REGULATIONS
Art.1 Riders
IRON BIKE is an individual or two persons team race. Riders shall declare if they participate in team or individually at the time of registration, they can change their decision to participate in team or individually only until one week before the race, after that date no change can be made. IRON BIKE has to be considered a very demanding race inspired to the Paris-Dakar Rally. The minimum age to participate is 16 years (parents’ authorization required for the minors).
Art.2 Image
Riders undertake not to show obscene, political and/or religious advertising or any other type of advertising that could be in conflict with the official race sponsors and/or with the organizers. Race leaders or those riders who win free participation in foreign races must wear the IRON BIKE jersey, upon request of the organizers. Riders accept to grant their permission to use their images taken during the event.
Art.3 Requirements
Riders must show a valid licence for Competitive Sport issued by a national or international sport Federation or Sport Promotion Board. Riders without valid licence can get one the day of the scrutineering provided that they show the following:
- medical certificate issued by a sport doctor or sports medicine centres testifying they have been visited and declared able for competitive sports
- one ID photo
- identity card.
Only MTB bicycles will be allowed to start the race. Bicycle parts can be replaced at any moments, the whole bicycle can be replaced in case of frame breaking after having given communication to the O.C. Racers who intend to use motorized bicycles will not enter the overall ranking.
Art.4 Stage Starts
Official stage start will be usually preceded by a briefing explaining all stage details.
Art.5 Starting order
At the end of each stage, a stage classification and an overall classification will be shown. The starting order of the following stage will be the reverse of the overall classification. Exceptions are possible.
Art.6 Special stages
Each stage can include one ore more special stages, which can be consecutive or separated by transfer road sections.
Art.7 Refreshment points
One or more refreshment points are provided along the stages, to supplement the food taken by each rider according to his/her personal needs.
Art.8 Checkpoints
On each stage there will be one or more checkpoints. Hidden checkpoints are not excluded. Riders who are not detected when passing one or more checkpoints or who come from the wrong direction will receive the highest penalty foreseen.
Art.9 Safety provisions
Riders must wear a helmet during the entire race, they must also carry an emergency kit, which must include following compulsory items:(supplied or not by the Organizing Committee).
Whistle,
Aluminium survival blanket,
Rain-proof, windbreaker jacket,
Mobile phone,
a lighting system by bike lamp or headlamp (when required by the Organizing Committee)
The number of the mobile phone must be communicated to he Organizing Committee the day of the scritineering, its functioning will be checked the first day. It must be kept in a shock proof cover and must be carried all along the race. The mobile phone must be used by the riders to immediately inform the racing officials about any accident the rider notice or to be contacted by the racing officials.
It must be used specially in case of withdrawal from the race, for whatever reason. Failure to inform the racing officials may cause difficult and expensive search and rescue operations that will be charged to the rider.
Search and rescue operations will be planned and carried out by the Organizing Committee according to the situation. In case of injury the rider shall be rescued with proper means and taken to the nearest hospital where any obligations by the Organizing Committee cease.
In case of simple withdrawal the rider shall be sent to the collection points and driven to the base camp at the end of the stage. The recovery of the bike, if possible, and its transfer to the base camp shall be carried out with any means and with the greatest care, the Organizing Committee cannot be held responsible for any damages occurred. The recovered bike will only be returned to its owner.
In order to guarantee the emergency communications between participants and racing officials a deposit of 100 Euro will be required to each competitor. Should the participant not communicate to the racing officials in due time its withdrawal from the race then the deposit will not be refunded.
The officials shall check the mobile phone and the compulsory items both at the scrutineering and during the race. The Organizing Committee will rent a mobile phone to those competitors who haven’t got it (renting fee 100 Euro).
Art.10 Accommodation
The competitors are obliged to sleep at the base camp in a tent, in the open air or in makeshift accommodations. Accommodation in hotels or mobile homes or camper are in any case excluded and not allowed.
Art. 11 Luggage
The organization grants the transfer of riders' luggage (30 kilos max including tent but excluding any prize won during the race) to the base camps during the whole race, it can however not be held responsible for any damages occurred to fragile goods not properly packed and protected. Luggage shall be weighed the first day, exceeding luggage must be left in each own car. Riders must remove their tents and load them with their luggage on the luggage vehicle at least half an hour before the start of the first racer or when indicated by the Organizers during the stage briefing.
A reduced luggage (20 Kilos max = max 50 litres capacity = mountain rucksack) is required in high altitude camps, or where expressly indicated by the Organizers. This limit can be further reduced in case of extreme conditions.
Riders delivering late their luggage will incur in the same penalties foreseen for delays on the stage target time.
Art. 12 Riders obligations
Competitors and escorts are obliged to respect the environment. No littering or damage to the environment or any waste whatsoever (water bottles, packaging, bike spares, etc) left on the road and in the locations of the stages will be tolerated. Disposing of garbage of any kind will lead to disqualification. Riders are asked to follow the itinerary, to help other competitors, to inform the Organizer Committee using the cell phone in case of accident, to privilege sportsmanship and fairness, and to conform to any Organizing Committee’s decision.
Riders must observe at all times during the race all traffic regulations in force.
Art. 13 Times
To each rider for each stage will be assigned a starting time, a target time (theoretical riding time) and a maximum time (cut-off time).
Art.14 Penalties
Stage: 10 points for every minute of delay over the target time (theoretical riding time), i.e. the difference between the target time and the arrival recorded time.
Special stage: 1 point for every second of delay over the best special stage time, i.e. the difference between the best special stage time and the arrival recorded time.
10000 points will be charged for: exceeding the maximum time (cut-off time), failure to respect even one checkpoint, failure to wear the helmet, lack of compulsory equipment or equipment out of order, violation of the safety rules, showing up at the start later than half an hour after the starting time.
This penalty shall in some cases be reduced, upon decision of the Organising Committee, for example when, for safety reasons, cut-off gates will be introduced so that riders can reach the end of the stage by the fastest road. The racers must decide, according to the situation and to their physical condition whether or not to cross the cut-off gates.
On departure from the base camp for a transfer section, the competitor may arrive later than his/her scheduled time (but not over half an hour later, otherwise he will not be allowed at the starting line), while for the start of the Special Stage, he/she can start when he wishes, without adding on any extra time, as it has always been.
Should the start from the base camp (or stage start) coincide with the start of the special stage the rider cannot use the above mentioned option and his/her Special Stage time will run as from the time of the official START (with the application of the penalties as envisaged for the Special Stages.).
Art. 15 Penalty factors
Riders who who exceed 30.000 penalty points or who don’t end all stages will be disqualified (they will not therefore receive the finisher T-shirt). The penalty points given for having exceeded the maximum time take into account only delays over the target time and not, as it was before, over the best special stage time.
In case of withdrawal each biker must inform officials by phone at emergency numbers without delay. In the event that only one team member withdraw for personal reasons, the other team member can decide to continue the race individually with a penalty of 500 points. Tandem bikes will be considered as teams.
Art. 16 Prologue
The race will be preceded by a prologue which determines the first ranking and therefore the starting order of the first stage. The prologue must be considered as a stage, a coefficient can be applied and in case of equality in final results, the ranking of the prologue will be considered.
Art.17 Coefficient
The O. C. reserves the right to modify the route, if necessary for incidental reasons, and/or add part of route particularly interesting for the image and to insert coefficients - always previously declared and not applicable after - in order to multiply the penalties’ ratio.
Art.18 Fairness
The O. C. undertakes to offer the bikers a situation of equality and to consider all of them on the same level, also from a psychological point of view, making all necessary actions in order to level privileges deriving from being familiar with the race’s route, from the nearness to the family, or the assistance from unauthorised staff which is not part of the organisation (art. 12 - last paragraph). Biker’s personal assistance can assist only by the official assistance points indicated on the Road Book.
Art. 19 Protests
Any protest including evidence of the same must be submitted in writing and signed to the race jury within half an hour after the posting of the order of arrival. A fixed deposit (Federal Committee € 50,00) must accompany any protest before the protest will be considered. If the protest is not upheld the deposit shall not be refunded The name of the claimant shall or not be disclosed. Deposit can be returned only if the protest is upheld.
Art.20 Registration
The entries will close when the entrant list reaches the target number. The O.C. reserves the right to refuse an entry without having to give reasons for such refusal.
Art. 21 Prize-giving
The prize giving ceremony will take place in the afternoon of the last stage. The prizes can be cumulative and they will be exclusively handed to the winners personally. Prizes in categories will only be paid if there are at least 3 racers in the category, otherwise the racers will participate only to the general classification.
The free registrations to races or the travel gift vouchers given as prizes cannot be sold or offered to outsiders and must be used on the dates foreseen.
Art. 22 Accompanying persons
Riders can have a personal assistance vehicle at every base camp, the vehicle, with its own identification plate supplied by the organizers, must be driven by a registered person, accredited as support person. Entry fee for each accompanying person is 250,00 Euro. It is possible to register an accompanying person until June 30th, after that date the O.C. does not assure registration and price, especially for accompanying persons driving big vehicles (such as motor homes). Support Persons identified by an identification bracelet are allowed to:
- sleep at the base camp and use all services and meals reserved to the riders,
- give assistance to the riders at the official refreshment points indicated on the road book as well as at the base camp.
Non accredited persons are NOT ALLOWED to use services and meals neither to give any kind of assistance to riders. Failure to comply to his Article will lead to: verbal warning at the first reprimand, 5000 points of penalty at the 2nd and disqualification abandoning the race at the 3rd.
The escorts will be identified by a badge and their cars by an identification plate. All persons without identification badge have no right to use services and to receive meals provided by the Organisation.
Art. 23 AOB
The O. C. has the right to modify the present regulations at any time giving notice on the web site, (about the distance, the base camp locations, or their number). Any modification made during the race which becomes integral part of this regulation will be notified during the daily briefing and/or by numbered information bulletins.
Art. 24 Withdrawals before the race
Refund policy: 80% of the entry fee shall be refunded in case of withdrawal submitted 30 days before the race, 50% 10 days before the race, no refund after that date. The date in which the withdrawal is submitted to the O.C. is considered valid for the refund. The refund policy is valid both for the bikers and for the accompanying persons.
Art. 25 External services
The technical assistance and the massage service will be carried out by an Organization's partner company according to common sales terms. Each competitor shall carefully check that any repairs or replacements are workmanlike performed. The Organisation cannot be held responsible for damages due to badly made repairs.
Art. 26 References
For any subjects not considered in this regulation will be considered valid the regulation of the UDACE federation in force. In case of misunderstandings the Italian version prevails.
Art. 27 Withdrawals during the race
Riders that decide to withdraw or disqualified having reached 30000 penalties can continue the race as bike tourist or follow it by his own car or a companion’s car. He is allowed to use all logistic services foreseen for the participants, except the time keeping and the emergency rescue in case he rides outside the itinerary of the competition or in delay on the scheduled time (after the rescue team that follows the last competitor). The competitor disqualified by the Panel of Stewards of the meeting for infringements will have to abandon the raid.
Art. 28 Race number plate
Riders are obliged to display the original (unmodified, unfolded and without adding anything) race number plate (the starting number is neither to be changed nor to be made smaller) and the other marks supplied by the organization, in particular the national flag. On the helmet the racer can add any other identification whatsoever. notwithstanding the provisions of Art. 2. Failure to comply to his Article will lead to: verbal warning at the first reprimand, 5000 points of penalty at the 2nd and disqualification abandoning the race at the 3rd.
Art. 29 Briefing
The briefing before each stage will be translated in the most common languages, and will supply all necessary information to find the route and other key information such as difficulties etc regarding the following stage.
The Organization shall not be held responsible for any accidents or damages incurred before, during and after the race and reserves the right to refuse any entry at its discretion.
Encl. “J”
Normal luggage must weigh 30 kg , except where the organizer otherwise provides.
A reduced luggage shall be required in high altitude camps: 50 lt capacity ( 20 kg ) rucksack, except where the organizer otherwise provides.
COMPULSORY ITEMS For the race (they may be checked at any time during the race):
Rigid or suspension MTB
Crash helmet
Whistle
Survival blanket
Mobile phone
K-way
Bike lamp or head lamp (when required by the O.C.)
FOR CAMPING (checked during technical scrutineering): Cutlery, tableware and glass
Sandals or soft shoes (for admittance in indoor areas in case of bad weather)
SUGGESTED ITEMS: Overnight camping:
Tent
Well isolated sleeping bag (camps can be at altitudes of 3000 metres )
Foam mattress
Small lamp
Race running: 2-3 bike pants
2-3 jersey
2-3 pairs of socks
K-way
gloves
glasses (googles/sunglasses)
shoes
canvas heat
protein bars and energetic drinks according to racer’s personal needs
first aid kit
After race: T-shirts
shorts
fleecy pullover or pile
hicking footwear
long pants or jeans
rainwear
warm hat
Bike maintenance: 4-5 tubes
1-2 tyres
chain lube
spoke nipple span
puncture patch set
chain tool
2 spare flasks
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