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Race Rules & Etiquette
Right-of-Way, Passing and Being Passed
A rider walking their bike must give way to any rider who is riding.
A rider in an Under 18 category must give way to a rider in a 24Hr category.
There are separate rules for right of way when exiting from the helper and feed zone. In summary, when exiting from the feed or helper zone, give way to your right. These rules are explained in detail in the feed zone and end-of-lap section at the end of this document.
Calling "Track"
This is a race in which all 24Hr gender based categories compete against each other for an overall prize. Calling "Track" does not give a rider the right to expect the rider in front to allow them to pass, however a clearly slower or lapped rider should not obstruct a faster rider. A rider coming up behind another rider and wishing to pass will call "Track". When the rider in front feels it is safe to do so, they will call "On my Left/Right" and move to the appropriate side of the course to allow the overtaking rider to pass on their Left/Right.
The rider being overtaken has right of way until the overtaking rider has passed and is one bike length clear. If the overtaking rider knows that there will be additional riders passing, the overtaking rider should call, for example, "two more coming through" when they pass the rider being overtaken.
Assistance on the Course
You are not allowed to receive any assistance from riders or any other person, other than for emergency medical assistance and first-aid, whilst out on the course. You must carry whatever spares and tools you consider necessary for each lap.
Once you leave the course at the end of a lap and enter the campsite/helper area, you can receive assistance from any person, up to and including complete bike replacement. Your own spares and tools can be replenished by your helpers in the helper area.
Neutral Self-Support
The mid-course checkpoint at 4Km will have water and limited self-service technical support available (tubes, tires, chains, basic tools). At, or before, the end of the race, you will be expected to replace or purchase any items you have used from the neutral self-support area. All repairs at the mid-course checkpoint must be conducted only by the rider. Event staff at this checkpoint and spectators/helpers are not permitted to assist you in conducting repairs.
If you receive unauthorised assistance at any point, then your lap will be discounted.
If you have a mechanical problem and walk your bike back along the course, then your lap will be counted. If you shortcut the course to return to the start or are assisted back to the start, then that lap will not be counted and you must commence a new lap from the start when you are ready.
Medical Assistance
St Johns will be in attendance and the ACT Ambulance Service is on 10 minutes notice. If you are injured and assisted back to the event centre, then your lap will not count. Following treatment, the Chief Commissaire will make a decision on whether you are allowed to continue the race, based on available medical advice. The Chief Commissaire’s decision is final and non-appealable.
Riders encountering an injured rider should report the rider’s location, condition and name or race number to the next manned checkpoint they encounter. If the injured rider needs urgent first-aid assistance, you should stay with them until they are evacuated or first-aid arrives. In this event, the Chief Commissaire will credit you with a replacement lap to make up for your lost time. This would be the lap time of your previous lap, and it may require you to be held at the start line until the appropriate time for the replacement lap elapses.
Helpers
All Solo 24Hr riders and Under 18 6+6 riders must have a nominated helper at the race site who can be contacted by mobile phone (provision of this information is part of your online entry). One helper can support a maximum of 4 riders.
Withdrawing, Extended Rest Periods and Rider Assessment
Withdrawing From the Race
A rider may withdraw from the race at any time. If they choose to withdraw, they must notify the event staff at the timing tent. A rider who withdraws is not allowed to rejoin the race.
Taking an Extended Rest Break
If a rider wishes to take an extended rest (more than 1 hour off the course) before resuming the race, they should advise the timing tent staff so that lost-rider procedures are not instigated when they fail to come through timing. There is no requirement to advise the timing tent staff when they resume the race.
Removing a Rider from the Race
The Chief Commissaire may remove a rider from the course for assessment if in the Chief Commissaire's opinion the rider is showing signs of extreme fatigue or other condition which may be detrimental to the rider or to other riders in the race. Following assessment, the Chief Commissaire will either:
- allow the rider to resume racing,
- mandate a rest period before the rider can resume the race, or
- withdraw the rider from the race.
This decision is the sole responsibility of the Chief Commissaire and is non-appealable. There will be no compensation for the rider for the time taken for the assessment process.
General Bike Rules
Bikes
Your bike must conform to the MTBA rules for mountain bike racing. You are allowed to use any number of spare/replacement bikes in the race and you will be provided with 2 copies of your bike number at registration. You may only change bikes at the helper support area when you are off the course.
A single speed rider is permitted to change the fitted gear ratio on their bike in the helper area or the campsite. They may also use a replacement bike with a different ratio.
Helmets
You must wear an Australian Standards (or MTBA approved equivalent – see the MTBA website) bicycle helmet at all times at the event when you are riding a bike. "Skate" style helmets are not approved for this race.
Change of Category Due to Bike Change
You are not allowed to change category once the race has started, unless you are a single speed rider who is moving to a geared bike. Once this change is made, you must advise the timekeepers immediately and you will be removed from the single speed sub-category. You cannot change back to the single speed sub-category at a later time.
Lights
At night, you must have a red rear flasher, a white front light minimum 5W halogen equivalent, plus a spare white light (this can be a second front light, head lamp or a small torch). You will be advised during the race briefing what time you must have lights fitted, and your helpers will be reminded throughout Saturday afternoon by public address announcements and signage in the helper area.
The Feed Zone and End-of-Lap Rules
At the end of each lap, you will ride past the timing tent in single file and then under the finish arch. Depending on what degree of support you need from your helper you will then take one of three routes:
Your helper is not allowed onto the course in the feed zone. They can pass drinks and small food items over the fence onto the tables.
This is the only feed zone on the course, however there is emergency water at Checkpoint 1 (4Km).
| Route A | Route B | Route C |
|---|---|---|
| You do not need to pick up anything at all this lap, and you will not stop.
Stay on your bike and keep riding, keeping to the right of the centre barrier, and start the next lap. When rejoining the course, route A has right of way over routes B & C. |
You want to pick up drinks and food your helper has placed over the fence on the support tables, and then continue on the next lap.
Dismount from your bike and walk it past the tables, keeping to the left of the centre barrier and keeping moving Collect your items and rejoin the course. Do not take this route if you need to stop. When rejoining the course, route B must give way to route A, but has right of way over route C. |
You want a longer food or drink break, a rest, or you need mechanical assistance.
Stay on your bike and slow down! Turn hard left and enter the helper support area through the entry gate. You can dismount and get assistance from your helper in the shelter of the helper support tents, or ride back to your campsite. When you are ready to resume your race, come back to the helper support area and rejoin the course, riding through the exit gate, giving way to all other riders. |
| *In general, when returning to the course, give way to riders on your right. | ||
The B and C zones after timing are the only points on the course where riders can receive food/drinks from their helpers. Riders are not allowed to set up food/drinks tables or receive food/drinks or any other assistance from their helpers at any other point on the course.
End-of-Race
The race ends for each rider when they complete a lap after 24 hours have elapsed from the start time. Riders are not allowed to commence another lap after 24 hours, but they must finish after 24 hours in order to receive a valid result. All official race times are taken from the timing tent computers.
Riders may choose to wait on course to allow the 24 hours of race time to elapse. In this case, they must wait more than 100m before the finish line and having done so they automatically give up their right to be involved in any "sprint finish" to the race.
The feed zone and helper area layout will be modified after the 24 hour race duration has been reached to stop riders continuing on the race course and to allow for multiple riders in a sprint finish.