meet new friends and share your experiences with them. The UltraBikers Cup events therefore do not prohibit shared ride, nor do they prevent contact with other participants.
We note that even if you can get a certain advantage by riding in a pair or group (especially in road bike events), we do not prohibit cooperation between competitors either. Our theory is that a large part of the time you gain thanks to cooperation will be lost elsewhere (for example, when your partner needs to go shopping, go to the toilet or solve some technical problems).
So if you find a rider who is riding at more or less the same pace, you can ride together and take turns at the front, without a fear of penalty.
However, the opposite is the situation when one rider overtakes another (or a smaller group) and is the only one who refuses to take turns at the front, even though the other members of the group have invited him to do so. This behavior is not fair, we do not want it at our events and we believe that the competitors will respect it.
If we receive complaints that some rider has violated this rule, he may not be allowed to attend other UltraBikers Cup events in the future.
7. CONTACT WITH CLOSE PEOPLE DURING UB EVENTS
In a similar spirit, we want to set rules also about contacts with close people during UB events. We do not want to follow the extreme way, where any contact with other people (taking photos, greeting, sharing a short ride or handing over refreshments, etc.) is prohibited and is subject to disqualification or time penalties. Again, we appeal for fair play.
As a fair use of close people we consider:
- oral contact, taking pictures or filming – completely without restrictions
- 1x delivery of small refreshments during the race (1 candy bar, 1 beer for pleasure)
- a short carpool of a maximum length of 1% of the total length of the race (of course in the sum, it is not meant that each of your 10 friends can ride 1 % of route each)
As unfair use of close people we consider:
- handing over a larger package with food and drink
- ordering food in a restaurant for the competitor in advance, so that he does not have to wait for it and arrives straight to ready meals
- handing over spare clothes (if you underestimate it, buy it by yourself somewhere along a route)
- removal of part of the equipment (e.g. sleeping system before the last day of the race)
- carpooling longer than 1% of the total route
- come by car to help solve technical problems or import spare parts (however, it is allowed if the competitor reaches the repair shop or service where a close person works on his own by disconnecting from the route and later returning to the place where he disconnected from it )
8. ACCEPTANCE OF AID
Riders may accept any kind of selfless help from outsiders (offer of refreshments, overnight stays or help with solving technical problems), if it is not agreed in advance and if the person providing the help was not asked (e.g. by phone) to come and help the competitor directly on the route.
Providing (or at least the offer) of help in difficulties by other riders is not just allowed, but rather welcomed and appreciated.
Riders can solve technical problems (with the bike, navigation or equipment) by visiting a service center, buying a new pieces of equipment, etc.
9. MANDATORY EQUIPMENT
For all UltraBikers events, it is mandatory to always have:
– bicycle helmet
– mobile phone for contact with the organizer
– in case of driving in the dark, the front and rear lights
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
For all UB events, it is recommended to ride with GPS device (with spare batteries), spare mobile phone and power bank. In case of bad weather, a quality waterproof jacket, thermal insulation foil and waterproof bags are recommended. For riding in the dark, it is recommended to use reflex vest with LED lights.
10. REFRESHMENT
During all UltraBikers Cup event, the participants take care of refreshments and overnight accommodation by themselves and at their own expense. They can use restaurant facilities and shops, they can request food and water, and they can keep a snack pack for themselves on the route ahead of time.
Repeated acceptance of refreshments from close people is prohibited.
11. TRAFFIC RULES
Participants are obliged to follow the rules of movement on public roads and to be kind to nature and their surroundings.
12. BEHAVIOR IN PROTECTED AREAS
In national parks, protected areas and nature reserves, participants of UltraBikers events are obliged to follow the rules of movement (do not enter off the marked routes, camp in designated places, do not throw garbage, push or carry a bike in areas where it is forbidden to ride). The organizer is not responsible for any fines imposed for violations of prohibitions in protected areas.
13. RECORD OF FOLLOWING A ROUTE
In order to be included in the results list and have the opportunity to receive points for the UltraBikers Cup, its participants are required to send a link to the track record in the Strava or Garmin application, no later than 7 days after finishing the event. Entries submitted more than a week after graduation will not be accepted!
Riders get to result list the time including all breaks.
In the event of a significant missing section in the track record, the participant will only have their time entered in the result sheet, but without adding points to the overall ranking of the UltraBikers Cup, unless otherwise proven to have completed the route properly or completed the challenge. To minimize this risk, it is recommended to use a GPS device and carry spare batteries for navigation.
At events in which participants are equipped with GPS trackers, the record from GPS tracker can be also used as a record from the route.
14. UB TRACKING AND PHOTOS FROM THE EVENTS
UB Cup events, where participants are not equipped with GPS trackers, usually have several FotoPoints designated, from which participants must take photos immediately after reaching them and send them to the UltraBikers website. Participants usually receive a list of FotoPoints in an information email 3-5 days before the event. At least one photo must show the participant’s face.
At all multi-day events without GPS trackers, participants are required to report to the organizer at least once a day (usually in the evening between 20.00-21.00), state their current location, and possibly the number of kilometers traveled and their physical condition.
For events with GPS trackers, taking photos at FotoPoints is optional.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RULES
If you have any questions about the rules of the UltraBikers Cup events, do not hesitate to ask via email at ciza@ultrabikers.eu, via WhatsApp at tel. +420 605 556 524 or by sending a message to the UltraBikers Cup FB page.