Tech Guide

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Welcome to the 6th Annual Kicking Horse Cup!

My lovely wife and I (Jana & Nate Briggs, respectively) are nervously excited to be keeping the KH Cup wheels in motion here in 2017.  Having seen this event grow roots in our hometown over the past 5 years we felt compelled to step in and carry the torch for this season, and into a better than ever event in 2018 and onward!  From both of us, we thank you so much for your participation in this year’s event!  We sincerely hope that we can provide you with a fun, safe, challenging, and rewarding weekend of road racing here in Golden BC.

Please view the list of gracious sponsors on the cover page.  This event would not be possible without their generous contributions; please consider this during your stay in Golden.

The racing format for the weekend will remain mostly as it’s been in the past, with a few important notables below.

  • As this is an UNSANCTIONED event, fewer category delineations will exist and final category delineations may depend on rider turnout and dispersal of participant ages. To elaborate, as you would’ve experienced during the zone4 registration process only the option of elite (cat 1-2) or sportive (cat 3-5) existed.  Further age based delineations within these ability classifications WILL depend on rider turnout.
  • Please note that based on registrations at this time (August 15th) we are considering these classes – Elite Men, Elite Women, Sport Men U45, Sport Men 45+, Sport Women.
  • Sandbagging is extremely frowned upon. Sportive riders dominating an event by an uncompetitive margin will be heckled ruthlessly by fellow riders and organizers.
  • We will be utilizing a GoChip RFID timing system. Each participant will be allocated a timing chip which they must care for and return at the end of the event.  A replacement charge of $80.00 will be collected for lost or damaged timing chips.
  • Prizing will be top 3 in each category for each stage, plus additional recognition for overall combined efforts (GC) and various other individual performances.
  • All stages (Time Trial, Hill Climb, & Road Race) remain open to vehicle traffic and all traffic laws and best safe riding practices must be followed by all riders at all times.  Gross safety infractions will result in disqualification.  Please see further notes on page 3-4 regarding rules.
  • On all stages riders may experience deficiencies in the road surface including cracks, potholes, and deteriorated or narrowed road shoulders. Please look ahead and beware of these obstacles. Some course marking will be done but this does not guarantee every hazard is marked; likely just the worst ones.
  • There will be a feed station at the top of the hill climb and at the start / finish area of the road race. Selection will be small and mainly rewarding / refreshing; think watermelon, bananas, chips, cookies, water, gatorade.  During any stage of the race each rider should be self sufficient for their specific caloric requirements.

GUIDELINES & RULES: Hosting a road racing event is challenging.  It requires permits, insurance, endless coordination and immeasurable amounts of time.  All this to create an event benefiting YOU, the racer.  The race organizers and our contractors are committed to providing a safe environment for all participants. It is of the utmost importance that you adhere to the rules and regulations outlined herein. Please understand that your cooperation ensures your safety, the safety of those racing with you, and the likelihood of repeating and growing this event in the coming years.

CENTRE-LINE RULE: Riders, unless explicitly instructed otherwise, are to remain to the right side of the road. The right side of the road is defined as: To the right of, but not on, any painted median line, or; to the right of a virtual median line on a road without a painted median line. The penalty for a minor infraction may include one or more of the following: warning, time penalty, fine, relegation, according to the race or event type and situation.  The penalty for an infraction considered egregious, or a repeat infraction, will be immediate disqualification. An example of an egregious infraction is given by, but not limited to, crossing the centre line, virtual or otherwise, in such a way as to cause a direct and significant danger to the rider, other riders, or members of the public. Two way bicycle and vehicle traffic should be expected at all times while on course.

GENERAL:

  • If you DNF, or abandon any race, please report to timing or a race official so that organizers are not looking for you post-race
  • No team or unauthorized following vehicles in any races
  • A lead motorcycle may be present, but not for every group. No drafting off the motorcycle escort, if the driver is too close please waive him/her forward
  • Aero or Tri Bars/Helmets allowed only for the ITT. NO aero/tri bars for the Hill Climb or Road Race
  • o Elite Open: There may be a male & female wheel car, label your wheels & pick them up post-race
  • o Cyclosportive: There will be a single sweep car for neutral wheels, label wheels & pick up post-race
  • o A feed zone is available for the Road Race at the start / finish area.
  • Pumps, seat bags, and patch kits will be securely stored in jerseys (not attached to bikes) while racing
  • Do not re-cross the finish line, in either direction, more than once at the end of the race
  • Please respect law enforcement, volunteers and locals. Do not antagonize.
  • When on a bike, racers shall wear a helmet, follow the rules of the road, and stay to the right in single file format as much as possible

RIDER CONDUCT: Bottles and trash are to be discarded in the trash only, not roadside. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated, including but not limited to public urination, littering, use of profane language and verbal abuse of officials. Officials have the right to assess time penalties and/or disqualify riders from the current or future races as deemed necessary.

LESS EXPERIENCED RACERS: Cyclosportive racing is conducive to introductory racing against yourself, the clock, and other participants creating the intermingling of cyclists of varied skill, experience, and fitness levels. The two mass start stages are immediately selective; if you are a less experienced racer please seed yourself to the tail of your start group. While riding please COMMUNICATE YOUR INTENTIONS verbally and/or with hand signals. You might want to talk to those around you mid-race to determine ages so you know if you are competing against each other. The only way to gain experience is to participate, and those with experience are encouraged to share their knowledge and concerns to less experienced participants. Here’s a great place for cycling etiquette, truths and humorous rules: www.velominati.com/the-rules/.

THE WEEKEND PROGRAM (August 18-20, 2017)

RIDER CHECK IN (Friday Evening)

  • Friday August 18th (18:00 ~ 21:00) – Rider check in and package pick up at Rockwater Grill & Bar in downtown Golden, 429 9th Ave North.

DETAILS: It would be incredibly helpful if riders could attend the race package pickup at this time and place.  This will streamline the start of our race proceedings on Saturday morning.  The Rockwater Grill & Bar is offering meal specials for race participants, exact menu yet to be determined but the manager has mentioned a burger special and a pasta special.  Also, Whitetooth Brewing has offered a huge amount of support for our event and their product is on tap at the Rockwater; a great first chance to sample their incredible beer!

PROLOGUE ITT (Saturday Morning)

  • 08:00 August 19th – Mandatory Rider Meeting at Reflection Lake Parking Lot
  • 08:30 – Prologue ITT (5.9km & 42m)
  • strava.com/routes/217333

DETAILS: Start List & Times will be posted on Zone4.ca on Friday August 18th (evening). First racer departs at 8:30am, then ~60 second intervals thereafter. No ITT sign-on is necessary, be on-time for your start.  For those that missed the previous evening, a last minute Package Pick-Up is available at Reflection Lake Parking from 07:30 – 08:00.

COURSE: 5.9 km and 42m, from Reflection Lake Road into Nicholson, on the wide Highway 95 shoulder. Turn right off the highway to enter Nicholson and continue straight to the finish. This is not a closed road/course and CAUTION should be used when crossing the highway to the race start area. Please, no more than 10 riders in the start zone at a time.

FINISH: Upon crossing the Finish Line, all racers will continue straight in a NEUTRAL mode and turn left at the stop sign to return back (North) on Highway 95 towards Golden. There won’t be room for many riders between the finish line and the stop sign at Highway 95, please don’t linger here for too long.  Please do not return to the timing table or re-cross the race course, use the ride back to Golden as your warm-down.

AWARDS:  Unless otherwise indicated, ITT awards will be presented after the Kicking Horse Hill Climb

PARKING: All racers should park in the Reflection Lake Parking lot.  There is also plenty of room in this parking lot for your team warm up tent.

PUBLIC WASHROOMS: Near the kiosk in the Reflection Lake parking lot.

MASS-START HILL CLIMB (Saturday Afternoon)

  • 16:00 August 19th – Kicking Horse Hill Climb (~ 13 km & 510m)
  • Race will start from beside Whitetooth Brewing on 7th St North
  • strava.com/routes/217355

DETAILS: For those riders participating in the Hill Climb only please be at the old Glacier Rafting Warehouse (beside Whitetooth Brewing) between 15:00 & 15:30 to collect your timing chip, if you haven’t already done so.  The tentative start time for the Hill Climb is 16:00 in a mass start (all categories, seeded fastest to slowest) grouping.  Please note that this may change should a train be crossing Kicking Horse Trail at this time.

COURSE: Starting from beside Whitetooth Brewing along 7th St North in downtown Golden, BC, racers follow the Kicking Horse River, passing the confluence with the Columbia River. Upon crossing the Columbia River the work begins!  This 11 km & 510 metre UCI Category 2 climb to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort begins with a steep selection pitch and continues with some breaks (even a short downhill) up to and through the resort to the intersection of Kicking Horse Trail & Hector Trail at the entrance of Purcell Woods.

SUGGESTED PRE-RIDE: It is highly recommended that new Hill Climb racers pre-ride the first couple kilometers of this course to be sure you are comfortable with the train track crossing and the wood planked bridge over the Columbia River.  This would be a good warm up spin before starting the hill climb event anyway.

FINISH: Upon crossing the Finish Line, all racers will continue around Purcell Woods loop in a COUNTER-

CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. Please accumulate OFF the road by the food table at the 4-way intersection on the path to allow traffic to continue to circulate. Please do not cross the race course, please use Palliser Trail at the resort entrance for warm-down riding away from the Finish area.

AWARDS:  Time Trial and Hill Climb awards to follow and will likely take place in this finish area.

PARKING: At the bottom there is ample parking to the left of the old Glacier Rafting Warehouse.  At the top there is limited parking available near the finish line, please use the parking lot nearest the finish along Whitetooth Trail.

PUBLIC WASHROOMS: In the Spirit Square.

CIRCUIT ROAD RACE (Sunday Morning)

  • 08:00 – August 20th
  • 31km & 230m / lap (sportive class two laps and elite class 3 laps)

DETAILS: A final Package Pick-Up will be available at the BC Visitors Centre from 07:00 – 07:45. ALL RACERS MUST SIGN ON before 07:45. Dropped Elite Open racers are not allowed to work with any Sportive racers that have chased-on from behind.

ELITE ROAD RACE – 08:00 start, men followed by women.  3 full laps.

SPORTIVE ROAD RACE – 08:10 start, men followed by women. 2 full laps.

YOUTH (U17): Pending registration and ITT/HC results, Youth (male & female) will start at the tail of the younger sport class and will race 2 full laps.

2017 ROAD COURSE: Starting from the BCVC parking lot racers will head North – Northwest on Golden Donald Upper Road.  After faux plat climbing there is a long steep descent, after this descent STAY RIGHT on Moberly School Road; beware that there is a fast descent with relatively sharp curves along this section.  Soon you will take a 90 degree left turn onto Oberg Johnson Rd to regain Golden Donald Upper heading South back to the BCVC. The Traffic Circle will be controlled for safe passage, proceed in a counterclockwise direction as normal and head out again for your next lap.  On your final lap the finish area will be crossing where you started.

Elite racers will do 3 FULL laps and sportive racers 2.

IMPORTANT NOTE – NEUTRAL FINISH ZONE!!!

  • Please note that on your final lap there is no attacking South of Pine Drive. This is approximately 250m before the traffic circle.  After Pine Drive your position should not change!  This is within view of the finish area and race officials will be watching for passing along this stretch, violations will result in a 5 minute time penalty.  Maintain the order of the peloton and continue in to cross the finish line.

FEED ZONE: There will be a feed table at the BCVC, this will be off the course and will require you to dismount to take advantage of the snack offerings.  If you wish to have a support person pass you a new bottle etc the small hill just North of Pine Drive (alongside the cemetery) will be the place for this.

PRE-RIDE: There are cracks, potholes and pavement seams which will be marked to the best of the organizers ability, pre-riding/pre-driving the course is recommended. Please use caution while pre-riding.

AWARDS: The Circuit Road Race & GC Awards will follow immediately after the race ends as results become available.

PARKING: Racers may park in the (former) BCVC parking lot.  If additional room is required there is a large gravel lot on the Southside of highway 1 beside the Days Inn motel.

PUBLIC WASHROOMS: Porta Potties will be at the BCVC parking lot.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION (GC):

GC Time Bonuses (secs)
Place HC RR
1 6 10
2 4 6
3 2 4

An accumulated time, GC will be recognized 3 deep for all categories for both genders. The 4 leading GC racers will be recognized at the Awards after the ITT & HC Stages. The age-based, delayed start time-handicap final result time is used for the Sportive GC calculation.

EVENT CONTACT: Nate Briggs, 250-272-3617 or Jana Briggs 250-344-8312 or info@kickinghorsecup.com

EMERGENCY: For any serious injury please immediately dial 9-1-1. First Aid is on-site at each race, reachable by the race marshals & organizers. The Golden General Hospital is close proximity to each race, located at 835 – 9th Ave south or by phone (250) 344-5271.

TOURISM GOLDEN: Check out www.tourismgolden.com for suggestions of things to do around Golden & KHMR; gondola, bear refuge, spray park, pump track(s), rafting, outdoor swimming pool, restaurants & accommodations (including our race partners).