Rules and Regulations: Road Cycling (Open)

Last updated: November 30, 2023

Download PDF here – LYG24_Road_Cycling_ Info_Rules

RCYC 1 The London Youth Games Road Cycling competition will run in accordance with the rules of British Cycling Federation.

RCYC 1.1 Should any rules listed below contradict those outlined by British Cycling Federation, these rules will supersede those.

RCYC 1.2 It will be at the discretion of the Competition Director, Chief Commissaire and Race Organisation as to the application of these rules, and any subsequent decision made as a result will be final.

 

RCYC 2 Age Category

RCYC 2.1 The following age groups and respective maximum and minimum date of births will apply to the London Youth Games Road Cycling Competition:

Race Age Category Oldest DOB Youngest DOB
Road Race – Boys 11 – 16-year-olds 01/01/2008 31/12/2011
Road Race – Girls 11 – 16-year-olds 01/01/2008 31/12/2011
ITT Youth AB – Boys U16 01/01/2008 *
ITT Youth AB – Girls U16 01/01/2008 *
ITT Youth CDE – Boys U12 01/01/2012  
ITT Youth CDE – Girls U12 01/01/2012  

 *Please see rule RCYC 6.8.4 or more information on conditions of younger riders racing up a age category.  

RCYC 2.2 BCF third party liability insurance required. Approximate £1.50 each. Boroughs will be invoiced. BCF members are free (membership number must be provided on the entry form).

RCYC 2.3 Competitors are not permitted to enter this competition if they are ineligible. No exceptions will be made.

RCYC 2.4 It is the responsibility of competitors/parents/team managers/local authority staff to ensure all competitors details are entered correctly at the time of submission, and that they are eligible to compete for their borough under the London Youth Games Games Rules, and in accordance with the age groups outlined for the competition.

RCYC 2.4.1 In the instance a competitor is found to be ineligible, they will be disqualified from the competition entirely, and the borough will receive a points penalty as per the Games Rules.

 

RCYC 3 Squad Size

RCYC 3.1 Boroughs are permitted to enter a minimum of 1 competitor and a maximum of 32 competitors made up of the following squad composition;

  • 3 competitors + 3 reserves for AB races, per gender.
  • 3 competitors + 3 reserves for CDE races, per gender.
  • 2 competitors + 2 for RR races, per gender.

RCYC 3.2 Boroughs are permitted to bring 16 competitors entered to the event on the day made up of the following squad composition;

  • 3 competitors for AB races per gender.
  • 3 competitors for CDE races per gender.
  • 2 competitors for RR races per gender.

 

RCYC 4 Kit & Equipment

RCYC 4.1 All competitors must wear protective head gear whilst on the course.

RCYC 4.2 No bikes provided. Riders must use their own bikes.

RCYC 4.3 Specialised time-trial bikes are not allowed.

RCYC 4.4 Cameras must not be worn by riders, nor can they be attached to any equipment.

RCYC 4.5 Any bikes that do not comply with the British Cycling regulations will be subject to approval or rejection by the commissaire on the day.

RCYC 4.6 The bike must have efficient brakes and be in a roadworthy condition.

RCYC 5 Competition Format The competition will have both individual time trials and road races.

            RCYC 5.1 Individual Time Trial:

  • Youth CDE: 2 laps
  • Youth AB: 4 laps

RCYC 5.2 Road Race: 12 laps (B&G)

RCYC 5.3 Each lap of the circuit is 1.6km

RCYC 5.4 Time trial races will be clockwise and road races will be anti-clockwise laps.

 

RCYC 6 Competition Rules

RCYC 6.1 The British Cycling ‘Youth A’ gear restriction of 6.93m will apply for all riders in the Road Races, irrespective of age, i.e., both A and B riders may ride Youth A gears. There will be no gear restrictions for the Time Trials.

RCYC 6.2 Team Managers should sign the British Cycling ‘sign on’ form on behalf of their team at registration, this will be provided by the London Youth Games.

RCYC 6.3 Whilst queuing up for their start, riders will be asked to check their name against their race number and borough for the use of those running the results.

RCYC 6.4 Team Managers must ensure their riders get to the start area in number order, in good time and present themselves to the ‘starter’.

RCYC 6.5 In the event of adverse weather or any other exigency, the circuit configuration and/or the number of laps may be altered. This decision will be taken by the race organisation, race director and race commissaire.

RCYC 6.6 No warmup or racing session will be permitted to commence until the track is marshalled sufficiently. Any rider contravening this rule will be uninsured whilst doing so. No competitor is allowed to warm up without their number pinned on.

RCYC 6.7 Riders can compete in both the individual time trial and road race but please note that the road races are open to A&B riders and not CDE.

RCYC 6.8 Individual Time Trial

RCYC 6.8.1 Each rider presenting themselves to compete will be required to ride a multi-lap trial, alone and unassisted. A rider must not impede the progress of other riders wishing to overtake.

RCYC 6.8.2 The rider may not slipstream or take shelter from the other riders who may be on the course.

RCYC 6.8.3 Any riders presenting themselves to the start line late may incur a time penalty. This time penalty will equal the amount of time by which the rider was late, up to a maximum of 5 minutes.

RCYC 6.8.4 Youth CDE competitors may race in the youth AB ITT, but each competitor can race only once in either ITT. Boroughs/Team managers should ensure any participant possesses the required skill level to compete in the older age group. LYG will not accept responsibility for any participant of a younger age group being injured if playing up.

            RCYC 6.9 Road Race

RCYC 6.9.1 In each race (boys and girls) riders will start together and ride a set number of laps. At the end of the final lap, the first over the line is the winner, next takes second place, etc.

RCYC 6.9.2 Contrary to the time trial, riders may slipstream and give pace or shelter to other riders but must at all times ride safely and in control.

RCYC 6.9.3 The winner’s last lap is the last lap for all riders: lapped riders do not have to make up lost laps. Riders who are lapped or about to be lapped may be told to stop before the main race has finished, e.g., to ensure the head of the race has a clear passage. Such riders will still be placed in the result.

RCYC 6.9.4 For the start, riders will be gridded. Gridding will be based on the borough standings after the time trial competition.

RCYC 6.9.5 Should a limit need to be imposed on the number of riders in any particular race precedence will be according to borough standings after the time trial and will be applied firstly to the boroughs’ first rider then to the boroughs’ second rider until the limit is reached.

                        RCYC 6.9.6 Gear checks will be undertaken just before gridding.

 

RCYC 7 Overall Scoring Team points from all 6 events are combined to produced overall borough points and ranked.

RCYC 7.1 Time Trial

  • In each of the 4 events, the boroughs best 2 times are combined.
  • Each team is then ranked by their total best time and is allocated points (1st = 33 pts, 2nd = 32 pts, 3rd = 32 pts etc.)
  • Where one cyclist completes the course, their team will be placed behind the teams with two cyclists.

RCYC 7.2 Road Race

  • The male and female events will each score points i.e. 1st = 33 pts, 2nd = 32 pts, 3rd = 31 pts etc. based on the top scoring competitor for each borough.

RCYC 7.3 Incomplete competition if the competition is cancelled or suspended, the following steps will be used to calculate a final result;

  • Results from all completed races are combined and used to identify the overall winner.
  • Minimum requirements: to determine a completed time trial event, 1 rider from each borough must have completed the course.
  • To determine a result for the competition, 2 events must be completed.
  • Tied teams will not be separated once scores from events are combined, except if the top 3 teams have the same number of points, then the highest number of 1st place finishers will be the deciding factor, then 2nd place event finishers and so on.

 

RCYC 8 Medals & Trophies Medals and trophies will be awarded as follows:

RCYC 8.1 Overall Borough medals will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teams.

RCYC 8.2 Medals awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed competitor in each event.

RCYC 8.3 Borough trophy awarded to the overall winner.