Practical guide for organising mountain bike events - UCI

Practical guide for organising hc | c1 | c2 | c3 mountain bike eventsPractical guide for organising hc | c1 | c2 | c3 mountain bike events24.4 Downhill (DHI)zone b = spectatOrs• Presentation of the disciplineAn individual race which is a time trial consisting of the rider finding the fastest racing line. A very spectaculardiscipline since the race is not over until the last rider has crossed the line.The track is sloping, the incline great and the circuit technical. It includes some small jumps but also some other morespectacular ones.In order to win, every physical, technical and mental skill is required.Track:riders onlyzone A = SAFETY ZONERACEzone A = SAFETY ZONEzone b = spectatOrsSafety zone:marshals, securitystaff, cameramen andphotographers• Downhill parametersThe downhill must be designed as specified by the UCI rules:4.3.004 The course for a downhill must follow a descending route.4.3.005 The course should comprise varied terrain sections: narrow and broad tracks, woodland roads and paths,field paths and rocky tracks. Il devra, d’autre part, présenter une variation de tronçons techniques et rapides.The emphasis of the course should be to test the riders’ technical skills rather than their physical ability.Race224.3.006 The length of the course and the duration of the event are determined as follows:Minimum MaximumCourse length 1500 m 3500 mDuration of the event 2 minutes 5 minutesZone A23A race on a course where the time taken is below the minimum or exceeds the maximum set above mayonly be held if it is the subject of an exemption issued by the UCI mountain bike commission.Do you require help to design or construct your downhill track?Your National Federation can point you in the direction of people who are competent in this field (technical delegate,former downhill racer, etc.).The UCI can also put you in touch with qualified persons (contact the Sports Department, mountain bike SportsCoordinator).The whole circuit must be feasible when on a bike, whatever the natural conditions and weather conditions may be.It is essential to take the risks of bad weather into account in the design stage and to see to it that any changesrequired are anticipated from the start.Plan backup solutions should the rain make some tracks unusable. The technical delegate must have sufficient roomfor manœuvre to make any changes dictated by the need for safety, if the weather conditions so demand.The circuit must allow overtaking on most of the course.The riders must be in a position to constantly maintain a considerable speed. The final average speed for an elite eventmust be at least 40 km/h.Zone B• Start / Finish zonesThe start area must be covered in order to protect the Start Commissaireand the riders while they wait. The start area will have to be atleast 2 metres wideThe finishing zone must be at least 6 metres wide. A braking zonemust be provided which is obstacle free and laid out on a flat sector.The start banners or arches must be placed immediately above thefinish line at least 2.5 metres above the ground and must cover theentire width of the trackBarriers made of a hard material are required on both sides in thearea around the line (before and after).Make sure that the spectator zones are easily accessible.Put appropriate signposting in place in accordance with the UCI rules.On fast stretches, in zones where there is considerable risk of a spill, or in places where large gatherings of people areexpected, use the following configuration: