Adventure News: NEW RULES FOR UCI RIDERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2010 ABSA CAPE EPIC

Adventure News: NEW RULES FOR UCI RIDERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2010 ABSA CAPE EPIC - Ndorfin, South Africa

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Tuesday, 26 January 2010
NEW RULES FOR UCI RIDERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2010 ABSA CAPE EPIC

ABSA CAPE EPIC ONLY 2-RIDER TEAM MOUNTAIN BIKE STAGE RACE ON UCI CALENDAR

A new enhanced set of rules for UCI riders participating in the 2010 Absa Cape Epic, the most competitive and only 2-rider team mountain bike stage race on the UCI calendar, has been announced. The former standard UCI rules of mountain biking, which are primarily created for Olympic format cross-country, could often not be strictly applied to this prestigious team event.
The Absa Cape Epic rule book needs to cater for the many amateur riders while UCI licensed riders in turn (who are competing for prize money and UCI points in the Men elite category) must adhere to a more complex set of rules. The regulations therefore need to accommodate both sets of participants with all riders having to adhere to the general Absa Cape Epic race rules (as well as an additional set of policies that is only applicable to teams that enter as UCI licensed riders).

Says Kevin Vermaak, founder and director of the Absa Cape Epic: �Over the past year, we have spent an enormous amount of time and effort in developing a more refined set of rules for our event. The Absa Cape Epic is the only mountain bike stage race with the UCI�s HC status. The HC classification is typically reserved for grand tours such as the Tour de France, the Giro d�Italia and the Vuelta a Espa�a. These races have a long history, some up to 100 years, so they�ve had 100 years to develop and refine their rules as the sport developed. We�re challenged as we are the most competitive mountain bike stage race in an industry that is still growing, but growing strong.

�We�ve been working closely with the UCI, the pro-riders as well as our legal partners, Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, to develop and refine the rules for our race and have done pioneering work in this arena, given that mountain biking is still a relatively young sport. The most common form of competitive mountain bike racing is the Olympic format, the rules of which is unsuitable for cross-country stage events. Stage racing poses different challenges and we�re doing groundbreaking work. The UCI will adopt our rules into their rule book for 2-person mountain bike stage races � an incredible feat for us and shows our global leadership in this type of race,� says Vermaak.

In previous years of the Absa Cape Epic, UCI licensed riders had to adhere to the UCI rule book in the context of the unique racing conditions of the Absa Cape Epic. This sometimes created ambiguity as the UCI rules could not be strictly applied to the event�s different format of racing and the rules were not as comprehensive as the UCI�s rulebook. Specifically, the UCI had no regulations that catered for 2-rider team racing.

There will be very few changes in the Absa Cape Epic rules for amateurs, almost all changes for 2010 are exclusively for the UCI licensed riders. Vermaak continues: �The key changes for 2010 include the incorporation of UCI regulations into either the General Rules of the Absa Cape Epic or the Additional Rules for UCI Licensed Riders. Therefore the 2010 Absa Cape Epic rule book will cater for all incidents that may have previously been covered in the UCI rule book and will therefore stand as the exclusive set of rules for the Absa Cape Epic. There will be no need to reference the UCI rule book in addition to the Absa Cape Epic rule book.�

The new regulations will include the following:
1) Internal technical and tactical support is allowed. This means that any rider, including riders from the same sponsor (but not in the same 2-rider team) can provide technical assistance and equipment from his own bicycle to support another rider. Teams can also form alliances with other riders and teams, even if they are not of the same sponsor.
2) Exclusive Tech-zones for UCI licensed riders at all 3 water points. The organisers will transport 1 wheel set and one tool bag per 2-rider team to each of the 3 water points during every stage. This equipment will be placed in the tech zone and it will be up to the rider to use this equipment to provide his own tech support. No outside human help (i.e. from a rider not also racing) will be allowed. The content of the tool bag is at the team�s discretion.
3) UCI licensed riders who lose their partners will be allowed to continue riding but without interfering in the race. They will be required to ride in an Outcast Jersey, but cannot be within the first 30 teams or interfere with the race or other categories such as the mixed or ladies teams. Any rider or team accepting assistance from the outcast will also be penalised. This will give the rider the opportunity to finish the race, be it unofficially, but still be part of the experience.

Vermaak concludes: �The Absa Cape Epic is unique and the only HC race that amateurs can compete in, so our rule book has to cover both the pro- and amateur riders. We�re thrilled with the results of our efforts and can confidently say that the new rules are much more thorough and relevant for a growing sport confronted with situations that have not yet occurred.�

Visit www.cape-epic.com for more details.