Communique no 1 for Club Road Nationals

This is important information for all riders going to club road nationals. The team manager is Steve Stannard . 

Communique 1   

Welcome to the 2015 Club Road National Championships. On behalf of all officials and riders, I would like to thank Stephen Cox and his team from Dynamo Events for the months of hard work they have put in to enable this event to be held.   

The Commissaire team is appointed by the Cycling New Zealand Road & Track Technical Panel. Our role is to ensure that the UCI and Cycling New Zealand racing rules are respected and that every competitor has a fair and equal chance to deliver their best performance on the day.   

1. Managers Meeting  

Your Club team manager (or a representative thereof) must attend this meeting. All announcements regarding the racing will be given, along with any amendments to the programme or procedures. The managers meeting will be at Puketapu School on Wednesday 30^th April at 5.00pm.   

There will only be ONE managers meeting, all other information will be distributed by Communique. For clubs that may not be represented at the meeting, please contact Race Management for copies of Communiques and other race information.  

In case of any race clarification, health or safety, all clubs must advise the name and contact phone and email details of the Team Manager to the Commissaires Secretary, Graeme Bell, at gabell@xtra.co.nz.  

2. Event Permanence / Race HQ  

On competition days, all communiques, start lists, confirmed results and race sign on desks will be located at Puketapu School.  

3. Entries  

Entries for the championships have closed. The organiser will post Entry Lists for all events on his website for your initial reference. On completion of the Manager’s Meeting, Start lists for the Time Trial events will be issued. Start Lists for the road races will be issued the evening before the race.  

3.1       Entries are binding. If any rider is scratched after the closing dates for entries, the team manager is to supply a written explanation and/or medical certificate to the Commissaires Secretary. Sanctions will be imposed if the explanation is not accepted.  

3.2       Club Championships are closed to Registered Trade Teams, however Trade Team riders may enter via the club they are licenced with. Trade Team riders must wear club uniforms, but are permitted to wear their trade team shorts.  

3.3       The criteria for combining Masters Age categories will be:  

1. If there are a minimum of 8 entries, a separate race will be held for any given Masters category  
2. If there are fewer than 8 entries, that category shall be combined with another race category, but will retain its own classification and medals within that race.   

4. Licences   

4.1   Riders are to ensure they have a valid 2015 licence (Race Youth, Senior or Master  

Membership) card with them, or have it readily available, at all times during the Championships, or if it is still being processed, a receipt and a form of photographic identification (eg, drivers licence).   

4.2   Managers must confirm that their riders are licenced. Lists will be sent to all clubs for verification once entries close. All riders and team officials, (including team managers, drivers, mechanics and handlers) must hold a current licence.  

4.3   Managers will NOT be required to collect and present licences, but as noted in 3.1 riders and team officials must have their licences available throughout the event.  

4.4   Any Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificates are to be presented with the licence at the  

Manager’s Meeting.   

5. Rules   

Racing will be conducted under UCI regulations and Cycling New Zealand Technical Regulations. As all events take place on open roads, it is a condition of racing that New Zealand traffic regulations are adhered to. It is also mandatory that helmets are worn at any time a rider is on their bike. Riders must keep left, use only the left half of the road and where marked, must not cross the road centre line at any time.   

5.1  Sanctions: The Cycling New Zealand scale of penalties will apply.   

6. Equipment   

6.1   Bicycles must conform with current UCI regulations and NZ road laws. All bicycles must have two independently operating brakes (one front, one rear). Fixed wheels are NOT permitted.  

6.2 UCI Equipment Regulations are in UCI Cycling Regulations Part 1 – General Organisation of Cycling as a Sport, Chapter III Equipment http://www.uci.ch/inside–uci/rules–andregulations/regulations/ A handy document clarifying the Equipment Regulations can be found on the Club Nationals website* along with a copy of the Cycling New Zealand Technical Regulations  

6.2   Helmets must be compliant with appropriate NZ Transport Agency Standards for use on open roads, including those used in the Individual Time Trial.   

6.3 All riders will be required to attach timing transponders to their bikes, to enable the electronic timing to operate. These will be provided.   

6.4 Regulations for Junior Riders changed earlier this year. Maximum Rollout for U17 is now 7.0m. U15 riders are not allowed aero helmets in time trials   

7. Riders Apparel   

Riders must only wear their approved Club jerseys and shorts. Shorts may only display sponsors that are detailed on the rider’s racing licence. Members of a UCI international trade team or registered NZ domestic trade team are permitted to wear their team shorts only and must wear club jerseys. A start may be refused for any incorrectly attired rider.   

If you have any queries over this matter, please contact the Chief Commissaire or Technical Delegate prior to traveling to Hawkes Bay, to avoid any disappointment on the day.   

8. Time Trial   

8.1 No sign on required for the Time Trial but riders must report 5 minutes prior to their start time for equipment checks, and for junior grades, rollout measurement.   

8.1   Race Numbers – One required, centrally placed on the lower back pocket area. Transponders will be issued and must be fitted.  

8.2  Riders will be held in the start box but not restrained. Accordingly, riders who break the start will incur a time penalty.   

8.3 A rider having missed his start time may, at the discretion of the Starter, be allowed a start which will be from a stationary, held position. The race time will be taken from the riders original allocated start time.  

8.4  Support – There is no team support permitted and no vehicles following or out on the course, other than those of the Commissaires or race officials. Sanctions may be imposed if nonauthorised team or supporters vehicles are seen following riders on the course  

8.5  A sag-wagon will pick up other riders who abandon the event.  

8.6  Only cyclists who are in competition are to be on the time trial course. Warm ups are not  permitted on the course.   

9. Road Races   

9.1 Riders must sign on for all road race events, at least 15 minutes prior to race start.  

9.2  Race Numbers: Two numbers must be worn on the jersey, one on the lower pocket area, the other on the left flank. Numbers are not to be altered or folded in any way. Transponders will be issued and must be fitted.  

9.3  Neutral service vehicles in the form of cars and motos will be provided. Wheels will be required from teams to support the races. Please identify your wheels with the riders’ number on cardboard and give these to the neutral wheel vans well before the race. Officials will aim to get the correct wheel to a rider, but no guarantee can be given. Priority for service will be to those riders in medal contention. In all cases, service will be on the left side of the road only and riders must be stationary.   

9.4  Only cyclists who are in competition are to be on the race circuit. Supporters and any unauthorized vehicles are not to follow riders or interfere with the official race convoy.   

9.5  Feeding (for races 100km or greater): This will only be conducted from the designated feed zones by team managers and their accredited assistants. The laps for opening and closing of feeding will be advised prior to the respective races.   

9.6 Riders may only use the left side of the road. Where a centre line is marked, riders must not cross it.  

10. Withdrawals   

Any rider withdrawing from a race must remove their race numbers and advise the finish line officials   

11. Protests   

Any protests are to be made to the President of the Commissaires Panel (PCP) within 30 minutes of the completion of an event. Only a Team Manager is permitted to submit a protest, on behalf of the rider and must do so in a courteous and professional matter. Any decision of the Commissaires Panel is final, there are no appeals.   

12. Medal Allocation   

12.1  Medals are awarded on the following basis: If there are 3 riders in a race category, only a gold medal is awared, 4 riders gold and silver and 5 riders and above, gold silver and bronze will be awarded.  

12.2  Paracycling medals will be determined by Para-cycling officials, using a formula based on race time against World Podium Standard.   

12.3  Where categories are combined due to entry numbers, medals will still be awarded for each category within the combined race, on the basis described under 12.1  

12.4  Any change to medal numbers for a race category will be determined by the Commissaires Panel and advised by way of Communique prior to race start.  

13. Medal Ceremony Protocol   

13.1  All riders shall, in accordance with their placing, participate in official ceremonies.   

13.2  Riders must wear their official racing attire.   

13.3  No sunglasses or caps etc to be worn on the podium.   

13.4  Medal winners are required to wear their medals around their necks until they have moved away from the podium area.  

14. General   

Parts of the race circuits are on narrow roads, so it is essential that vehicle traffic is kept to an absolute minimum. If you do head to a viewing position on the circuit, ensure that you head out before racing commences and make sure your vehicles are parked well clear of the carriageway. The organizers will be providing information on where to best view the race, please avail yourself of that information.   

We do also ask that whether you are racing, training or just riding back to accommodation, that you show other road users courtesy, adhere to all road rules and respect the environment.  

If you have any questions about the championships or the procedures and rules we will be following, I would encourage you to contact the Race Manager or myself well prior to your arrival in Hawkes Bay.   

15. Team Packs  

These will be available at Puketapu School from 4.00 – 5.00pm. The managers meeting will follow on from this at 5pm.   

16. Contact Details for Managers  

For up to date information, keep an eye on either   

*   www.dynamoevents.co.nz/club_road_national_championships_home or www.cyclingnewzealand.nz   

We look forward to working with athletes, team managers, event management, officials and supporters to make these championships successful.  

Stephen Holdsworth                  

President of the Commissaires Panel