race rules

Mountain bike events are conducted in the spirit of self-contained, self-reliant backcountry cycling. Riders participate in sani2c with an understanding and acceptance of this ethos. The final version of the sani2c rules will be communicated at the race briefing before the event.

  1. RIDERS
    1. Minimum age of participation is 19 years old by 31st of December of the event year (18 turning 19 in the year of participation.)
    2. Riders must be in good health and well trained.
  2. MEDICAL
    1. During the race, the sani2c Medical Officer reserves the right to withdraw a rider who is not deemed physically capable of continuing sani2c.
    2. Any medical expenses incurred will be from the rider’s account and will be claimed from his/her medical aid.
    3. All competitors need comprehensive medical aid which will cover any medical expense that may be incurred whilst participating in sani2c, which is conducted in the spirit of self-contained, self-reliant backcountry cycling.
  3. BICYCLE
    1. Mountain bikes or similar in good working order will be allowed to start the race.
    2. No more than one bike per rider is allowed. Riders must start and finish the event on the same bike.
    3. Bike Marking:
      1. Bikes must be marked with official sani2c number board.
      2. It is each rider's responsibility to ensure that their bike is appropriately marked.
    4. Bikes must be race-ready at the start of each stage, and during the race. Race ready will mean the following:
      1. The bike is correctly marked with no modification to the number board.
      2. The front number board is securely fitted and visible from the front
      3. The bike is in safe working order
    5. Maintenance of bicycles during the race is the responsibility of each rider.
    6. Other basic bike repair services will be provided by the sani2c at stage finishes
    7. In all cases of maintenance and repair, riders are required to complete the full distance of the stage with their bikes and within the time allowed.
  4. HELMETS AND CLOTHING
    1. A rider not wearing a helmet at any stage of the race will be disqualified immediately.
    2. All helmets must comply with international "ANSI" standards.
    3. Appropriate riding attire, including a shirt, must be worn at all times.
    4. Eye protection is strongly recommended.
    5. It is recommended that fully enclosed footwear be worn.
  5. SEPARATION TIME PENALTIES (STPS)
    1. Riders must ride with his/her team partner at all times.
    2. Riders who are separated by more than 2 minutes from their team partner at any point in the stage will receive a Separation Time Penalty (STP) of 1 hour.
    3. Team rider separation will be measured at the Start, Finish and Check Points, but can also be enforced at any point in the stage.
    4. More than 1 STP per day can be enforced.
    5. 3 STPs will result in the disqualification of the team.
    6. STPs will be applied to both stage results and to overall results.
  6. RIDER IDENTIFICATION
    1. Both riders in a team must display their entire race numbers at all times.
    2. Bike numbers must be firmly fixed on the front of the bike, and must not be obscured by cables or any other item.
    3. Race numbers must not be modified or mutilated in any way, including cutting, adding stickers, removing existing stickers or trimming.
    4. Race leaders and Stage Winners are obliged to wear the leader jerseys/boards.
    5. A rider's sponsor badge/logo fixed on any leader jersey must not cover or obscure the existing sani2c branding and sponsors logos.
  7. OBLIGATORY EQUIPMENT
    These items must be considered the bare minimum, and it is strongly recommended that riders ensure that they are fully prepared to deal with emergencies they may encounter. The following items must, however, be carried by the team during the race:
    1. First Aid Kit – consisting of a minimum of:
      • Foil survival blanket.
      • First Aid Dressings x 3 (sizes 2, 3 and 4 recommended).
      • Adhesive first aid plasters x 5.
      • Sun-block with a minimum SPF factor of 15.
    2. Any riders on specific personal medications are responsible for supplying and carrying such medication.
    3. At least 3 litres liquid capacity per rider.
    4. Multi-tool or bike repair tools.
    5. Mobile telephone (South Africa uses Dual Band GSM 900/1800 - this is the same as in Europe). We do provide an area in the race village for you to charge your phone. Please keep your phone off to conserve battery life as we cannot guarantee to charge all phones and other items each day.
  8. START
    1. The batch pounds open early and the stage start times will be announced at race briefing and supplied in the race guide.
    2. Differential start zones will be allocated according to overall ranking in the race.
    3. The top 3 teams in each category will have the option to start from the first row, if present at the start line in time.
    4. The seeded starting batches will close strictly 10 minutes before the stage start.
    5. Any riders and/or teams who are not in their start zones 10 minutes before the start maybe required to start in the last start batch.
    6. On day 3 of the RACE event there will be a reverse order start. Batch A will start last. If you are in the category prizes or are a contestant of a category prizes you HAVE TO start in A batch. If you do not start in A batch you forfeit your chance to win a category prize. Batch B will start at 6:30AM and batches will leave at 10-minute intervals. Batches H and onwards will leave at 5-minute intervals. A will start at 9:50AM.
    7. Starting early (jumping your batch) will result in a 3 hour time penalty .
  9. ROUTE AND STAGES
    1. Riders must complete the full designated route and distance of all stages.
    2. Only riders who complete all 3 stages will be considered sani2c finishers.
  10. INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM TIMES
    1. Only Team Times will be advertised, but individual rider times will be recorded for the allocation STP's.
    2. The team time is determined by the time at which the second team member passes the stage finish line.
    3. Timing will start with the start gun at the announced time each morning.
    4. The start line will remain open for 15 minutes after the start gun.
    5. Riders who start later will not be credited with a late start.
    6. Any rider who cannot make the start deadline must report to the organisers.
    7. The finish cut-off time will not be adjusted for riders who are permitted a late start.
  11. FINISH
    1. The finish line closes at 6pm daily, except for the last stage which closes at 3pm.
    2. Teams which are deemed by the Race Organisers to arrive at the finish line after the cut-off time will be swept off the route by the sweep vehicle. These teams may continue riding the race, but will not qualify as stage or race finishers.
    3. Stage winners and overall category leaders must be present at the daily awards ceremony, including the final ceremony. Absence will result in a severe thrashing.
  12. TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
    1. sani2c will not have exclusive use of any public roads during the race. Please do not presume that because you completing in a race that there will be no other traffic on the route.
    2. All regular traffic regulations must be observed at all times during the race. (In South Africa we drive/ride on the left hand side of the road!)
  13. CHECKPOINTS
    1. In each stage, there will be mandatory checkpoints, where STP's will be enforced.
    2. Teams, which do not pass the checkpoints, will be disqualified.
    3. The exact location of the checkpoints will not be published, and hidden checkpoints are not excluded.
    4. The exact locations of watering and feed stations will be published.
  14. REGISTRATION AND BRIEFING
    1. Race Registration will be open as noted above.
    2. A complete Race Briefing will take place as noted above.
  15. NUTRITION AND HYDRATION
    sani2c will pass through very dry and very hot areas of South Africa:
    1. Riders retain the ultimate responsibility to carry enough water and nutrition with them.
    2. sani2c Race Organisation will provide water, race food and fruit at Feed Stations on the route.
  16. SECONDING AND SUPPORT
    1. Competitors may receive assistance from a fellow competitor and farmers along the route.
    2. Outside seconding, feeding or assistance is permitted in designated areas only.
    3. Outside assistance includes assisting with bike maintenance, water and nutrition support and physically assisting riders. (This implies that team members may receive physical assistance from their team partner like pushing up a hill. Towing is not allowed).
    4. Bike repairs may be performed on the route but without obstructing other riders.
    5. Neutral feeding, watering and medical assistance will be supplied by the Race Organisation at the feed stations.
    6. Riders are not allowed to draft behind other riders who are not participating in the sani2c, but may draft their own team partner or other riders taking part in the sani2c.
    7. No other form of drafting is permitted whatsoever including, but not limited to, horses, tractors, donkey carts, postmen, private vehicles, motor cycles and trucks.
    8. Specific escort or seconding vehicles not provided by the sani2c Race Organisers are not permitted to follow the race route. However, supporters may drive their own vehicles along public roads to reach vantage points to vocally support riders. Some sections of the course will be closed to all non-event traffic including some public roads. Their closure must be respected by all.
  17. WITHDRAWALS AND THE FORMATION OF NEW TEAMS
    1. Teams that cannot continue the race, for whatever reason, must immediately inform the Race Office. This can be done at the Race Start, the Finish, and at Checkpoints.
    2. In the event of a search and rescue operation being initiated for a rider or team which has withdrawn, but has not informed the Race Office, the cost of the search and rescue operation will be transferred to the rider or team.
    3. In the event of one team member being incapable of completing the race. The Race Office will assist to form a new team in which the single rider can participate. The formation of a new team, however, remains the rider's responsibility.
    4. The formation of new teams can only be done at the end of a stage, and by the latest at 5am in the morning before the start of the following stage.
    5. Single riders will not be allowed to begin any stage on their own.
    6. Newly formed teams will not qualify for team ranking, but individual riders will qualify as race finishers, on condition that they ride as a team with the newly formed team.
  18. ETHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
    1. No littering or unnecessary damage to the environment will be tolerated.
    2. Litter, relating to sports nutrition and feeding stations, will be tolerated within the direct area of the feed stations.
  19. PROTESTS
    1. Any protests must be submitted in writing, to the Chief Commissaries after the rider has crossed the finish line, within the allocated time period.
    2. Race Protests must be submitted within 15 minutes of the rider crossing the finish line.
  20. DOPING
    1. sani2c reserves the right to take doping tests on all riders.
    2. Positive results will lead to disqualification from sani2c, and those results will be forwarded to the national cycling federations.
    3. Any rider caught doping and has already entered sani2c will not be refunded their entry fee
  21. DISQUALIFICATION AND PENALTIES
    Teams may be disqualified at the discretion of Chief Commissaries / Race Office for any one or more of the following reasons including, but not limited to:
    1. Riding at any point on any stage without a helmet.
    2. Excessive littering.
    3. Disrespect or damage to the environment.
    4. Bad sportsmanship.
    5. Abuse of Race Officials and Landowners.
    6. Traffic Rule violations.
    7. Breaking of sani2c Race Rules as described above
    8. Time penalties will be applied to Stage results, as well as to Overall Race results or General Classification
    9. No earphones/headsets/loud speakers allowed to be used during the event on the route.
    10. GoPro’s etc are not allowed to be mounted anywhere on your bike besides on your bike handle bars.
  22. BASIC MOUNTAIN BIKE RACING RULES AND ETIQUETTE
    1. Riders must complete the entire distance of the race, and the responsibility for following the official route lies with the rider.
    2. A rider is not permitted to take any shortcuts or to omit a circuit, or take other advantage of a similar nature against opponents.
    3. Riders, who exit the route of the course for any reason, must return to the course at the exact same point from which they exited.
    4. Any walking, running or riding by a rider, which is carried out without the intention of directly re-joining the course, or other activity in breach of the regulations, which takes place outside of the marked course area, can result in disqualification.
    5. A rider cannot receive any technical assistance along the course from anybody, other than from their own sani2c team partner, a local farmer or another official sani2c rider.
    6. Riders must act in a polite manner at all times, and permit any faster rider to overtake without obstructing.
    7. Riders must respect the countryside and ride only on the official route. Riders must avoid polluting the area, and not leave any waste or litter.
    8. No glass containers of any kind are permitted on or near the course.
    9. Riders must not use offensive or abusive language during the race, act in an unsporting manner, be disrespectful to the officials, landowners or ignore the race regulations.
  23. DISCRETION OF THE CHIEF COMMISSAIRES

    Where any additional rule interpretation is required, or where specific provision for any incident has not been made in these rules, the decision of the Chief Commissaire will be final.

    Rule and/or Offence

    • First Offence
    • Second Offence
    • Third Offence
    • Remarks
    • Bicycles and Equipment
    • Disqualification

    Not wearing helmet

    • Disqualification

    Separation Time Penalties

    • 1 Hour TP
    • Additional 1 Hour Time Penalty
    • Disqualification

    Rider Identification

    • Verbal Warning
    • 10 Minute TP
    • 30 Minute TP
    Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

    Obligatory Equipment

    • Verbal Warning
    • 20 Minute TP
    • 1 Hour TP
    Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

    Route and Stages

    • Disqualification

    Traffic Regulations

    • Verbal Warning
    • 30 Minute TP
    • 1 Hour TP
    Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

    Seconding and Support

    • 1 Hour TP and warning
    • Disqualification

    Ethical and Environmental

    • 1 Hour TP
    • Additional 1 Hour TP
    • A serious offence can also result in Disqualification.

    Doping

    • Disqualification
    • Disqualification Categories
    • Minimum Verbal Warning
    • Minimum 1 Hour TP
    • Minimum additional 1 Hour TP
    Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

  24. CANCELLATION DUE TO FORCE MAJEURE AND SEVERE WEATHER

    If sani2c is forced to cancel a stage (or stages) due to severe weather conditions or fires that puts riders’ safety at risk, the riders will not have any claim against the organisers or any of their sponsors of whatsoever nature in these circumstances.

    sani2c reserves the right to change the route for inter alia, safety and security reasons without notice.

    If sani2c is cancelled in toto as a last resort due to events beyond our control (force majeure) – relating to, inter alia, political turmoil, natural disasters, strikes, protest action or any other major disturbance beyond our control, riders will have no claim whatsoever including but not limited to a refund against the organisers or any of their sponsors. This will include entry fees and or flights and other expenses.

    sani2c will do everything in our power to reroute and to run the event in a safe and secure manner should any event of force majeure arise.

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