FAQ

Do I have to complete the mandatory segments in the order shown on the website and in the prescribed direction?

Yes. All mandatory segments must be completed in the prescribed order and direction.

There are several reasons for this. You will have a better chance of meeting other riders, the media teams will be able to estimate where they can find you, and some segments are simply more beautiful, interesting or challenging in the direction in which we designed them.

Between the mandatory segments, you plan your own route.

Do I have to sleep outside, or can I stay in a hotel or guesthouse?

You can sleep wherever you want. You can bivouac outside, stay in a hotel, guesthouse, campsite or use any other commercially available accommodation.

The important thing is that you use services available to other participants under the same conditions. For example, you cannot arrange in advance to stay with family or friends.

One of the basic principles of self-supported racing is that everyone on the route should have comparable opportunities.

Will you transport my regular clothes and other belongings to the finish?

Yes. We will transport the things you do not need during the race from the start to the finish.

Please do not pack them in your own bags or backpacks. At check-in, we will give you a bag in which you can pack everything. We will mark it with your race number, and you can hand it over to us either during check-in or on the morning before the start.

Do not put valuables in the bag and try to pack minimally. We have to transport and store belongings for dozens of other riders as well. Also keep in mind that you may not make it to the finish, and you do not want to find yourself somewhere along the route while your house keys are waiting for you in your finish bag.

Can I use a ferry to cross a river during the race?

Yes. You may use publicly available ferries that function as a “replacement for a bridge” and take you directly from one bank of a river to the other.

You may not use a boat or ferry to travel upstream or downstream and thereby shorten your route. Ferries across lakes are also not permitted.

The ferry must be publicly available to every participant under the same conditions.

The rules say that riding together briefly and talking to another participant is fine, but riding together for an extended period goes against the principle of self-supported racing. What does “an extended period” mean?

We do not want to define it by a specific number of minutes or kilometres.

Conversations during the race, chance encounters on the road and sharing difficult moments are some of the things we enjoy about this sport. Race Through Slovakia, however, is still a self-supported race.

If two solo riders spend a prolonged period riding together, coordinate their riding and benefit from the advantages that come with it, this no longer reflects the principle of individual participation.

If you realise during the race that you would like to continue together, let us know and we will classify you as a pair.

Where should I place the GPS tracker during the race?

Place the tracker where it has the best possible conditions for receiving a GPS signal and where it is not covered by metal or other objects that may weaken the signal.

A good option is the upper part of a top tube bag or the rear pocket of your jersey. You can also use a frame bag or saddle bag, but place the tracker as high as possible. You can also tape it directly to the bike frame.

A less suitable position is deep inside a handlebar bag, especially if there are other electronic devices above the tracker.

My GPS tracker is not updating my position or my family cannot see me on the map. What should I do?

GPS tracking is not a 100% reliable system, and temporary gaps in position updates may occur.

If your position appears to be “frozen” on the map, we can try restarting the tracker remotely. In areas with poor mobile coverage, the tracker may record your position but be unable to send the data to the server immediately. Once it reconnects to a mobile network, it may upload the missing data.

If the tracker stops working completely or develops a technical problem that we cannot solve remotely, we will try to replace it as soon as possible through an organiser or one of the media teams.

Before the start, you will receive contact details for an organiser whom you or your family can contact during the race.

Can I use a train, bus, car or any other form of transport during the race?

No. You must complete the entire route between the start and finish by bicycle and under your own power.

You may not use a train, bus, private car, taxi or any other form of motorised transport to move yourself or your bicycle. You may not, for example, be driven from the route to a hotel and then brought back to the same place to continue riding.

The only exception is publicly available river ferries that act as a replacement for a bridge and meet the conditions stated in the rules.

If you withdraw from the race and report a DNF, you can of course use any form of transport afterwards.

What can I do if my bike breaks down during the race?

You may use any publicly available bike shop or service centre that provides its services to everyone under the same conditions. You may also ask someone you do not know and have no prior connection with for help, for example for a spare inner tube, the use of a compressor to inflate your tyres, or something similar.

You may buy a replacement part, have your bike repaired, or obtain the necessary tools and materials through any normally available commercial service.

However, you may not have a mechanic, support vehicle, family member or friend pre-arranged to meet you at a specific place to repair your bike or bring you a prepared replacement part.

Solving technical problems is also part of the self-supported nature of the race.

Can my family or a friend bring me food, clothing, a spare part or any other form of assistance?

No.

During the race, you may only use services and options that are available to all other participants under the same conditions. You can therefore buy food in a shop or restaurant, purchase a spare part in a bike shop, or buy clothing in a publicly available store.

Family and friends are welcome to come and cheer you on, say hello or meet you along the way. However, they should not provide material, logistical or any other form of assistance that would give you an advantage during the race.

Can I change the route I planned before the start while the race is underway?

Yes.

You can change your route between the mandatory segments during the race depending on the weather, fatigue, road conditions, shop opening hours, availability of accommodation or simply because you have found a better alternative.

You are not required to follow the GPX route you prepared before the start.

However, you must complete all mandatory segments in the correct order and direction and follow the race rules throughout all transfers between them.

Can I leave a mandatory segment?

Yes.

However, if you want to continue the race, you must return to the mandatory segment at exactly the same point where you left it. You can do this, for example, if you leave the segment to go to a hotel, shop, restaurant or similar place. The rule prohibiting motorised transport still applies, so you cannot, for example, take a taxi from the mandatory segment to a hotel.

What should I do if I decide not to finish the race?

First of all, let us know as soon as possible that you are withdrawing. This way, we will know that you are safe and that we no longer need to monitor your movement as an active participant in the race.

Once you have reported your DNF, you are no longer bound by the race rules and may use a train, bus, car or any other form of transport to get home or move elsewhere.

A DNF is nothing unusual. In a multi-day ultra race, a technical problem, health issue, weather, fatigue or simply a bad day can be enough to end the race.

We will then arrange with you how the GPS tracker should be returned.

Do I have to keep the GPS tracker switched on throughout the entire race?

Yes. The GPS tracker must remain switched on for the entire duration of your participation in the race and should be positioned so that it has the best possible conditions for recording your location.

We use tracking not only to follow the progress of the race and determine results, but also so that organisers, media teams and your family and friends can approximately follow your movement along the route.

However, the tracker is not an emergency or rescue device, and its position may not always be updated in real time.

If you think the tracker is not working, is not transmitting your position or is running out of battery, contact the organiser. Before the start, we will also explain how to charge it and provide contact details for solving technical problems.

Is the 650 km route suitable if this is my first ultra or my first multi-day race?

We created the 650 km version of Race Through Slovakia to open the door to endurance cycling for beginners. However, it is still a demanding endurance event. Even 650 kilometres means long hours on the bike, route planning, managing food, sleep, weather and technical problems.

Before the start, we therefore recommend completing several long rides and at least one multi-day ride.

Why does the 650 km route cost the same as the 1,000 km route?

The costs associated with both routes are practically the same. Every participant receives the same tracker and starter pack and has access to the same organisational, media and finish-line support. Most of our costs therefore do not depend on the number of kilometres a participant rides.

I registered for the 650 km route. Can I later switch to the 1,000 km route, or vice versa?

Yes.

Ideally, please let us know as soon as possible if you want to switch from the 650 km route to the 1,000 km route. We can even accept the change during the race, provided you have not yet reached the point where the mandatory segments for the two routes begin to differ.

We will only allow a change from the 1,000 km route to the 650 km route in exceptional cases and only up to a maximum of 80 starters on the shorter route, including pairs.

We registered as a pair, but in the end we want to ride solo. Or vice versa. Can we change this?

Yes. You can change your registration from the solo category to a pair or vice versa at any time before the start of the race.

However, please let us know about the change as soon as possible so that we can correctly update the start list and tracking system.

I cannot currently afford the registration fee, but I would really like to take part.

Cycling is one of the more expensive sports, and this is even more true for endurance cycling.

If you would like to take part in Race Through Slovakia but your current financial situation does not allow you to pay the registration fee, get in touch with us. We will try to find a solution together.

We do not want someone’s current financial situation to be the only reason why they cannot stand on the start line.

What equipment do we take on multi-day cycling rides?

This is not a universal list, and everyone eventually finds a setup that works for them. The best preparation is to complete several long rides, and ideally some multi-day rides, before the race using the equipment you plan to take to RTSK.

These are some of the things we have found useful:

two rear lights with independent power sources and two front lights (mandatory under the race rules);
sunscreen,
anti-chafing cream, if you have tested it and know that it works for you (this is a personal preference; even in the professional peloton, only around half of the riders use chamois cream),
aero/TT bars, if you know how to use them safely – on long rides, they provide an additional position for your hands and body,
a saddle bag, frame bag and, if needed, a handlebar bag or top tube bag,
glasses; photochromic lenses that work in different light conditions are particularly practical,
a toothbrush and toothpaste, personal hygiene items and any medication you take regularly,
a cycling computer with navigation,
a power bank,
a charger with multiple USB outputs so that you can charge several devices at the same time when staying overnight,
headphones, if you use them safely and in accordance with traffic regulations; bone-conduction headphones that leave your ear canals open can be a practical option,
electrolytes according to your own needs and experience,
a spare inner tube or equipment for repairing a tubeless system, a mini pump, tyre levers, a chain quick link, chain lubricant, a cloth and a multitool,
depending on the type of bike, a spare cable or other small replacement parts,
zip ties and a small piece of strong adhesive tape – they weigh almost nothing and can save you in many situations,
reflective elements for your legs or clothing for riding at night (mandatory under the race rules),
an emergency thermal blanket (mandatory under the race rules),

We generally would not recommend carrying a backpack on a multi-day ride. This is largely a matter of personal preference, but anything you can safely carry on the bike is something you do not have to carry on your shoulders and back for hundreds of kilometres.

It is advisable to consult a doctor about the use of medication, including painkillers, during prolonged endurance exercise. Particular caution is appropriate with medicines such as ibuprofen, as an association with an increased risk of acute kidney injury has been observed during very long endurance events. Stanford Medicine

What clothing should I bring?

First of all, bring as little as possible and only things you already know and trust.

Ideally, before RTSK you should complete several long rides and at least one multi-day ride using the same clothing and equipment you plan to use during the race.

Do not race in clothing that you bought shortly before the start. New bib shorts may become uncomfortable after a few hours, new cycling shoes may cause blisters, and a jacket you have not properly tested may not perform the way you expect.

As a basic setup, we would consider:

a lightweight jersey for the warmer part of the day,
a base layer,
a warmer layer for mornings, evenings and nights,
tried-and-tested cycling shorts; a second pair can also be useful during a multi-day race,
arm and/or leg warmers,
a waterproof and windproof jacket,
two pairs of socks,
waterproof shoe covers depending on the weather forecast,
short and long-finger gloves,
a buff or other lightweight protection for your neck and head,
a very lightweight T-shirt and shorts for time off the bike.

If you plan to sleep outside, you will also need equipment suitable for the expected overnight temperatures – for example, a sleeping mat, sleeping bag and a warm layer. May nights can be significantly colder than the daytime temperatures might suggest, so adapt your equipment to the current weather forecast and your own experience.