Rules of the Race

Last update 01/12/2020

Art.1 Participant requirements

• Under 30: aged 18 to 29 years

• Over 30: aged 30 to 39 years

• Over 40: aged 40 to 49 years

• Over 50: aged 50 to 59 years

• Over 60: aged 60 and over

• Women 1: aged 18 to 44 years

• Women 2: aged 45 and over

Single category for COUPLE 

RULES Category COUPLES

FRIST CLASS 10 awards: UNDER 30, OVER 30 - 40 - 50

FRIST CLASS 5 awards: WOMAN 1 - 2, OVER 60

FRIST CLASS 3 COUPLE for category

• Art.2 Images
Competitors will not display advertising of an obscene, political or religious nature or advertising that conflicts with the official event sponsors and/or with the race organisers.  Category leaders or winners of races abroad must, if required by the organisers, wear the RALLY DI ROMAGNA leader jersey. Competitors also agree to the use of static photographs and action shots, which will be taken during the event.

• Art.3 Regulations
The MTB Rally is open to all national and international bodies. 
All RALLY di ROMAGNA participants must have a valid cycle racing licence, issued by a sports federation or sports association. 
If an athlete does not have this licence, they may email a copy of their still valid medical certificate of fitness for competitive sports during enrolment and purchase a temporary card (€37.00). 
By registering for the event, athletes declare that the information provided is true to the best of their knowledge and belief. 
Competitors must use MTB bikes that can have parts and, in the event of a broken frame, the whole bike, substituted as needed, once this has been communicated to the organisers.

For all the competitions of the amateur sector that are scheduled from 01.01.2021 the following obligations come into force:

1) The organizer must fully insert the following text in the Race Regulations:

Participation is subject to regular possession of the following requirement:

- for athletes registered with the FCI or a sports promotion body: certificate of fitness to competitive practice for cycling (certificates for other types of sports such as triathlon, duathlon, athletics, etc. are not valid)

- for subjects of Italian residence but not registered with the FCI or sports promotion bodies: certificate of suitability to practice sporting activities of particular and high cardiovascular commitment (as per Ministerial Decree of 24.04.2013) - as per downloadable model

- for subjects of foreign residence: certificate of eligibility to participate in competitive cycling races also issued by a doctor in their country of residence - as the downloadable model (or equivalent)

Possession of a sports card can be understood as an alternative to verifying possession of a regular and adequate certificate only in the case of a sports card bearing the DataHealth logo together with the expiry date of the certificate of fitness for competitive cycling.

2) For persons with non-FCI card (both Italian and foreign), the Organizer is obliged to verify the possession of an appropriate certificate of suitability in one of the following ways:

a) physically acquiring a copy of the certificate of suitability valid for the day (or days) of the competition and verifying its exact compliance with the required requirements (with the obligation to subsequently keep said copy in compliance with the legislation on privacy and the processing of personal data )

b) by reading any QRcode-DH that may be produced by the athlete in possession of this certificate (it remains the responsibility of the organizer to verify that the type and expiry of the certificate shown in the QRcode-DH are consistent with the race ); in this case it will be easier to keep the proof of the verification carried out and digitally keep the copy of the certificate validated by DataHealth *

• Art.4 Starting Positions
At the end of every stage, a stage classification will be drawn up, as well as a general classification with a round up of overall times.  The competitors will start the following stage in a grid with the race leader in the front start line.

• Art.5 Refuelling
One or more feed zones, that are in addition to the food that competitors decide to carry with them, will be provided along the stage route.

• Art.6 Route
Stages may contain one or more stage checkpoints, which may not even be known to the participants. Participants who do not pass one of these points will be given the maximum possible penalty.

• Art.7 Safety Measures
Helmets must be worn for the duration of every stage. Every athlete must also carry a working (mobile) telephone. Telephones will be checked by the technical support team before and during the event, just as the other safety features will be.  Telephones will be tested and athletes must leave their number with the technical support team.

• Art.8 Personal Items
The organisers cannot be held responsible for damage to or theft of athletes’ equipment (or bicycles).

• Art.9 Competitors’ Obligations
Competitors must respect the environment and must not leave rubbish of any kind along the race route or in the race locations. They must keep strictly to the route shown. They must come to the aid of others by using their mobile phone to inform the race director that other competitors may be in trouble; they must favour sportsmanship over competitiveness and respect every decision made by the race organisers. They must always follow the Highway Code. 
Failure to adhere to these regulations will result in the maximum penalty.

• Art.10 Penalties
Athletes who do not complete a stage in the time set by the race organisers will be given the maximum stage time, plus a 1-hour penalty will be added to their time.  Participants who retire from the race must contact the race director immediately.

• Art.11 Route Changes
The race organisers reserve the right to change the itinerary for safety reasons at any time.

• Art.12 Equal Treatment
The race organisers will make every effort to place competitors on an equal footing, affording them equal conditions for competing, including psychological conditions, taking all possible measures to even out the privileges that some competitors have that come from knowledge of the area, having family nearby or from (unauthorised) help from people who are not part of the race organisation. Personal assistance is only allowed along the route at the official support points shown in the race roadbook.

• Art.13 Complaints
The jury will only accept written complaints, signed by individual participants, presented no more than half an hour after posting of the unofficial race classification, along with a deposit set at €50 and proof that backs up the complaint. The name of the complainant will not necessarily be disclosed. 
The deposit will only be returned if the complaint is upheld.

• Art.14 Registration
When the predetermined number of race entries has been reached, registration will close. The organisers may refuse entry to any competitor or crew member and is not obliged to give a reason for refusal.

• Art.15 Prizes
The award ceremony shall take place in the afternoon of the closing leg of the race. Prizes may be cumulative and shall be awarded only to winners who are present. Category prizes will be awarded only if there are at least three racers belonging to that category. If the minimum number is not reached, racers shall be placed in the general ranking.

• Art.16 Supporting Crew
Competitors can be aided by a crew of support staff at each race location. This crew must be led by an accredited support practitioner. 
Support staff will be identified by wearing a special bracelet and vehicles must display special plates. Persons not identified as support staff or competitors will not be allowed access to the canteens or services.

• Art.17 Miscellaneous Provisions
The MTB Rally organisers reserve the right to make even substantial changes to these regulations, to the route, to the race locations or to the number of these.  Any changes to these regulations made during the event will be made known to the competitors during briefings and/or made official through informative circulars that will be numbered sequentially and/or through internet announcements.  They will become part and parcel of the regulations.

• Art.18 Cancellations
In case of cancellation, the registered competitor will be able to claim: 50% of the sum paid until March 31st; until April 30th 25% of the sum paid. From May 1st there will be no refunds.

• Art.19 Cancellation of the event
If the event is canceled due to causes of force majeure not attributable to the organizer (fire risk, extreme weather conditions, floods, earthquakes, health risk, political instability, recommendations from the Public Administration, etc.) the participant will not be entitled to any refund membership fees or compensation for other losses such as travel or accommodation expenses.

• Art.20 External Services
Technical support and massage therapy will be provided by partner agencies of the organisers under normal commercial conditions. It remains the responsibility of competitors to assure themselves beforehand that the work is carried out to an adequate standard and in no event can the organisers be held accountable.

• Art.21 Consultation
For anything not covered in these regulations, competitors’ member organisations’ regulations apply.

• Art.22 Retirement
Competitors who have retired from the race can follow the race as tourists on their bicycles or in their own or their support crews’ vehicles and can benefit from all the logistical services provided for participants, with the exception of time recording and emergency recovery if they leave the race route and exceed the maximum race time (behind the motorbike following the last competitor). Competitors who have been disqualified by the panel of judges for infringement of the rules must leave the MTB Rally caravan.

• Art.23 Race Number
Competitors must display their complete race number and other identifiers provided by the race organisers, which must not be folded, altered or added to; especially their national identifier (flag) on their race number and on their helmet. Competitors can add other identifying marks to their helmet as they so wish but must observe Art. 2 of these regulations.  Failure to comply with this Article will incur a fine for the first infringement, a 1-hour penalty added to their race time for the second and disqualification from the classification and the obligation to leave the Rally-Raid race caravan for the third.

• Art.24 Briefing
Pre-stage briefings will be translated into English, will give all the necessary information on how to follow the route and will point out possible difficult areas in the following day’s stage, potentially with the aid of audio-visual material. The race organisers accept no responsibility for any accidents or any injuries sustained before, during or after the race. The organisers’ decision on registrations is final.

• Art.25 Responsability
By registering for the Romagna MTB Rally the competitor renounces the right to assert any rights, including those of third parties, against both the organizing committee and all natural and legal persons of other organizations involved in the event.