Race Rules & Regulations
Riders and Team Categories
1.1 The Mt. Kenya MTB series event is sanctioned by Africa Extreme and relevant county governments. 1.2 Minimum age of participation is 19 years on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place. Age of participants must be justified in registration forms according to participation categories and the necessary identification documents provided. All minors must be authorised by parents or guardians. 1.3 Riders must be in good health and well trained. 1.4 Teams will compete in men, women or mixed categories. The men and women teams are subdivided in: open, sub-vet, vet and master categories. Categories are determined by the age of the younger of the two riders in the team
- open men/women –the younger participants must be between the age of 19 and 29 years on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place
- sub-vet men/women – the younger participants must be between the age of 30 and 39 years on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place
- vet men/women – the younger participants must be between the age of 40 and 49 years on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place
- master men/women – the younger participants must be 50 on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place
Medical
2.1 During the race, the Mt. Kenya MTB series Medical Officer reserves the right to withdraw a participant who is not deemed physically capable of continuing. 2.2 Any medical expenses incurred will be for the competitors account and will be claimed from their medical aid. 2.3 All competitors need comprehensive medical aid which will cover any medical expense which may be incurred whilst participating in the Mt. Kenya MTB series which is conducted in the spirit of self-contained, self-reliant backcountry cycling.
Bicycles
3.1 Only Mountain Bikes in good working order will be allowed to start the race. 3.2 Bike Marking: 3.2.1 Bikes must be marked with official Mt. Kenya MTB series number board. 3.2.2 It is each participant’s responsibility to ensure that their bike is appropriately marked. 3.3 Bikes must be race-ready at the start of each stage, and during the race; 3.3.1 The bike is correctly marked. 3.3.2 The front number board is securely fitted and visible from the front. 3.3.3 The bike is in safe working order. 3.4 Maintenance of bicycles during the race is the responsibility of each participants. 3.5 Bike repair services will be provided by outsourced service providers at stage finishes 3.6 In all cases of maintenance and repair, participants are required to complete the full distance of the stage with their bikes and within the time allowed. 3.7 Bicycles may be propelled only through a chain set and by the participant’s leg action, without any form of assistance (electrical or otherwise) 3.8 Tandem bikes are allowed.
Helmets and Clothing
4.1 A participant not wearing a helmet at any stage of the race will be disqualified and removed from the course immediately. 4.2 All helmets must comply with international “ANSI” standards. 4.3 Appropriate riding attire, including a shirt, must be worn at all times. Team members do not have to be dressed identically. 4.4 Eye protection is strongly recommended. 4.5 It is recommended that fully enclosed footwear be worn. 4.6 No participant may display or reproduce the official event logo or any derivative thereof on any riding attire and/or team clothing without the written approval of the race organisers, which should be obtained prior to any such riding attire being manufactured.
Team riding and separation time penalties (STP’s)
5.1 Participants must ride with his/her team partner at all times. 5.2 Any participant may receive physical assistance from his/her team partner or from a fellow competitor. For purposes hereof, “physical assistance” shall mean the sharing of water and nutrition, sharing of bike parts and accessories (including the swopping of bike frames), assistance with maintenance and repair, and pushing/towing by physical contact only. 5.3 Podium contenders may not accept physical assistance from an individual participant who participate in the event although his/her partner had to withdraw. 5.4 No towing between or pushing of participants by means of any mechanical or physical devices is allowed, ie towropes, bungee cords. 5.5 A participant is allowed to “double back” on the route at any time in order to rejoin his/her team mate or in order to reach the nearest tech support zone (if applicable), provided that he/she shall not endanger any other participants in doing so. 5.6 Participants who are separated by more than 2 minutes from their team partner at any point in the stage will receive a Separation Time Penalty (STP) of 1 hour. 5.7 Team participant separation will be measured at the Start, Finish and Check Points, but can also be enforced at any point in the stage. 5.8 More than 1 STP per day can be enforced. 5.9 3 STP’s will result in the disqualification of the team. 5.10 STP’s will be applied to both stage results and to overall results.
Participants Identification
6.1 Both participants in a team must display their entire race numbers at all times. 6.2 Bike numbers must be firmly fixed on the front of the bike, and must not be obscured by cables or any other item. 6.3 Race numbers must not be modified or mutilated in any way, including cutting, adding stickers, removing existing stickers or trimming. 6.4 Race leaders and Stage Winners are obliged to wear the leader jerseys/boards. 6.5 A participant’s sponsor badge/logo fixed on any leader jersey must not cover or obscure the existing Mt. Kenya MTB series branding and sponsors logos.
Obligatory Equipment
These items must be considered the bare minimum, and it is strongly recommended that participants ensure that they are fully prepared to deal with emergencies they may encounter. The following items must, however, be carried by the team during the race: 7.1 First Aid Kit – consisting of a minimum of: 7.1.1 Foil survival blanket 7.1.2 First Aid Dressings x 3 (Sizes 2, 3 and 4 recommended) 7.1.3 Adhesive first aid plasters x 5 7.1.4 Sun-block with a minimum SPF factor of 15 7.2 Any participant on specific personal medications are responsible for supplying and carrying such medication. 7.3 At least 2 liters liquid capacity per participants. 7.4 Multi-tool or bike repair tools. 7.5 Phones can be charged in the Race Village. Bring your own charger.
Start
8.1 The batch pounds open early and the stage start times will be announced at race briefing and supplied in the race guide. 8.2 Differential start zones will be allocated according to overall ranking in the race. 8.3 The top 3 teams in each category will have the option to start from the first row, if present at the start line in time. 8.4 The seeded starting batches will close strictly 10 minutes before the stage start. Participants must enter the start zone as a team with their bikes, and once entered must remain in the start zone with their bikes. 8.5 Any participant and/or teams who are not in their start zones 10 minutes before the start may be required to start in a later starting batch. 8.6 Participants starting in an incorrect starting group will incur a 30 minute penalty.
Route and Stages
9.1 Participants must complete the full designated route and distance of all stages. 9.2 Only participants who complete all 3 stages will be considered Mt. Kenya MTB series finishers.
Individual and Team Times
10.1 Only Team Times will be advertised, but individual participants times will be recorded for the allocation STP’s. 10.2 The team time is determined by the time at which the second team member passes the stage finish line. 10.3 Timing will start when a participant cross the timing mat 10.4 The start line will remain open for 15 minutes after the start gun. 10.5 Participants who start later will not be credited with a late start. 10.6 Any participant who cannot make the start deadline must report to the organisers. 10.7 The finish cut-off time will not be adjusted for participants who are permitted a late start.
Finish
11.1 The finish line closes at 17h00 daily, except for the last stage which closes at 15h00. 11.2 Teams which are deemed by the Race Organisers to arrive at the finish line after the cut-off time will be swept off the route by the sweep vehicle. These teams may continue riding the race, but will not qualify as stage or race finishers. 11.3 Stage winners and overall category leaders must be present at the daily awards ceremony, including the final ceremony.
Traffic Regulations
12.1 The Mt. Kenya MTB series will not have exclusive use of any public roads during the race. 12.2 All regular traffic regulations must be observed at all times during the race.
Nutrition and Hydration
13.1 Participants retain the ultimate responsibility to carry enough water and nutrition with them. 13.2 The Mt. Kenya MTB series Race Organisation will provide water and fruit at Feed Stations on the route.
Seconding and Support
14.1 Competitors may receive assistance from a fellow competitor. (See 14.4). 14.2 Outside seconding, assistance or feeding is permitted in designated areas only. 14.3 Outside assistance includes assisting with bike maintenance, water and nutrition support and physically assisting participants. 14.4 Bike repairs may be performed on the route but without obstructing other participants. 14.5 Neutral feeding, watering and medical assistance will be supplied by the Race Organisation at the feed stations. 14.6 Specific escort or seconding vehicles not provided by the Mt. Kenya MTB series Race Organisers are not permitted to follow the race route. However, supporters may drive their own vehicles along public roads to reach vantage points to vocally support participants. Some sections of the course will be closed to all non-event traffic including some public roads. Their closure must be respected by all.
Withdrawals
15.1 Teams that cannot continue the race, for whatever reason, must immediately inform the Race Office. This can be done at the Race Start, the Finish or at Water points. Withdrawals’ will only be official once you have handed in your bike board. 15.2 18.4 Any participant who withdraws from a stage before it is officially abandoned or who does not reach the designated cut-off point for abandoning the stage will be classified as a DNF. 15.3 In the event of a search and rescue operation being initiated for a participants or team which has withdrawn, but has not informed the Race Office, the cost of the search and rescue operation will be transferred to the participants or team. 15.4 In the event of one team member being incapable of completing the race, The Race Office will assist a participant to change to an individual participant. 15.5 Individual participants will qualify as race finishers.
Ethical and Environmental
16.1 No littering or unnecessary damage to the environment will be tolerated. 16.2 Litter, relating to sports nutrition and feeding stations, will be tolerated within the direct area of the feed stations.
Protests
Any protests must be submitted in writing within 15 minutes of the participants crossing the finish line, to the Chief Commissaire.
Doping
18.1 Mt. Kenya MTB series reserves the right to take doping tests on all participants. 18.2 Positive results will lead to disqualification from Mt. Kenya MTB series, and those results will be forwarded to the national cycling federations.
Disqualification and Penalties
Teams may be disqualified at the discretion of Chief Commissaire / Race Office for any one or more of the following reasons including, but not limited to: 19.1 Riding at any point on any stage without a helmet. 19.2 Excessive littering. 19.3 Disrespect or damage to the environment. 19.4 Bad sportsmanship. 19.5 Abuse of Race Officials. 19.6 Traffic Rule violations. 19.7 Breaking of Mt. Kenya MTB series Rules as described above 19.8 Time penalties will be applied to Stage results, as well as to Overall Race results or General Classification
Basic Mountain Bike Racing Rules and Etiquette
20.1 Participants must complete the entire distance of the race, and the responsibility for following the official route lies with the participants. 20.2 A participant is not permitted to take any shortcuts or to omit a circuit, or take other advantage of a similar nature against opponents. 20.3 Participants, who exit the route of the course for any reason, must return to the course at the exact same point from which they exited. 20.4 Participants must act in a polite manner at all times, and permit any faster participants to overtake without obstructing. 20.5 Participants must respect the countryside and ride only on the official route. Participants must avoid polluting the area, and not leave any waste or litter. 20.6 No glass containers of any kind are permitted on or near the course. 20.7 Participants must not use offensive or abusive language during the race, act in an unsporting manner, be disrespectful to the officials, or ignore the race regulations.
Discretion of the Chief Commissaire
Where any additional rule interpretation is required, or where specific provision for any incident has not been made in these rules, the decision of the Chief Commissaire will be final. Rule and/or Offence
- First Offence
- Second Offence
- Third Offence
- Remarks
- Bicycles and Equipment
- Disqualification
Not wearing helmet
- Disqualification
Separation Time Penalties
- 1 Hour TP
- Additional 1 Hour Time Penalty
- Disqualification
Participants Identification
- Verbal Warning
- 10 Minute TP
- 30 Minute TP
Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ
- Obligatory Equipment
- Verbal Warning
- 20 Minute TP
- 1 Hour TP
Traffic Regulations
- Verbal Warning
- 30 Minute TP
- I Hour TP
Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or disqualification
- Seconding and Support
- 1 Hour TP and warning
- Disqualification
Ethical and Environmental
- 1 Hour TP
- Additional 1 Hour TP
- Disqualification (A serious first offence can also result in Disqualification)
Doping
- Disqualification
Registration and Briefing
22.1 Race registration takes place at the venue and at the time and place indicated on the race website. 21.2 Participants must report to registration and bring any form of ID with a photograph on it. 22.3 All participants must have registered by the cut-off time indicated on the race website on the day preceding the first stage of the race. No category changes will be permitted after race registration closes. 22.4 A pre-race briefing will take place at the time and place indicated on the race website.
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if by 15th September 2019 75% refund if by 30th September 2019 50% refund if by 15th October 2019 0% if cancellation is after 15th October. (if at this late stage your partner cannot participate anymore, you will be allowed to do a late substitution, or partake as a single participants. You will be allowed to collect your partners’ race pack. PLEASE hand in unused bike board. Inform the entry office if you will be a single participant!); – Under no circumstances will an entry be rolled over