Competition regulations
A) General Granfondo China regulations
1. Granfondo-style cycling is apersonal cycling challenge with timing via electronic chip for non-professionaland recreational cyclists. The event is open to everyone but promotesamateur, or non-professional, cycling. This means that professional cyclists,or former professionals who have retired from pro cycling less than one year(365 days) before the date of a granfondo event, can only ride the granfondo'out of competition', i.e., they will not feature in the result list norreceive any prizes. These cyclists are also expected not to influence theoutcome of the competition and restrict themselves to defensive riding
2. Definition of a ‘professional cyclist’: People who are currently professional cyclists will not be part of the race competition, should there beprizes in a NW Granfondo event. A professional cyclist is a person whose name features on the latest official team list of a UCI licensed World Tour, ProContinental or Continental Team, or an ELITE MTB team or UCI MTB team. The teamrosters and names of riders are available on the website of the UCI, theInternational Cycling Federation. There can therefore be no discussion. Notethat top amateur riders who are hired as occasional guest riders for any of theafore mentioned team categories are not considered professionals and can therefore compete in a granfondo event.
3. Participants are personally responsible to ensure their bicycle, gear and other equipment are fit for the task.
4. Wearing a helmet is mandatory for each participant. No helmet, no start!
5. Triathlon or TT handlebars are NOT allowed for safety reasons.
6. E-bikes are NOT allowed. Anykind of electronic, battery-charged or other mechanical aids on any part of thebicycle is forbidden. People caught cheating against this rule may be banned for life from Nordic Ways events. The Organization Committee (OC) reserves theright to check bikes before the start. Footpeg, locks, etc. shall all bere moved before the start of the event.
7. In addition to ‘mechanical doping’, any rider caught possessing or taking drugs banned by WADA(World Anti-Doping Agency) will be disqualified from the event and potentially banned for life from Nordic Ways events. If you must take a banned productfor medical reasons, please let the race director know in advance of the event providing a TUE or other proof that clearly states you must use the productduring the event on medical grounds.
8. There will be a minimum speed requirement and thus time limits for the long and short distancecourses. Please be aware of the cut-off times at check points because we must stop you if you are slower than the announced time limit for the day. If yourefuse to stop, you will be entirely self-responsible and you might run intodifficulties with local authorities, who are setting clear regulations for ourevent.
The cut-off times for GFTengchong will be communicated in due course. As usual, minimum speed requirement will be around 18-19 km/h
9. Except official event cars and mediacars, no cars are allowed to follow the participants during the granfondo for security reasons.
10. Hydration & energy: Each participant must carry with him atleast 1 500ml bottle of water or energy drink, and a couple of energy gels& bars in case of sudden need. Be self-sufficient, do not rely on others.
11. Participants must obey all orders and indications of the race director and/or his assistant, and any official volunteers along the racecourses.
12. Fair play is the order of the day: riders who are seen conductingun sporting behaviour towards others will get a time penalty and/or will bedisqualified from the event by the Race Jury. This includes pushing or pullingslower people uphill. Pushing or pulling will be penalized by minimum 1 hourfor the first infringement for both riders in question.
13. Even though the granfondo course is expected to be kept traffic-freeby local authorities, expect the unexpected, watch out for any potential cattleand follow standard traffic regulations by keeping to the right side of theroad and stopping for red traffic lights.
14. Participants must follow the course as marked by the OrganizingCommittee (OC). Course marking always overrules GPS maps as on any day,emergency route modifications may occur.
15. Intermediate checkpoints with electronic time measurements are put at random places along the course and must be passed by each rider. No passage at a checkpoint or any other kind of short cutting will result in disqualification from the day's competition. Note that participants going off the official course will be self-responsible for any risk or injury occurring during this time.
16.Complaints about race results can be communicated to the race jury at the finish line until 30 minutes after the participant’s finish time. Note that a deposit of 300 RMB will be required for the jury to handle the case. If the complaint is deemed justified by the race jury, the person who filed the complaint will get the deposit back.
17. Every granfondo stage will have separate starting blocks that mustbe adhered to. Participants who start in the wrong block will receive a timepenalty of fifteen (15) minutes. The start block order is decided perGranfondo event specifically
18. Leave No Trace - Participants are not allowed to throw litter on therace course and should keep it with them until the next aid station ordesignated littering zone. Smoking is not allowed in the starting and finishingarea. There will be a designated smoking area on-site.
19. The Race Director, supported by the Race Jury, is authorised to shorten race distances or cancel the event due to unforeseen or exceptional circumstances that jeopardize the security of the event or its participants.
20. Each participant must read through the full specific eventregulations and guidelines. By starting a race, the participantacknowledges and accepts the event regulations.
21. If anything is unclear, please address your question to a NordicWays staff or to info@nordicways.com
B) GF TENGCHONG - SPECIFIC REGULATIONS 2023
1.In 2023, the long-distance category is exclusively reserved for participants riding a road race bike. No MTB, gravel, hybrid bikes allowed.
2.In 2023, the short-distance event has two categories: 1) road race bike and 2) MTB bikes. No hybrid, gravel or other bikes allowed.
3.All participants are expected to check-in at the start venue and in their start block at least 15 minutes before the start of the race.
4.Granfondo Tengchong has two challenging courses with a high degree of technicality. This implies sometimes poor road surface and twisty sections, downhill, with lots of corners. If you are not comfortable riding in a group, consider riding by yourself. Safety first for everyone.
5.The start of each stage in the 2023 Granfondo Tengchong will have 4 separate starting blocks. The Block A is reserved for invited athletes and the top riders in the general classification (top 25 men and top 25 women). Block B is for long distance road bike, Block C for short distance road bike and Block D for short distance MTB.
6.Altitude sickness and sunburn. Tengchong sits at 1600m above sea level. Not extremely high, but people sensitive to altitude should take note and come a day earlier for acclimatisation. Given the altitude, it is also easier to get sunburn and heatstroke. Take protective measures.
7.The general classification (GC) of the 2023 Granfondo Tengchong is based on the accumulated race times of each rider in each stage of the event. The classification of each stage will be based on race time (gun time at the start) and the ranking order of riders across the finish line. If a rider fails to finish a stage, he will not be ranked in the GC classification. And in Tengchong Challenge, there will be a GC (general classification) ranking for both the long and short distance (RD bike and MTB bike).
8.In addition to the general classification, there will also be age group rankings and ceremonies for the long-distance riders in the +40, +50 groups.
9.Podium ceremony: The best riders in the overall and age group rankings will be invited to a podium ceremony after each stage. Please follow the instructions given on race day.
10.Each participant must wear a number on the left rear pocket of his jersey. The seat post stickers must be placed according to the guidelines provided by our time-keeping team at race pack collection
11.There will be intermediate checkpoints and cut-off times along the course. All participants are supposed to cross these checkpoints within the time limit set by the race director. Someone who does not gets registered at a checkpoint will be disqualified from the race result. Someone who arrives outside the time limit at a checkpoint will be required to stop cycling and enter the DNF Bus. Check the cut-off times at each checkpoint before the race! At the finish, these are the times of the finish closure.
Stage 1 Cut-Off: 14:00 long distance; 12:45 short distance.
Stage 2 Cut-Off: 18:30 long distance; 12:30 short distance.