King of the Causeway

Road Racing Rules

A. Multiple Fields. If more than one mass start race is to be on the course simultaneously, starting intervals will be chosen such that different groups will not overlap. Organizer reserves the right to combine fields due to small field size.

B. Feeding and water bottle hand up stations shall be located only at designated points wide enough to allow passage of riders with one clear lane at all times. If possible, they should be situated on an uphill stretch with a wide shoulder. Feeding stations should be along the right side of the roadway unless the course is closed to traffic and it is not practical to use the right side. Hand ups from moving vehicle are forbidden and may result in disqualification.

C. Rules of the Road. Riders shall, of their own responsibility, conform to all traffic regulations in force in the area where the race is held [relegation or disqualification could result from failure to follow regulations].

C1. Center Line. If a course is not closed to traffic, all competitors must keep to the right of the center line or enforcement line, but may pass on either side of another rider [warning for accidental crossing of the center line with no advance in position; relegation or disqualification for advancing position or for a flagrantly dangerous attack].

C2. Road Closure. It is forbidden to cross a closed railroad crossing or any other road closure [disqualification]. The following rules apply to railroad crossing and other closures:

(a) If one or more riders who have broken away from the field are held up at a railroad crossing but the gates open before the field catches up, then no action shall be taken and the closed crossing shall be considered a mere race incident.

(b) If one or more riders with more than 30 seconds' lead on the field are held up at a railroad crossing and the rest of the field catches up while the gates are still closed, then in this case the race shall be neutralized and restarted with the same gaps, once the official vehicles preceding the race have passed. If the lead is less than 30 seconds, the closed crossing shall be considered a mere race incident.

(c) If one or more leading riders make it over the crossing before the gates shut and the remainder of the riders are held up, no action shall be taken and the closed crossing shall be considered a race incident.

(d) Any other situation (prolonged closure etc.) shall be resolved by the officials.

C3. The responsibility of keeping on the prescribed course rests with the rider. A rider may not leave the prescribed course unless ordered to do so by public authorities or a race official [disqualification].

C4. Taking pace or assistance from any outside means is forbidden, including holding on to a motor vehicle or taking pace from riders in a different race that is concurrently on the same course [relegation or disqualification].

C5. Competitors who suffer a mishap may be assisted in remounting and may be pushed up to 10 meters [relegation or disqualify for excessive pushing].

C6. Riders are permitted to start with feeding bottles or such refreshments as they wish to carry, but glass containers are strictly prohibited [disqualification]. 101

C7. Support. When not otherwise prohibited, competitors may exchange food and drink among themselves. Tires, tools, pumps, wheels, and bicycles may be exchanged only among members of the same team and a rider may not sacrifice himself for another rider unless on the same team. Such items may also be handed from a person on foot, but not directly from a moving vehicle, except in those circumstances designated by the Organizer [relegation or disqualification].

C8. Feeding. The passing of food or refreshments to competitors shall be at the discretion of the Organizer. Riders may not discard materials that are not biodegradable; they may pass or throw such material to support personnel in places far from any bystanders [relegation or disqualification for littering or unauthorized feeding].

C9. Foul Riding. A rider near the edge of a road who leaves a gap sufficient for an opponent to pass may not suddenly close the gap upon being overtaken [relegation or disqualification].

D. A lapped or dropped rider or one who has fallen too far behind and is considered to be out of contention may be called off the course by the Organizer. Riders on different laps may not give or receive pace from one another. A lapped or dropped rider must not interfere in any prime sprint or finishing sprint and must ride the entire distance in order to qualify for a prize.

E. Race Caravan.

(1) Only officially authorized vehicles may follow races on the road and each such vehicle shall bear distinctive identification and flashing lights. The composition and structure of the race caravan must be approved by the Organizer and all vehicles shall operate under the Organizer's control [failure to follow instructions or actions detrimental to the race may result in penalties up to relegation or disqualification against riders].

(2) The organizer shall appoint a technical director to coordinate technical support and shall provide a sag wagon.

(3) Drivers of support vehicles shall keep to the right of the road and shall follow the rules of the road. Should a support vehicle need to stop, it shall always pull off the road on the right side.

(4) Riders may be assisted only at standstill at the rear of the group, regardless of the rider's position in the race. No rider may be assisted at the front of a group [relegation or disqualification].

(5) Riders may accept help from third parties in effecting repairs and may also, should their bicycle be damaged by other than by a puncture, borrow the bicycle of any cyclist encountered provided that the borrowed bicycle meets the Organizer’s standards.

(6) Caravan vehicles may pass a referee's vehicle only with the permission of the referee.

(7) In the case of a breakaway, a support vehicle may drop in between the breakaway riders and the main group only with the permission of a referee.

F. Feeding.

(1) Riders may be supplied with food or drink in specified feed zones by hand-ups from the organizer's staff or the rider's support staff;

(c) Any riders accepting food or drink from spectators provided that this is not an organized service shall do so at their own risk. The pilfering of supplies from another rider shall be severely punished [disqualification].

G. Primes are sprints within a race. They may be for the lead riders or any group or field of riders. A sign shall be posted on the road edge approximately 500 meters from the appropriate line for that prime sprint. The line used for prime sprints need not be the same as the start or finish line. Primes may be either predetermined or spontaneously designated under the supervision of the Organizer. All primes won shall be awarded to riders even if they withdraw from the race.

H. Road bicycles shall be used. Bicycles used in competition must be propelled solely by the rider's legs and shall have the following characteristics:

(1) Dimensions. Bicycles may be no more than 2 meters long and 75 cm wide

(2) There may be no protective shield, fairing, or other device on any part of the bicycle, which has the effect of reducing air resistance except that spoke covers, may be used

(3) Wheels may be made with spokes or solid construction. No wheel may contain special mechanisms to store and release energy

(4) The handlebar ends shall be solidly plugged and attachments thereto shall be fashioned in such a way as to minimize danger without impairing steering. Handlebars used for steering with ends, features, or attachments that extend forward or upward or that provide support for other than the rider's hands are permitted only in time trial(e.g. no aero bars). [Disqualification] 52

(5) Bicycles commonly known as recumbents may not be raced.

(6) A mass start bicycle is a road or track bicycle that is legal in all events within the road or track discipline, rather than a bicycle that is restricted to particular events. As an example, a bicycle with handlebars offering forearm support is not a mass start bicycle.

(7) Riders are responsible for their selection of competition equipment and for taking reasonable precautions to insure that its condition is adequate and safe for use in competition.

(a) To maintain compliance with these regulations, the equipment and uniform of one or more riders may be examined at any time to discover the use of items which are not allowed or which are obviously improperly adjusted, insecurely fastened, or which may present a danger to the rider(s). The Organizer shall prohibit the use of any such items discovered during the examination. Such examinations are conducted at the discretion of the Organizer. An examination of every rider's equipment is not required.

(b) The race Organizer or sponsors, and their respective agents, officials, employees and volunteers, shall not be liable for any damages or injuries arising from or connected in any way with the condition or adequacy of any rider's competition equipment or uniform, regardless of whether or not such competition equipment or uniform was examined or was not determined to be in violation of the rules.

(8) For road races, only a bicycle with a freewheel and one working brake on each wheel shall be used.

I. A rider's racing age shall be his or her age on December 31 of the current year. All references to age of riders, race age groups, or age class shall be interpreted as referring to racing age. The following terms refer to specific age groups.

Racing Age Groups

Under 10 Youth

10-18 Junior

19-22 Under 23

23-29 Elite (i.e. senior)

30+ Master

J. Relegation is a penalty consisting of a loss of position, points or time, depending on the type of race. It may be assessed against a rider, a team, or both.

K. Disqualification - when a rider is removed from the placing by disqualification, any lower placed riders will be advanced to their next higher finishing place.

L. Conduct

1. No rider shall benefit from his or her misconduct. Misconduct on the part of a team member or support person may result in penalties to any member of the team who places in the event [relegation or disqualification].

2. General Misconduct. The following offenses may be punished by relegation, disqualification or lesser penalties:

(a) Acts of theft, fraud or grossly unsportsmanlike conduct in conjunction with a sporting event;

(b) Entering competition under an assumed name;

(c) Offering, conspiring, or attempting to cause any race to result otherwise than on its merits.

3. Rules and Course. It is the rider's responsibility to familiarize himself with the rules of the event and the race course before the start of the race. Riders may not take any other route or short cut [disqualification].

4. Withdrawal. Riders must immediately follow a referee's order to withdraw from the race.

5. Abuse.

(a) No rider may be disrespectful toward organizers, officials, riders or spectators [warning for minor offense; possible relegation of rider].

(b) No rider may use foul or abusive language or conduct during a race event [relegation or disqualification].

(c) No rider may assault (an unlawful attempt, coupled with the present ability, to commit a violent injury on the person of another) or do battery (any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another) to anyone connected with the event (including but not limited to riders, officials, spectators, public officials, etc...) held under King of the Causeway name. [Disqualified from the event, prohibited from participating in future events for up to five (5) years after due process]

6. No rider may make an abrupt motion so as to interfere with the forward progress of another rider, either intentionally or by accident [relegation or disqualification if a crash results].

7. Dangerous Rider. Any rider who appears to present a danger to the other competitors may be disqualified by the Chief Referee, either before, during, or after a race.

8. Pushing or pulling among riders is prohibited. No rider may hold back or pull an opponent by any part of his or her clothing, equipment or body [relegation or disqualification].

9. Competitors may make no progress unaccompanied by a bicycle [relegation or disqualification]. In the case of a crash, they may run with their bicycles to the finish line, staying on the course.

10. A licensee may be penalized for causing a crash or spill through inadequate tightening or adjustment of a bicycle component, including gluing of tires [relegation or disqualification].

11. Non-Competitor on Course. A rider may not be on the track or course during a race for which he or she has not entered and registered or from which he or she has withdrawn or been directed to withdraw [relegation or disqualification if entered in another race for which the results are not yet final]

12. No person with official responsibilities at a race (including, but not limited to, race officials, marshals and race announcers) shall consume alcoholic beverages while races are in progress and any such person who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or other substances shall be promptly relieved of responsibilities.

13. Gambling. No person with official responsibilities at a race (including, but not limited to, race officials, race announcers, marshals, or organizers) may lay a wager on the outcome of the race they are participating in.

M. Protests and Hearings

1. All protests concerning the order of finish shall be examined and resolved by the Organizer and event officials, whose decision is final and without appeal.

2. All protests regarding the qualification of riders or machines or the regularity of entries or classifications should be lodged with the Organizer or event officials before the race.

3. Procedure. The above protests may be made verbally. All other protests must be in writing and signed by the protestor. Protests must be made within the following time limits:

(a) A protest of foul riding or any other irregularity taking place during the race must be made within 15 minutes after the protestor's finish time.

(b) A protest regarding the final results must be made within 15 minutes after the announcement of results.

4. Decisions. Protests shall be heard and decided either by the Organizer or by other event officials. Said event officials shall conduct deliberations in secret and shall reach decisions by a majority vote. Field of Play decisions made by event officials are not subject to review and will be considered final.