support crew

Are you eager to trounce the sani2c nonstop? The first step is to establish a team, which should not be taken lightly. The ideal team is a symbiotic one that is meticulously prepared and has thoroughly considered its approach. It’s essential that the members of your support team are as passionate, knowledgeable, and energetic as the cyclists. In fact, they are more than supporters. Your crew needs to understand the rules of the event and must arrive and cross the finish line on Scottburgh beach together with the team for all to be awarded finishers medal.

Although, to avoid congestion, only one support vehicle will be permitted per team, we encourage you to have at least one other crew member, in addition to the driver, in the vehicle. Drivers should preferably be experienced 4x4 drivers equipped with basic orienteering skills. The support crew will be responsible for supporting their cyclists and other teams in various sporting ways. They will be responsible for:

• Carrying all hydration and energy supplements for their team.
• Keep cyclists informed about developments during the event.
• Helping with any mechanical issues and carrying of spares for their team’s bikes.
• Back-up safety support for their team along the few busy road sections and crossings.
• Transportation of extra team bikes and wheel sets. (Teams will be permitted to exchange bikes on route. For example, from mountain bike to gravel bike to road bike for different sections.)
• Helping with all medical, safety and security issues of teams, including transporting relevant equipment.

rules for support crew

• Commitment of crew: By signing up as a supporter—whether a driver or otherwise assisting—you will be required to adhere to the rules of the event and assist with certain functions and requirements, both for your own riders and others.
• Number of supporters per team: Only one support vehicle is permitted per team, but each team can have multiple support crew members, each of whom must register and pay to participate. The entry fee includes apparel and all the necessary maps and permits.
• Registration: Registration for teams and support crew will take place at Glencairn on Friday afternoon before the start from 15:00 to 18:00. All participants—cyclists, drivers and other crew members—must register and collect the support information at registration.
• Drivers briefing: We encourage all crew members to attend the drivers’ briefing after the race briefing (18:00) Friday evening at Glencairn Tractor Shed.
• Right of way: Cyclists will have the right of way over any back-up vehicles during the race. Drivers must also make way for official and emergency vehicles.
• Caution: Cyclists will be traveling on the SAME route as support vehicles on certain sections, which makes it critical to drive considerately and with caution.
• Dusting riders: It everyone’s responsibility to make certain that support vehicles do not create dust for other teams. Vehicles must either move ahead and wait well off the road or drop behind following or approaching teams to avoid dusting cyclists. Be respectful, considerate and use common sense to avoid unnecessary dusting.
• Complaints: Riders will be permitted to lodge complaints against support drivers who do not obey the rules, and who threaten the safety of others and/or act inconsiderately during the event. In these cases, explicit videos of behaviour will help officials to determine penalties or disqualifications.
• Checkpoint marshals: Support crew members will be required to obey instructions given by checkpoint marshals and respond when is required. Checkpoint marshals can implement penalties at their discretion.
• Team number: Supporters should know their team number and always display their official support stickers.
• Checkpoints: Check-in by supporters’ vehicles will be compulsory at all the official checkpoints. Some checkpoints are located on private property. Please respect this. Entry will not be permitted unless you show your official support sticker, which you will receive at race registration. Report your arrival and departure from checkpoints to the checkpoint marshal, who will acknowledge you by noting your team number.
• Tracking: The event will make use of tracking devices. Due to poor signal on parts of the route, tracking maybe difficult. Please use the apps available to track your team as effectively as possible. Officials will not always know where your riders are. Please be patient while waiting for them.
• Leaving checkpoints: Supporters will not be permitted to leave checkpoints before their team arrives.
• Designated route: Drivers must have the relevant maps and know the route and location of all checkpoints. It’s essential to always stay on the designated route.
• No entry: Some roads, areas and farms will be out of bounds. This is largely due to farming operations and/or is for the safety of all involved. Please be aware of these farms and know where to leave the route. Support vehicles will only be allowed on some roads.
• Travelling back on the route: Supporters are not allowed to travel back along the route. If drivers find themselves ahead of their team, they need to park well off the route or go back via another road. Vehicles need to drive in the same direction as the riders on the race route all times.
• Road closures: We do not have road closure. Riders must adhere to the rules of the road. Marshals are there to warn traffic, but the responsibility lies with riders to look out for traffic, ride on the left-hand side of the road, stop at all stop signs and intersections, and only proceed when it is safe to do so.
• Normal traffic: The route is open to normal traffic, farming and road operations. Please obey all traffic rules, officials, marshals, and medics.
• Litter: All litter needs to be taken with you. No litter should be left on the roadside or at any points along the route.
• Good common sense: Sportsmanship and common sense need to prevail. For example, drafting or holding onto vehicles by cyclists is clearly unacceptable. This will result in penalties or disqualification. Again, explicit video footage will help officials determine the extent of the punishment.
• Weather conditions: Please be prepared for all weather conditions.
• Cut-off: If your team does not reach certain cut-off points within the allocated times, it will be the responsibility of the team’s support vehicle to pick up their team members and leapfrog them to the next official checkpoint. When checking in at the next marshalled checkpoint, the team may be allowed to continue but only after justification and strict permission by the race director. Should the team be unable to convince the race director that they be allowed to continue, their driver will be enlisted to pick up the retired team and transport them to the finish or home. Any team that does not complete the entire route with a full team or does not ride the full route will be deemed unofficial finishers.
• Finish line: Supporters must arrive and cross the finish line on Scottburgh beach on foot together with their team.