GRAAALPS REGULATION
PREAMBLE
The GRAAALPS event (hereinafter referred to as the events) is organized by the ULTRA CYCLING France and RIDE EAT SLEEP & SHARE Associations, in partnership with Across and Beyond Endurance AG (hereinafter A.B.E or the Organizer).
This document defines:
(i) the sports regulations of the events (hereinafter the Regulations),
(ii) the general sales conditions applicable to any order of products or services related to past events with the Organizer through the NJUKO registration platform (hereinafter the General Sales Conditions of A.B.E).
The terms “you,” “your,” “yours,” and “your” refer to you as a participant or consumer or as a legal representative or legal guardian (over 18 years old) if this participant or consumer is a minor in their country of residence.
Your registration for the events implies your express and unconditional acceptance of this Regulation and the General Sales Conditions of A.B.E.
Only the legal representative of a minor can register this minor for the events. Also, if parental authority is exercised jointly, the legal representative of the minor guarantees to the Organizer that the other holder of parental authority has read and accepted this document without reservation. This document complements the Terms of Use of the online registration platform named NJUKO (hereinafter NJUKO), accessible at njuko.net.
In case of contradiction between the terms of the NJUKO Terms of Use, these General Sales Conditions of A.B.E, and the Regulation, the terms of the Regulation shall prevail over the General Sales Conditions of A.B.E, which shall prevail over the Terms of Use of NJUKO.
The Organizer may revise and update the General Sales Conditions of A.B.E and the Regulation at any time; please check them regularly and before participating in the events.
All modifications made will apply immediately after being notified, by any means, including by publishing a revised version of these on the website https://graaalps.com/.
In the event of a significant modification to the General Sales Conditions and/or the Regulation, the Organizer will endeavor to notify you by email at the email address provided on NJUKO during your registration.
Role of NJUKO:
The NJUKO site through which you placed your order allows professional sellers and organizers to list and sell their products and services. Although the NJUKO platform facilitates transactions made on it, NJUKO is not the seller or organizer of the products and services related to the event. Therefore, for the sale of products or services related to the event, a sales contract is formed only between you and the Organizer. The Organizer is responsible for the sales of products or services related to the events and for any claims or other issues arising from or related to the sales contract between you and the Organizer.
A / SPORTS REGULATIONS
This sports regulation (hereinafter the Regulation) applies to all participants in the GRAAALPS event and the GRAVEL FESTIVAL races. It is an integral part of the General Sales Conditions mentioned above. In case of conflict with the provisions of the General Sales Conditions, the provisions of the Regulation will prevail.
ORGANIZATION AND CONCEPT
The GRAAALPS and GRAVEL weekend ultra-distance cycling events are organized in semi-autonomy, offering unsupported distances (bikepacking). The events take place in a single stage, passing through checkpoints called LIFE BASE or refueling points, on open roads, individually, in pairs, or in quartets, at free pace but with a limited time for each distance, called TIME BARRIER.
GRAAALPS – from July 16 to 21, 2024
Gravel distance of 750 kilometers (approximately):
From Mandelieu-La Napoule (France) to Crans Montana (SWITZERLAND). Maximum of 5 days to complete the course.
GRAVEL WEEKEND – July 20, 2024
Gravel distance of 60 kilometers (approximately): From and to Crans Montana (CH). 6 hours is the maximum TIME BARRIER to complete the course.
REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION CONDITIONS
AGE REQUIREMENTS
To participate in our events, you must be at least, on the day of the event, the minimum age:
To participate in the GRAAALPS event, you must be at least, on the day of the events:
Over 18 years old on December 31 of the current year for the 750K EVENT called GRAAALPS
Over 16 years old on December 31 of the current year for the 90K EVENT
Over 14 years old on December 31 of the current year for the 60K EVENT
Over 10 years old on December 31 of the current year for the 30K EVENT
PHYSICAL CONDITION
It is reminded that checks will be carried out during the events to ensure perfect conditions of regularity of the races, especially regarding age and medical certification. By participating in the events, you take part in one of the sports events organized and/or approved by a sports federation. Therefore, your participation is subject to the mandatory presentation of:
A license from the French Cycling Federation valid on the date of the event attesting to the issuance of a medical certificate stating “no contraindication to the practice of cycling in competition”;
or a UCI COMPETITION License valid on the date of the event;
Mandatory Mention on the Medical Certificate: “No contraindication to cycling practice.”
Before the events, the medical certificate or a dematerialized copy of the license can be provided by the participant through the NJUKO registration platform, allowing access to their participant space.
No medical certificate sent by mail, email, or handed over in person will be considered.
These dematerialized documents must be provided well in advance of the event and at most 30 days before the event date to allow the Organizer to validate them. The participant must, therefore, check on their NJUKO account that their supporting document has been validated. If not, this document must be physically presented during the bib collection, as a last resort.
Authenticity checks of medical certificates and licenses may be conducted on-site, even in cases where the participant has uploaded these documents on their NJUKO account. Therefore, the participant must be able to provide these documents during bib collection or during the events.
ATTENTION! Participants residing abroad:
If you do not have a UCI COMPETITION License issued by the federation of your country of residence, you are required to provide a medical certificate with the Mandatory Mention described above. This certificate must be dated less than a year from the event date, signed, and allow the authentication of the doctor, whether or not the doctor is established on French territory. If the doctor is not established on French territory, the medical certificate must be written in French, English, Spanish, German, Italian, or Portuguese only. Registration for the events implies the express and unconditional acceptance by each participant of this Regulation.
5/ REPATRIATION INSURANCE
The participant commits to take out repatriation insurance covering their repatriation expenses in case of an accident. You can subscribe to such insurance with our partner Assur Connect, an insurance broker specializing in sports. Here are the offers for the events:
https://graaalps.assur-connect.com/en
The organizer only facilitates a connection with the partner. The participant must then familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of the mentioned insurance. The participant is responsible for their own subscription and management of their requests with the insurance solution. You can also approach your insurer to find out, based on your situation, the insurance that suits you best.
6/ BIKE TYPE
There are a total of 2 types of accepted bikes:
Bikes must be propelled solely by human force. All members of a team must use the same type/category of bike. If teams use different types of bikes, they will be placed in the Open category. A participant or team can request the organization to register in the Open category. Consideration will be given to Open category participants for an early departure, at the discretion of the Organizer. All Open category participants must adhere to the defined deadlines. No participant will be considered as Finisher after crossing the finish line outside the organization’s time limit
7/ RATES 2024 GRAAALPS
The fee for bibs is expressed in this document in Euro (€), all taxes included, at the exchange rate in effect on the day of your registration. The bib rates are available on the information page of each event and on the “event registration formulation” page. Special promotions may be implemented by the Organizer to offer you discounts on the bib rate.For safety reasons during the events, the organizer reserves the right to limit the number of available bibs.Bib rates may vary depending on your registration date for the event.
B/ EVENT DEFINITION
GRAAALPS
THE EVENT
The event takes place in semi-autonomy. In the event of a malfunction of the GPS tracker provided by the organization, all material (receipts) and immaterial (photos, videos) evidence will be examined by the organization to validate compliance with the rules. The route, traversing landscapes and panoramas as magnificent as each other, will deeply introduce you to the regions of the countries crossed. You will have the chance to follow in the footsteps of champions in mythical and legendary mountain passes and ride through the highest cyclable peaks in Europe. The road open to traffic is common to all categories. The “life bases” distributed along the route and clearly identified are open to the public to allow your loved ones to come and support you. You can choose to participate in this event solo but also in teams of two (2) or four (4) friends, teammates, colleagues…
The route is not marked but will be made available to participants in the form of a GPX link transmitted by the organization a few weeks before the start of the event, via email communication.
**SEMI-AUTONOMY
The event is an ultra-distance gravel race called SEMI-AUTONOMY.
Semi-autonomy is defined as the ability to be self-sufficient between two “Life Bases,” or “Bascamp” both in terms of food and clothing and safety equipment, allowing for adaptation to foreseeable and unforeseeable problems. No assistance, help, or replenishment (food, mechanical, support to facilitate/advantage the participant’s progress) is in any way allowed on the route and outside the life bases, under penalty of immediate disqualification.
The following rules apply:
A participant who agrees to be filmed without accreditation by the organization and, therefore, accompanied, outside of expressly designated areas, violates the principle of semi-autonomy. Any participant wishing to be filmed must inform the organization at least 30 days before departure and request accreditation for the production team so that it is identified by both the organization and the participants.
Event regulators witnessing irregularities are authorized to penalize participants to ensure the spirit of the events and RACE ACROSS SERIES.
**AUTHORIZED MAXIMUM TIME
The maximum time is calculated based on the participant’s departure time:
GRAAALPS – from July 16 to 21, 2024
From Mandelieu-La Napoule (France) to the finish in Crans Montana (SWITZERLAND). Maximum of 5 days to complete the course.
**MANDATORY AND RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:
For reasons aiming to ensure safety and the smooth running of the RACE ACROSS SERIES events, the organization makes the following equipment mandatory for each participant (including each member of the same team).
**MANDATORY EQUIPMENT PER PARTICIPANT:
It is important to note that the equipment must adapt based on one’s own capabilities. In particular, one should not choose the lightest possible clothing to save a few grams but rather prefer clothing that truly provides good protection against cold, wind, and snow, ensuring better safety and performance.
*With spare batteries for each lamp or dynamo system. (Recommendation: FRONT: minimum 300 lumens / REAR: minimum 100 lumens)
**Multi-tools / 2 chambers / 3 tire levers / Pump / Patches and glue – including “Tubeless” equipment.
*** Rear stays / front fork
**** Keep your phone turned on, do not hide your number, ensure a charged battery, and have a charging team.
**RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT (NOT MANDATORY):
It is important for your safety to focus your equipment on clear and visible outfits.
**MATERIAL CHECK
Check of all mandatory equipment after bib distribution
Check at each exit from a life base: 3 randomly selected mandatory items
A penalty of 2 hours per missing element is cumulative (start or life base).
**BIBS
Bibs will be available for pick-up, upon presentation of the following documents on the day of departure:
Your valid official ID or passport (no driver’s license)
Bib pick-up is exclusively done in the dedicated area of the Event Village; the exact times and locations will be communicated later.
Any bib assignment is firm and final. No bibs will be sent by mail, nor provided outside the departure village opening hours.
DROP BAG
In this event, participants have the option to deposit, if they wish, a bag of a maximum of 20 liters called a DROP BAG, to be transported to the life base. This bag is not provided by the organization. After filling it with their chosen belongings and closing it, including placing the identification plate provided by the organization inside, the participant can drop off their DROP BAG before their departure in the designated area. No DROP BAG will be accepted outside of the village opening hours. During the bib distribution, after checking the mandatory equipment and before the start, the participant can leave their bag in the designated location on the departure/refueling/arrival life base.
The DROP BAG is transported and distributed by the organization at the “life bases” for the participant to retrieve upon arrival. Upon reaching a life base, each participant will be given their DROP BAG in a designated area. When leaving the life base, the participant places their DROP BAG in the designated location. The DROP BAG is then transported back to the participant’s arrival location by the organization. The DROP BAGs are handed over either to the competitor or to their close ones, exclusively upon presentation of the participant’s bib.
DROP BAG WITHDRAWAL POLICY UPON ARRIVAL
All DROP BAGs from the arrival base will be available upon the arrival of each participant. As for the DROP BAGs deposited at the “life bases” along the route, they will be available near the finish line until the Sunday of each event’s end, at the location communicated and indicated by the organization. The organization ensures the repatriation of DROP BAGs to the arrival village for participants who have abandoned. The repatriation timeframe depends on logistical constraints, and the organization cannot guarantee complete repatriation of the bags before the end of the event and/or the arrival of participants. Since the contents of the bags are not verified, no disputes about the content upon arrival will be considered. It is recommended not to place valuable items inside. The organizer will not be held responsible for loss, theft, or damage to the participant’s bag(s) and/or contents.
Participants who have abandoned their Drop Bag must retrieve the bags at their own expense at the location communicated and indicated by the organization. If not retrieved within a 60-day period by the participant, the DROP BAG will be either destroyed or donated to a charity, at the Organizer’s discretion.
GRAVEL WEEKEND
THE EVENT
The GRAVEL WEEKEND is one distance, open to all, free of charge from Crans Montana. Participants must adhere to traffic rules throughout the event on the entire route. The event takes place in self-sufficiency,. The course, traversing landscapes and panoramas, will immerse you in the regions of the countries covered. The open road is shared by all categories. There will be no “refreshment stations” along the route, You can choose to participate solo or with friends, teammates, colleagues, etc. The course is not marked but will be provided to participants as a GPX link transmitted by the organization one week before the event via email, and this course is common to all participants.
MAXIMUM ALLOWED TIME
GRAVEL WEEKEND – July 20 , 2024
Equipment of Comfort
The start and finish life base provide participants validated by the organization with the following:
MANDATORY EQUIPMENT PER PARTICIPANT:
For reasons aiming to ensure safety and the smooth running of the Gravel Festival event, the organization makes the following equipment mandatory for each participant:
Note: Keep your phone on, do not hide your number, ensure a charged battery, and have a charging kit.
It is important to note that the equipment should be chosen based on individual capabilities. Specifically, participants should not opt for the lightest possible clothing to save a few grams but should prefer clothing that provides effective protection against cold, wind, and snow, ensuring better safety and performance.
8 / HEALTH AND SAFETY
COVID-19 SANITARY PROTOCOL – PARTICIPATION CONDITIONS
To ensure participants’ health and safety, the Organizer may establish a Sanitary Protocol, including the need to present a document attesting to the participant’s non-infection with the COVID-19 virus for event access. Participants must strictly adhere to this Sanitary Protocol to participate in the events, and the Organizer reserves the right to refuse participation/access to – or exclude – any participant for non-compliance with the measures, with no liability on the part of the Organizer. Participants will be informed of the Sanitary Protocol’s provisions through communication sent to the email address provided during registration on NJUKO.
RESCUE AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
It is the responsibility of a distressed or seriously injured runner to call for assistance:
Each participant must assist anyone in danger and promptly notify public emergency services:
Keep in mind that various unforeseen circumstances related to the environment and events may delay rescue efforts more than expected. Your safety will then depend on what you have packed and your compliance with mandatory equipment.
All regulators and members of the organization are authorized to:
A runner seeking assistance from a doctor or paramedic submits to their authority and agrees to accept their decisions.
As soon as a runner’s health justifies treatment with intravenous infusion, they will be obligated to withdraw from the event. Any runner who voluntarily deviates from the course is no longer under the organization’s responsibility.
During the event, participants can communicate with the organization only by dialing the Operational Management Post’s phone number communicated in advance and present on the bib/frame plate.
9 – ASSURANCE
The ULTRA CYCLING France association, RIDE EAT SLEEP & SHARE, or the co-organizing structure A.B.E has taken out civil liability insurance for the duration of the GRAAALPS event.
10 – GENERAL SERVICES
Road safety is ensured by the Police Prefecture, medical services by the Organizer’s service provider, and if necessary, by the French Red Cross, Civil Protection, and/or any other accredited rescue organization. These services have the authority to disqualify a participant for medical reasons. Under no circumstances can the Organizer be held responsible for a participant unable to finish the race due to a disqualification decision made by these general services.
11 – PENALTIES AND DISQUALIFICATION / RULES VIOLATION
PENALTIES () – DISQUALIFICATION*
(**) Disqualifying penalties apply immediately, and the participant will be informed immediately by the event management.
Any other violation of the regulations will result in a sanction decided by the event management.
12 – ACCEPTANCE OF THE REGULATIONS AND EVENT ETHICS
The participant is fully aware that gravel cycling is an extremely dangerous sport, and they may face various weather conditions (rain, heat, cold, storms). The participant fully understands that for such an event, their safety depends solely on their ability to adapt to encountered problems. The participant fully understands that the organizer’s role is not to help or assist them in managing their problems, even in the case of technical failure or physical or mental issues. By registering, the participant unequivocally accepts all the extreme risks of the event, including accidents that could even result in the participant’s death, and takes sole responsibility for any type of damage they may suffer resulting from their participation in the event. By accepting all the risks of this particularly dangerous event, the participant agrees, with full knowledge and understanding of the possible consequences, to release the organizer from any tortious and/or contractual liability. In return, the participant agrees to:
13 – ABANDONMENT AND REPATRIATION
In case of abandonment, the requested process is as follows:
14 – MODIFICATION OF REGISTRATION & REFUND POLICY
MODIFICATION OF REGISTRATION
ANNULMENT / POSTPONEMENT
REFUND TERMS
15 – MANAGEMENT OF COMPLAINTS – DISPUTES, MEDIATION, AND APPLICABLE LAW
Any claim arising from the events must be made in writing, in French or English, stating the participant’s name, first name, and bib number, addressed to the headquarters of the Organizer by email at the following address: contact@graaalps.com or by mail to the following address: The ULTRA CYCLING France association, 63 rue cuvier, 69006 Lyon.
Any claim must be submitted to us within 8 days after the end of the event. In the absence of a response within two (2) months or in the case of an unsatisfactory response from the Organizer, before resorting to a competent court and within one (1) year following the date of the first notification to the Organizer, you can use the mediation service for consumer disputes related to events free of charge by contacting CMAP, whose contact information is indicated on its website (http://www.cmap.fr/offre/un-consommateur/) or by contacting the competent public consumer mediator.
16 – EXCEPTIONAL CONDITIONS
MODIFICATION OF THE EVENT
If circumstances require, the organizer reserves the right to modify the routes, departure times, time limits, the location of refreshments and first aid stations, and any other aspect related to the smooth running of the events at any time. In case of force majeure, very unfavorable weather conditions, or any other circumstances endangering the safety of competitors, the organization reserves the right to:
The participant unreservedly and irrevocably accepts this right to modifications so that their registration has been made with full knowledge. The participant waives any liability of the organizer in case of a change of date or any other modifications or to claim any indemnity at this title. In case of a change of the event date, in particular, the registration fees will not be refunded to the participant if they decide not to participate in the event they were registered for.
CANCELLATION OF THE EVENT
The organizer reserves the right to cancel the event due to force majeure. The participant unreservedly and irrevocably accepts this right to cancellation so that their registration has been made with full knowledge. The participant waives any liability of the organizer in case of event cancellation or a change in its date or to claim any indemnity at this title. In case of force majeure (including, adverse weather conditions, security issues), the organizer reserves the right to stop the ongoing event. If the event is canceled for reasons beyond the organizer’s control (e.g., Covid restrictions, force majeure, natural disaster), participants will be offered various options (postponement, transfer, partial refund) that will be confirmed in due course.
17 – IMAGE RIGHTS
Participant’s Image:
As the event may be recorded for public communication, in any form (including photos, videos), on any existing or future medium, in any format, for any public communication worldwide, for any purpose including advertising and/or commercial purposes, each participant expressly authorizes the Organizer, its assigns or successors (including its commercial partners) to capture and reproduce, on any medium and by any means, and consequently, to reproduce and represent, without any remuneration of any kind, their name, voice, image, and more generally their sporting performance in the context of the event (hereinafter their Image), for a duration not exceeding ten (10) years following the date of the event. The participant expressly authorizes the Organizer to grant licenses to the event’s partners for the exploitation of their Image for commercial and advertising purposes. For this purpose, each participant expressly and irrevocably authorizes the Organizer, its assigns, its successors (including its commercial partners), in order to meet the imperatives of advertising, promotional, and/or commercial campaigns, to 1) make any modification, addition, deletion, which it deems useful for the exploitation of their Image under the conditions defined above, 2) associate and/or combine with their Image, any and all signatures, hooks, slogans, captions, trademarks, distinctive signs, legal notices, visuals, and, more generally, any element of any nature chosen by the Organizer intended, in particular, to illustrate the communication media in which they are integrated. The participant warrants that they are not bound by any exclusive contract relating to the use of their Image. The participant is informed and accepts without reservation that their participation in the event implies the capturing of their Image by the official providers of the Organizer. Regarding the event’s website, the participant agrees that they may be identified by any internet user providing their name, first name, and/or bib number. If you wish to oppose such publication for a legitimate reason, you must communicate this decision to the Organizer at the address contact(at)race-across.com, before the event and no later than thirty (30) days before the event so that appropriate measures can be taken.
Event Images:
Any communication of still images and/or animated sequences of the event by the participant, captured during their participation in the event, must be limited to personal use and cannot under any circumstances be used for promotional and/or commercial purposes outside the event.
18 – EXPLOITATION RIGHTS OF THE EVENT
The structure ACROSS AND BEYOND ENDURANCE owns the exploitation rights of the event it organizes under the registered trademark GRAAALPS. Any still or filmed image of the event is therefore the exclusive property of the organizer. Any communication about the event, the use of the event in any form and on any support, must be done respecting the name of the event, the registered trademark, and with the express agreement of the organizer. Any commercial use of the name and/or images of the event can only be carried out after a written agreement resulting from a written and detailed request.
19 – ARBITRATION CLAUSE
Any dispute arising out of or in connection with the GRAAALPS event will be exclusively submitted to the Court of Arbitration for Sport located in Lausanne, Switzerland, following the Code of Arbitration for Sport. According to our ethical charter, any ostentatious display of political and/or religious messages or images during the event is prohibited.
20 – PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION
According to the French Data Protection Act of August 6, 1978, and in accordance with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR EU 2016/679), each competitor has the right to access and rectify data concerning them. The information is collected as part of registration for one of the events of the ULTRA CYCLING FRANCE association for the needs of the organization, and notably to individually identify each competitor in order to communicate any information related to their participation before, during, or after the event. All runner data is kept for a period of 10 years, renewable with each registration, corresponding to the legal retention period of the medical certificate of no contraindication to the practice of Ultra Distance cycling. Beyond these 10 years, and unless explicit authorization from the runner, all data is deleted except for name, first name, date of birth, gender, and nationality to maintain rankings. Any request for data modification can be made: 1. By mail to the following address: ULTRA CYCLING FRANCE association, 63