Rules and Regulations

OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE KHOMAS100

PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE NCF INDEMNITY FORM HERE.

1. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

Sanctioning Authorities: The Khomas100 is a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Confederation of African Cycling (CAC), and Namibian Cycling Federation (NCF) sanctioned event. Consequently, official UCI Regulations and CAC Regulations will strictly apply across all fields.
Sportsmanship: Riders are expected to display exemplary sportsmanship and prioritise the safety of themselves, fellow competitors, and race personnel at all times.
Physical Condition: Participants must be in excellent physical condition to handle the rigorous demands of the course.
Strict Age Requirements by Distance: Minimum entry ages are determined on 31 December in the year of the event and enforced as follows:
- Full Distance Route: Minimum age of 19 years or older.
- Half Distance Route: Minimum age of 17 years or older.
- Short Distance Route: Minimum age of 15 years or older.
Apparel Exemption: Pursuant to the context of this mass-participation event drawing international fields, UCI Regulation 1.3.059 will not be strictly applied. Riders competing for the CAC African Continental Gravel Bike Championship are not required to wear their official National Team clothing and may ride in their respective club or private team kits.

2. OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP & QUALIFICATION RULES

The race functions concurrently as an international multi-tier event. Eligibility for championship medals, jerseys, and global qualification slots is strictly dictated by the official distance and category matrix:

The CAC African Continental Gravel Bike Championship: Official continental jerseys and championship medals will be awarded strictly to the designated categories matching their sanctioned distances.
- Full Distance Title Fields: Winners of Elite Men, Elite Women, and age groups spanning Men 19–59 and Women 19–49.
- Half Distance Title Fields: For competitors aged 60 and older (both Men and Women), fields are compressed into a single, unified 60+ Men or 60+ Women category for the continental title unless officially designated otherwise by the CAC.
UCI Gravel World Series Medals & Qualification Slots: Elite and age-group qualification slots for the pinnacle UCI Gravel World Championships are awarded strictly to top-finishing riders in their designated age brackets, calculated directly via the official UCI percentage rules.
Route Compliance Enforcements:
- Women aged 50+ and Men aged 60+ may choose to ride the Full Distance Route for a standard event finishers medal, but they cannot qualify for UCI or CAC championship titles, medals, or jerseys on that course. To remain eligible for official UCI/CAC championship podiums, medals, and slots, these specific brackets must enter and complete the Half Distance Route.
- Age groups that do not have active UCI/CAC qualification stakes on a specific route are always welcome to participate for fitness and will receive the official event finishers medal upon completing the course inside the time limit.

3. WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURES

Immediate Notification: Participants who wish or need to withdraw from the race must inform the organisers immediately. Failure to notify race directors can trigger a multi-agency search and rescue action, the full cost of which will be billed directly to the participant’s account.
Authorised Personnel: To officially withdraw, you must directly notify one of the following:
- Official Event Paramedics / Medical crews.
- Event Personnel stationed at any official checkpoint or water point.
- Race officials operating official route-marshal vehicles.
- Direct call to the Emergency Phone Number printed clearly on the rider’s race documentation.
Note: Merely informing another participant or a spectator of your withdrawal does not constitute official notice.
Sweep Vehicle Evacuation:
- If a rider withdraws prior to the route’s designated halfway mark, an official sweep vehicle will recover the rider and transport them to the halfway point. The rider is solely responsible for arranging personal and equipment transport from that location.
- If a rider withdraws between the halfway mark and the finish line, an official sweep vehicle will transport them to the official finish venue.

4. RULES, SAFETY & FAIR PLAY

Passing Etiquette: Slower participants must safely yield and make way for faster overtaking riders.
Road Caution: Riders must execute extreme caution when visibility is compromised or when approaching any intersection, blind corner, or road crossing.
Controlled Braking: Riders must modulate speed and be fully prepared to brake safely before tackling steep descents.
Traffic Regulations: Riders must strictly obey all local traffic rules; roads remain open to public transit.
Mechanical Care: All roadside bike repairs must be conducted in a highly visible area on the secure shoulder/edge of the road, clear of active racing lines.
Finishing Straight: In the event of a group sprint to the finish line, riders must strictly hold their straight racing line. Deviation that endangers others will result in relegation or disqualification.
Course Deviations: If a rider goes off-course, they must immediately retrace their tracking line back to the exact point of departure and resume following the official course from there. Taking shortcuts or altering the official course tracking will result in immediate disqualification.

5. OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE & SECONDING

Strict Support Limitations: No private support vehicles or follow-cars are permitted on the race route under any circumstances.
Designated Zones Only: Riders are permitted to receive mechanical, water, or nutritional assistance only from their support crews within the strict physical boundaries of the officially designated water stations.
Disqualification Penalty: Any rider caught receiving outside assistance, drafting private vehicles, or obtaining mechanical support anywhere outside the designated stations will face immediate disqualification. Neutral technical assistance provided directly by the event organization is exempted from this rule.

6. SAFETY & UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

Disregarding safety rules compromises the entire event field. The organization reserves the absolute right to disqualify a participant immediately on any of the following grounds:

Severe technical or structural equipment failure that compromises safety.
If a rider has been officially declared medically unfit to continue by an event medical officer.
Violating fair-play or outside assistance regulations.
Any display of unsportsmanlike behavior or verbal abuse.
Receiving physical assistance, such as “pushing” or “pulling” by a third party or non-registered rider.
Any disrespect shown to the natural environment, property, or race personnel.
Helmet Mandate: Failure to wear an approved cycling helmet at all times while on the bike. All helmets must comply with international ‘ANSI’ or equivalent safety standards, and must be securely fastened.
Riding Attire: Professional and appropriate riding attire, including a cycling jersey/shirt, must be worn for the entire duration of the event.
Smoking Policy: Smoking on the race route or within active event boundaries is strictly prohibited.
Bike Inspection: Technical bike setups and specific modifications may be audited at the starting corrals. Ensure your setup is fully compliant with cycling regulations by contacting the Race Director in advance.

7. RIDER IDENTIFICATION

Visibility: Riders must clearly display their designated race numbers at all times.
Bike Boards: Bike number boards must be firmly fixed to the front handlebars and must not be obscured, bent, or hidden by brake/gear cables, maps, or any secondary items.
No Modifications: Race numbers and bar boards may not be modified, mutilated, cut, trimmed, or altered. The addition or removal of branding stickers on the official number plate is strictly prohibited and carries a penalty.

8. NUTRITION AND WATER POINTS

Self-Sufficiency: Riders retain ultimate responsibility for carrying sufficient fluids and nutrition to sustain themselves between control points.
Official Support: The organisation will provide fluid replenishment and nutrition snacks at official water points positioned strategically along the routes.

9. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Zero Tolerance Litter Policy: We enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy against littering, disposal of gel packets, trail-cutting, or environmental abuse. Any participant caught disregarding the environment will face immediate disqualification and potential civic fines.
Force Majeure Rerouting: In the event of severe environmental hazards, the organization reserves the right to delay, cancel, or reroute the race. Participants will not be reimbursed or refunded if the event, or portions of the event, must be altered or cancelled due to extreme conditions outside the organization’s control.

10. TIMING & CUT-OFFS

Staging: Riders must report to their assigned starting lines/corrals at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled start time.
Briefings: Mandatory rider safety briefings will take place 15 minutes before the official start time of each respective distance or batch.
Start Window: The start line will remain open for exactly 15 minutes following the official start signal. No rider will be permitted onto the course after this window closes.
Official Time: Race timing activates with the official start signal.
Cut-Off Enforcement: Riders who fail to reach designated cut-off points within the specified time limits will be prevented from continuing, safely swept from the course, and categorized as a DNF (Did Not Finish). To pass the final full-distance cut-off checkpoint, riders must maintain a minimum average speed of 16 km/h.
Safety Discretion: Cut-off times may be actively adjusted or enforced on-route at any moment by the organizers if track conditions or weather are deemed unsafe.

11. EQUIPMENT & NAVIGATION RULES

Bike Frameworks: Gravel bikes are highly recommended for the terrain. Standard Mountain Bikes and E-bikes are permitted on designated distances. Road bikes are strictly prohibited on the course.
Mandatory Navigation: The race routes are not entirely marked with physical arrows. A functioning GPS navigation device is strictly mandatory for every rider. Participants must download and be capable of navigating via the official route files provided under the website’s Routes tab.

12. E-BIKE REGULATIONS

Definition: An E-Bike is defined strictly as a vehicle operated by dual energy sources: human pedal power and an electric auxiliary motor that only provides assistance when the rider is actively pedaling.
Distance Restriction: For the physical safety and regulatory preservation of the elite and championship fields, E-bikes are strictly barred from entering the Full Distance Route. E-bike categories are restricted entirely to the Half Distance and Short Distance Routes.
Drafting Infraction: Traditional gravel and mountain bike riders are strictly prohibited from drafting (“slipping behind”) E-bike riders. Any traditional bike rider caught drafting an E-bike will be immediately disqualified.
Self-Sufficiency & Technical Support: E-bike riders must be fully self-sufficient. There are no battery drop-off points or charging stations provided on the route. Riders must carry their own technical spares and manage battery power output independently.
Support Constraints: No private tracking vehicles are allowed. Outside mechanical assistance or battery swaps from support crews may only take place within the boundaries of the designated water stations, under penalty of immediate disqualification.

13. REFUND AND ROLLOVER POLICY

Refund Policy: No full refunds will be given under any circumstances, however, tiered partial refunds are available based on how far in advance a cancellation is requested:
- 50% Refund: Available for cancellations made up to 9 weeks (approximately 2 months) before Race Day.
- 30% Refund: Available for cancellations made between 9 weeks and 4 weeks (1 month) before Race Day.
- No Refunds: Strictly no refunds or registration cancellations will be granted within 4 weeks of the event.
Medical Rollovers: Participants unable to compete due to medical complications may request a rollover of their entry fee to the following year’s event, subject to the submission of an official, valid doctor’s letter.
Rollover Timeline: Riders must formally contact the Race Director with medical documentation at least 30 days prior to the event to evaluate rollover eligibility.
Scope of Rollover: Only event registration entry fees can be rolled over, and entries may only be deferred once. Pre-ordered merchandise is excluded from rollovers and must be collected at the original event.
Event Rescheduling: If the event is forced into cancellation due to safety factors, rollovers do not automatically apply; instead, ALL active participant registrations will be automatically transferred to the officially rescheduled date of the event (which may be deferred to the following year’s standard event weekend).

14. DISCRETION OF THE CHIEF COMMISSAIRE

Final Authority: Where any additional rule interpretation is required, or where a specific provision for an on-route incident has not been explicitly detailed in these regulations, the official decision of the appointed Chief Commissaire is absolute, binding, and final.
No Indemnity: There will be no reimbursement of entry fees, travel, or logistical costs to any participant in the case of a regulatory disqualification.

15. LIABILITY WAIVER

Assumption of Risk: The organizers, volunteers, and event personnel are not liable for any personal injury, equipment damage, logistics delays, or rerouting caused by extreme weather (including heat, fires, storms, or floods), accidents, pandemic outbreaks, or acts out of human control.
Indemnity Agreement: By entering this event, participants formally agree that the organisation, their agents, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and sanctioning bodies shall not be held responsible or legally liable for any illness, injury, loss, property damage, or death sustained by a rider or spectator while participating in this event and any of its associated activities.