Rules & Regulation Mountain stage

A bicycle race for the public on road or gravel bikes. Conditions for participation are: properly fitted bicycle helmet, bicycle with road handlebars (so-called rams). Electric bicycles are not allowed in the race. Time trial/triathlon trapeze is not allowed in the race.

Races are held according to the following regulations. All participants take part in the race at their own risk, the organizer is not liable and is not responsible for damages incurred by the participants or caused by them. All participants must comply with the provisions of the Road Traffic Act and are obliged to respect the instructions of the designated organizers, members of the Police of the Czech Republic and the Municipal Police. The organiser reserves the right to make necessary changes to the race rules due to unforeseen (vis maior) circumstances.

Conditions of participation
Each competitor must have duly completed registration and wear a properly fitted cycle helmet, a bicycle in good technical condition and a correctly fixed and unmodified start number at all times during the race.

The use of headphones during the race is prohibited and the rider risks disqualification. The prohibition of headphones is for the safety of participants and spectators.

There is a race for 1 distance in the Mountain Stage.

Starting point: Prachatice, Large Square
Length of route: 101 km
Positive elevation gain: +2100 m
Finishing point.

Complete information about the race route at this link...

Maximum capacity of the Mountain Stage:
1000 competitors

A/ Competition categories based on the Tour de France

Overall classification: the winner is the rider who completes the course in the shortest time. It is announced separately.

Best Sprinter: The winner is the rider who completes the section(s) of the route marked as Sprinter's Premium in the shortest time or the sum of the times in the sections so marked. It is announced separately.

King/Queen of the Hills: The winner is the competitor who completes the section/sections of the route marked Climbing Premium in the shortest time or sum of times in the sections so marked. It is announced separately.

Best young man/woman. It is announced separately.

Financial bonuses are not announced.

B/ Competition categories by age

(*competitor's age as of 31 December 2024)

** Written consent of the legal representative is required

C/ Competition category Heroes

There is a Heroes Men and Heroes Women category at the Mountain Stage with the following parameters:

• Road bike made before 1989
• Shift levers mounted on the down tube
• Pedals fitted with clip-ons or freewheels
• Stylish cycling clothing
• Period helmet, or replica of a period helmet, or modern helmet required (the race cannot be completed wearing only a cycling cap.

Competitors in this category can use the discount code "heroes" for 30% off the current entry fee.

D/ Non-competitive category Gruppetto

The goal of Grupetto is to enjoy the race, finish, take on the challenge and last but not least to taste everything we offer at the refreshment stations. All this in the great company of our ambassador.

Participants in this category are timed but are not included in the overall race results. They are subject to a 20km/h limit to complete the race and will receive a participant medal if they meet it.

Registration for the Gruppetto category will be done through a check-in form, which will be published approximately 2 months before the race and sent to participants at the email address provided in the registration.

Participants in this category will be placed at the back of the starting field at the start.

The team consists of exactly 5 competitors.

Team members COMPETE in individual classification.

Team classification has the following categories.

The team ranking will be determined by the time of the 4th team member at the finish line, and for the Mixy XT category it is a requirement that at least one team member in the position to be counted is of the opposite sex.

Team members must wear identical jerseys.

Teams will be placed in their own starting block at the start, which will be positioned behind the first 200 competitors in the individual category.

Team application and nomination form:

Team members must be submitted no later than May 15, 2024 (Hilly Stage) or August 17, 2024 (Mountain Stage) to info@letapeczech.cz. All nominated riders must be on the entry list at the time of nomination, which can be viewed on the race website.

To be added

A/ Participation medal and diploma

Each competitor who crosses the finish line within the time limit will receive a participation medal immediately after crossing the finish line.

The diploma with the final time and the name of the competitor will be available in an electronic version on the official timing website after the results are finalised.

B/ Announcement of the winners of the Competition Categories, following the Tour de France model, and the announcement of the Heroes Category

The announcement of the winners of these categories will take place within 60 minutes of the last competitor crossing the finish line within the time limit. Only the winners will be announced, with each receiving an official Tour de France-style winner's jersey. The winners of the Overall Classification will receive an original trophy.

C/ Announcement of the winners of the Competition categories by age and the announcement of the team competition

On the Mountain Stage, the top 3 male and female riders and the top 3 teams in all categories will be announced on the main stage after the category announcements, following the Tour de France model. The winners of the Competition categories will receive an original medal.

Registration for L'Etape CZ takes place exclusively on the event website www.letapeczech.cz. Registration includes redirection to the payment gateway. The registration of the competitor is completed when the registration fee is paid to the organizer's account. When registering, the candidate must fill in all mandatory data and agree to the declaration of participation in the race.

The organizer reserves 10% of the total capacity for the awarding of wild cards. Wild cards will be distributed no later than 31 May 2024. The allocation of a wild card does not mean free participation in the race, it is an opportunity to register for the race.

Registration for the Mountain Stage will open on June 22, 2023 and will close at 12:00pm online on August 15, 2024 and on-site at the registration desk on August 16, 2024.

ENTRY FEE PRICES

FAIR ENTRY FEE FOR WOMEN

We are responding to the gender pay gap by introducing a fair start under the GPG. The gender pay gap (GPG; variously translated as gender income gap or gender income gap) refers to the average pay gap between working women and men, with women generally paid less than men. In the Czech Republic, this gap is specifically 16.4%, which is why all women can use the discount code "ferovestartovne" when registering and receive a 16% discount off the basic entry fee. The fair entry fee cannot be combined with other discounts or claimed retroactively. More information in the article...

ENTRY FEE VOUCHERS AS A GIFT:

Entry fee vouchers, which include a special code that the gift recipient uses to register for the race, will be on sale here: https://eshop.sportprozivot.cz/kategorie/letape-czech-republic/

WE DO NOT RECOMMEND doing the registration for the racer due to the person actually participating in the race providing the necessary consents.

THE COMPOSITION OF THE STARTING PACKAGE:

• Start number on handlebars and saddle sticker with chip, which are the property of the organizer until the end of the race.
• Gifts from our partners
• Unique participant medal (in case of race completion)
• Medical support at the highest level
• Well-stocked refreshment stations
• Collection bus at the end of the peloton
• Pasta party at the finish

A competitor in the L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France always starts at his own risk. The races are held under restricted traffic conditions, but the participant is obliged to obey the rules of the road and follow the instructions of the organizer, the Czech Police and the Municipal Police.

The competitor should know his/her current state of health before the race and undergo a professional examination by a sports doctor. We strongly recommend taking out accident insurance. The organizer does not accept responsibility for damage to property or health related to the travel, stay and participation of the competitor in the event. Each participant starts at his/her own responsibility.

The race is run on normal roads with complete or partial exclusion of traffic on the entire route, with the assistance of members of the Police of the Czech Republic, Municipal Police and marked and trained organizers.

The organizer cannot restrict the integrated rescue system vehicles going to the intervention in any way, therefore the participants are always obliged to use the right side of the road as a priority, or respect the instructions of the security forces, organizers and information boards.

CEREMONIAL START

The first 6 km will be covered by the competitors on the route with the assistance of the Czech Police and the organizers in a compact group. During this initial phase, it is forbidden to actively improve the position in the peloton by risky riding, riding in the opposite direction or on the pavement. The official start will be announced by waving a green flag and a siren from the race director's car.

CROSSING OF THE RACE ROUTE WITH THE RAILWAY

There may be crossings with railways along the route. For selected crossings, we are requesting a closure of all train traffic, so the race should not be affected. At other crossings, if the red light is flashing, you must stop and wait for the train to pass!

CROSSINGS FOR PASSENGER TRAFFIC

At several points along the route, crossings are provided to allow public transport providers and local residents in particular to cross the race route. All these locations will be manned by trained organisers, in some cases by members of the security forces. Primary priority will be given to race participants at these crossings. However, please exercise extra caution and heed the instructions of the organisers.

MEDICAL SUPPORT

An ambulance vehicle will be running at the end of the starting field. Additional ambulances will be on standby at several designated locations along the route. The medical escort of L'Etape CZ is part of the integrated rescue system. In case of an accident with injuries, call 728 155 155.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES ON THE LINE

Refreshment zones:

Refreshment stations are located along the race route. The refreshment stations will provide a variety of sweet and savory foods as well as energy products and sports nutrition from the race partner.

The refreshment stations are self-service. Refreshments will not be served to participants during the ride! The refreshment stations will mostly be located close to the route for the safety of the participants.

In the event that a participant loses a bidon, for example, replacements will be provided at each refreshment station, and you will also have the opportunity to refill yours from a prepared water or ion drink barrel.

Mobile toilets will be available at the refreshment stations.

Approximately 200 meters before and after each refreshment station, there will be a Refreshment Zone marked where racers can accept refreshments from their entourage and also dispose of waste. Littering anywhere else on the course will be punishable by disqualification.

Escort/Support vehicles are not allowed.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN THE L'ETAPE VILLAGE

The race facilities include sufficient showers, mobile toilets and storage for backpacks and bikes.

The time limit for completing the route is set at an average speed of 20 km/h.

At the end of the group of competitors there will be a vehicle marked as track closure or time limit.

If a competitor is overtaken by this vehicle he/she is withdrawn from the race. The competitor may still finish the race, but only at his own risk, in full traffic and without safety. The second option is to load the competitor at predetermined locations with his bike onto a collection bus to take him to the finish.

The schedule of the event will be specified later.

The regulations of the Czech Anti-Doping Agency are in full force for the race.

In case of non-compliance with these regulations, the participant may be eliminated from the ranking or completely excluded from the race.

A protest against the result and violation of the rules can only be lodged on the day of the race, no later than half an hour after finishing, with the race director at the timing station in the finishing straight. The condition is to fill in the appropriate form and deposit 500 CZK, which will be returned to the protestor in the event of a positive outcome. Later claims will not be accepted. In exceptional cases, where a protest could not be lodged in due time for an objective reason, a protest can be lodged by email within 2 working days from the day of the race.

Complaints must be in writing (email to info@letapeczech.cz is sufficient). Only the competitor may file a complaint. Unjustified complaints will not be considered.

The race organizers reserve the right to modify and further specify certain information and provisions of these regulations. They also reserve the right to close the registration of participants in view of the maximum number of participants.

The organisers reserve the right to cancel or suspend the event or any part thereof in the event of a serious danger, namely adverse weather, unsuitable epidemic situation, threat of terrorist danger or attack threatening the safety of the participants or other unforeseeable circumstances (vis maior).

In such a case, the participant is not entitled to a refund of the entry fee or any part thereof if the organisers have already incurred the costs of the race in the time leading up to the moment of the interruption/cancellation. However, the organisers may, after considering all the circumstances and quantifying the costs associated with the preparation of the race, proceed to a partial refund of the entry fee.

Prior to the race, the organisers will publish the rules and conditions of participation in the race for participants, the organising team and spectators, taking into account the current epidemic situation and hygiene rules.