Self-sufficiency

Racing without assistance or support from family, friends, or other riders (the only exceptions are help from your official pair partner or emergencies). No drafting behind cars, tractors, any other vehicles, or competitors, no support vehicle, no public transport, and similar. You may use only commercial services available to everyone. You may use a bike shop, guesthouse, or hotel, but you must not sleep at friends’ places or in locations that are accessible only to you.

Safety

Each participant is responsible for themselves, like any other road user. Riders are required to follow basic safety rules, especially to remain visible (carry two sets of lights and use them in poor visibility), wear helmets, and ride according to applicable traffic regulations. No helmet, no race. Night riding requires a reflective vest and we strongly recommend reflective bands on your legs. Two fully functional, independent brakes are a must.

Rules

  1. The rules are non-negotiable.
  2. Be self-sufficient. Ride using your own power only, without external support or help from other riders.
  3. No help from friends or family on the route. (Family and friends may cheer from the roadside, but they must not ride with you or provide any form of assistance.)
  4. No hiding behind cars or any other vehicles or riders (no drafting).
  5. No service car or support vehicle.
  6. No public transport.
  7. Only commercial services available to all riders may be used. (If you pass your home, or the home of friends or family, you must not enter.)
  8. Assistance between riders is allowed only in necessary situations (the general classification includes only riders who complete the whole course self-supported).
  9. You must not drop backpacks or gear before a climb that you will later descend (for example, in 2025 on the climb to Przehyba).
  10. It is fine to occasionally ride side by side and chat with others you meet on the route. Doing it constantly or for long periods means you are no longer riding self-supported. This provides a significant psychological advantage, which conflicts with the ethos of self-supported racing. If you wish to ride together, register as a pair.
  11. You choose your route between mandatory segments. Mandatory segments must be completed as designed. If you leave a mandatory segment for any reason (for example to visit a shop in the village center or accommodation in a nearby town), you must return to the exact point where you left it to continue racing.
  12. If a prescribed section cannot be ridden due to an accident, collapsed bridge, or another unforeseeable situation, you must find the shortest possible detour that returns you to the prescribed route.
  13. Small deviations from prescribed segments are allowed, e.g., missing a turn and correcting it 50 meters later.
  14. If a bike path runs alongside the road you are on, you are obliged to use it.
  15. Ride according to traffic laws. We have zero tolerance for violations. Breaking or circumventing traffic rules results in disqualification.
  16. No helmet, no race. Riding without a helmet means disqualification.
  17. Bicycles must have two independent, functional brakes. A standard road bike has front and rear brakes. If you ride fixed-gear, you must have an additional brake; resisting the pedals is not enough.
  18. You must have two independent sets of lights: two red rear lights and two front lights.
  19. In poor visibility you must wear reflective elements, e.g., a reflective vest and ideally reflective bands on your ankles.
  20. Each participant must provide an adult emergency contact whom we can reach if something happens to you or if we cannot contact you and need to verify your status.

As organizers, we provide the race concept. However, every rider is their own organizer and is fully responsible for their chosen route, life, and health. Things can happen: you may crash, damage your bike beyond repair, or face another unforeseen situation. We cannot guarantee assistance in a critical situation. By entering the race, you accept full responsibility for any situation you find yourself in. The organizers bear no liability for any damage to property, health, or life.