Rules
FOLLOW THE COURSE
Marshals and signs are there to help but it’s your responsibility to follow the course. Typically, races follow the road rules. That means staying in the right lane and taking roundabouts anti-clockwise, unless otherwise indicated by signage or race briefing.
NO UNOFFICIAL VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE RACE
Spectators and team support cars must not follow the race. This is for everybody's safety.
YOUR BIKE MUST BE SAFE
Your race will be over before it starts if you show up with a bike equipped with aerobars (of course they are allowed for time trials!) or unplugged bar ends. Where there is a bike check, the official will also be looking at brakes, headset and tire wear.
RIDE SAFELY RESPECTING OTHERS
Riding deemed to be the direct, indirect or even just potential cause of an accident may see you pulled from the race. Unnecessary braking, riding without care or forceful physical contact are all dangerous. If you lack experience of riding in a group, you really must practice before joining a race.
WEAR A HELMET
DON'T JOIN ANOTHER RACE
In multi lap races such as criteriums you may not gain advantage by joining riders who did not start at the same time as you. In any race, if you are dropped, you may join riders from other races but may not play an active part in their race e.g. be lead rider, close down breaks etc.
DON'T GAIN ADVANTAGE FROM A VEHICLE
Drafting a passing truck, police or support vehicle is clearly cheating. Should you suffer a mechanical problem, riders in the elite or A Grade race are allowed to use official support vehicles to return only to the back of the race. You may not hold onto the vehicle or its occupants and you are not allowed to ride inside. You are not allowed to receive draft assistance if you have been dropped for any other reason than a mechanical.
LITTERING
Really? You can get a DQ for throwing a gel wrapper? Yes. Police support and use of many venues depends on leaving the course clean. Littering is taken very seriously.
DON'T RIDE WITH HEADPHONES
You need your full attention on the race and awareness of what is happening around you. You must not use a phone, listen to music, use headphones or be distracted by any other device while riding.
LISTEN TO THE RACE BRIEFING
Race briefings emphasise the important safety points on the course. Nine times out of ten they repeat stuff you already read in the race information but sometimes there are last minute changes that are vital to know about. If they are about safety or course changes you could easily find yourself with a DQ. If English isn’t your first language, study the race information, read the rule book, listen to the briefing extra carefully and ask if you don’t understand. Not knowing is no excuse.
Marshals and signs are there to help but it’s your responsibility to follow the course. Typically, races follow the road rules. That means staying in the right lane and taking roundabouts anti-clockwise, unless otherwise indicated by signage or race briefing.
NO UNOFFICIAL VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE RACE
Spectators and team support cars must not follow the race. This is for everybody's safety.
YOUR BIKE MUST BE SAFE
Your race will be over before it starts if you show up with a bike equipped with aerobars (of course they are allowed for time trials!) or unplugged bar ends. Where there is a bike check, the official will also be looking at brakes, headset and tire wear.
RIDE SAFELY RESPECTING OTHERS
Riding deemed to be the direct, indirect or even just potential cause of an accident may see you pulled from the race. Unnecessary braking, riding without care or forceful physical contact are all dangerous. If you lack experience of riding in a group, you really must practice before joining a race.
WEAR A HELMET
DON'T JOIN ANOTHER RACE
In multi lap races such as criteriums you may not gain advantage by joining riders who did not start at the same time as you. In any race, if you are dropped, you may join riders from other races but may not play an active part in their race e.g. be lead rider, close down breaks etc.
DON'T GAIN ADVANTAGE FROM A VEHICLE
Drafting a passing truck, police or support vehicle is clearly cheating. Should you suffer a mechanical problem, riders in the elite or A Grade race are allowed to use official support vehicles to return only to the back of the race. You may not hold onto the vehicle or its occupants and you are not allowed to ride inside. You are not allowed to receive draft assistance if you have been dropped for any other reason than a mechanical.
LITTERING
Really? You can get a DQ for throwing a gel wrapper? Yes. Police support and use of many venues depends on leaving the course clean. Littering is taken very seriously.
DON'T RIDE WITH HEADPHONES
You need your full attention on the race and awareness of what is happening around you. You must not use a phone, listen to music, use headphones or be distracted by any other device while riding.
LISTEN TO THE RACE BRIEFING
Race briefings emphasise the important safety points on the course. Nine times out of ten they repeat stuff you already read in the race information but sometimes there are last minute changes that are vital to know about. If they are about safety or course changes you could easily find yourself with a DQ. If English isn’t your first language, study the race information, read the rule book, listen to the briefing extra carefully and ask if you don’t understand. Not knowing is no excuse.
Other situations, not listed here are assessed according to UCI rules and the level of penalty applied will be decided by the race referee according to the severity of the infraction.
Time trial rules
- To encourage participation, any bicycle allowed by ITU or UCI is allowed in our time trials. However the National Championship (Qatari race) is run under UCI rules where you will be ineligible for awards if not riding a UCI legal bike.
- Aerobars/tribars are allowed.
- Other aero equipment: Helmets, wheels, overshoes etc are allowed.
- The draft zone is 10m (4 bike lengths) from the front of your bike to the back of the bike ahead.
- When in the draft zone you must also be 1 meter to the right of the rider ahead.
- You may not enter the draft zone except when overtaking. Overtake on the left and complete the pass within 20 seconds or drop back outside the draft zone.
- You may not ride side by side.
- When passed, you must drop back within 20 seconds
- Draft marshals will issue a warning (single whistle blast), add a one minute time penalty (2 blasts) or disqualify depending on the severity of the infringement. A warning will not always be given.
- Do not draft
