This briefing is intended for those club members or guests of the club who want to take part in our Wednesday evening time trials which will recommence on Wednesday 15th July.
Time trialling is, for the remainder of the 2020 season at least, going to change from what we may have previously experienced and are familiar with. Compliance to these changes is required if we are to effectively manage the identified risks and continue with our sport during the Coronavirus pandemic. The essence of the time trial will remain the same: it’s you riding alone against the clock however the Government Coronavirus legislation and an updated Risk Assessment from Cycling Time Trials to whom we affiliate introduce changes to the way we prepare and run the events. We will regularly review any updates to the conditions we operate under and adapt our time trial rules accordingly.
Each and every one of those taking part, whether rider or official, now have a greater responsibility and it’s essential that those responsibilities are understood. We must act as cycling ambassadors, further enhancing the image of not just our club but also that of our sport and play our part in not transmitting the Covid-19 virus.
You must not take part in any time trial if you feel unwell, have any Covid-19 symptoms or suspect that you may have been exposed to someone who has, or if you live or work with someone who has started self-isolating in the last 14 days. This is the primary means of not infecting other racers or volunteers and must be adhered to.
Before the Time Trial
1) There will be no “on the day” entry to our time trials until further notice. We have to manage the size of the field to be compliant to what has been declared in the Police Notification Forms and also ensure there are no gatherings at the race number collection area.
2) All competitors wishing to ride will have to complete an online registration form, the link for which is at the end of this article, on the club’s Facebook group and by email to all members.
3) Pre-registration will be open from the Thursday before a Time Trial and close at 5pm on the Tuesday before the event.
4) If you have pre-registered but are unable to ride, you MUST email ttsecretary@banburystar.co.uk and president@banburystar.co.uk as soon as you know to allow your reserved place to be assigned to another rider. Failing to do this and not turning up may prevent you from being accepted in future club time trials this season.
4) All Banbury Star members will pay for 2020 Time Trials, those who paid the £25 supplement will have that automatically carried over to 2021.
5) The entry fee will be £3 for Banbury Star members and £5 for non-members.
6) The entry fee will be paid when collecting the race number, payment will be made via a contactless card reader which accepts debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. No cash or cheques can be taken and no IOUs accepted.
7) Marshals will be notified in advance of their marshalling position and must bring their own hi-viz vest/jacket.
8) If more than the permitted number of riders have registered, the Time Keeper will allocate spaces in the following order of priority:
Banbury Star members
Team Cherwell members
Previous Banbury Star club TT entrants
Other guest riders
9) You will be notified in advance if your registration has not been successful due to over-subscription.
10) A more detailed set of briefing instructions defining anything particular to the course being used will be emailed to each registered entrant.
11) Tier 1 members of the public who have received a PHE/NHS Shielding notification letter are not allowed to take part in the time trial, either in the running of it or as a competitor.
The day of the Time Trial
1) Again, if you have pre-registered but are unable to ride, you MUST email ttsecretary@banburystar.co.uk and president@banburystar.co.uk
2) Any last minute changes to the event will be published on the club’s Facebook group and website. It is essential entrants check these before setting off.
3) Ludlow Drive will not be used as the sign-on location for any of the 2020 events so as we do not disturb the residents. In addition, Ludlow Drive is not to be used for car parking until further notice and it is the responsibility of entrants to find an alternative location for their cars.
4) Marshals can proceed directly to their marshalling location, they will be briefed in advance by the Time Keeper.
5) All entrants are reminded that a working rear light is mandatory for the 2020 season. You will not be allowed to race without one.
6) Entrants are reminded to bring hand sanitiser, gloves and mask if necessary.
The Time Trial
1) The race “HQ” location will be declared in the pre-race briefing instructions.
2) There will be no car parking at the HQ other than for the purposes of collecting your race number and making payment.
3) You will be able to collect your pre-santised race number from an hour before the start of the race until twenty minutes before. Clean safety pins will be provided at the first event, after this you retain them for the remainder of the season.
4) You must keep a 1m+ distance in all directions from all other competitors and officials.
5) There are to be no group gatherings at the layby, you must arrive, collect your number, pay and then immediately leave the area. This is vital to comply with regulations and to protect the image of our sport.
6) Until further notice you can no longer leave rucksacks/bags/personal possessions with the Time Keeper.
7) With the exception of leaving the HQ vicinity and arriving at the start line, the race’s course cannot be used for warm-up purposes so as to limit overtaking.
8) A maximum of three competitors will be allowed at the starting area at any one time: the rider who is about to start and their two following competitors. The road will be marked with a start line and lines for the following competitors to wait behind.
9) There will be no pusher-offer at the start line, you will start from a stationary standing position on instruction from the Time Keeper who will perform a countdown from thirty seconds. A rolling start is not allowed.
10) It is the responsibility of all competitors to accurately time their arrival at the start area to avoid group gatherings and congestion.
After the Time Trial
1) No spectators are allowed to gather at the finish line, only the Time Keeper and an Assistant will be there.
2) On crossing the finish line please shout your race number to help the Time Keeper record your time.
3) You will then return to the finish area to place your race number (with pins removed) into a container for later sanitation before immediately leaving the finish area, no gatherings are allowed.
4) Please don’t ask the Time Keeper for your race time, the results will be posted on the club’s Facebook group and website following official verification.
5) If you develop Covid-19 symptoms in the 14 days after taking part in a club Time Trial you are to immediately notify welfareofficer@banburystar.co.uk and president@banburystar.co.uk
Summary
Your familiarisation, understanding and cooperation with these new rules is both appreciated and essential if we are to comply with the Government’s legislation, CTT guidance and club rules.
The changes may seem onerous to what we are used to but are required if we want to return to some kind of club time trials whilst managing the risk of the transmission of Covid-19 to competitors, race officials and members of the public and a lot of work has taken place by the club officials who organise time trials to ensure we can still run some events in 2020.
So with that, there’s only one thing left to say:
“Do a good ride”
I’m in, take me to the sign-up form