XC RACE RULES

1.0: LIABILITY, INSURANCE AND MEDICAL CLEARANCE

1.1: All riders to sign a race liability disclaimer form provided with the yearly membership form. 1.2: Third Part liability insurance is not compulsory but recommended. This shall need to be provided by the rider himself from any Insurance agency 1.3: If a rider is discovered of not having a valid insurance policy will be held liable for any accidents he/she might be involved in and will have bear the costs of the damages incurred.

2.0: RACE NUMBERS

2.1: The MMBA will issue a handlebar number plate with which the athlete is to compete in ALL the races throughout the NPS. 2.2: The athlete must take proper care of the race number. A replacement number plate will be issued at the cost of €5

3.0: EQUIPMENT

3.1: All competition bikes must be adequate for the race to be undertaken. The M.M.B.A. reserves the right to prohibit any rider from participating should it transpire that his/her bike or gear (including clothing) is inadequate for participation in any race 3.2: Riders are to use a CE approved helmets at all times, before, during and after competition 3.3: Riders will be automatically disqualified if found to be using any electronic means of propulsion including e-bikes, except those participating in the E-BIKE category 3.4: The MMBA may stop a rider from participating should it deem that such rider does not have adequate equipment/gear and will therefore be disqualified from the race.

4.0: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

4.1: Authorized technical assistance during a race shall only consist in the repairs to or the replacement of any part of the bicycle other than the frame. Bike changes are not permitted and the rider must cross the finish line with the same handlebar number plate that he had at the start. 4.2: Technical assistance can only be given in the feed/technical assistance zones.

5.0: RACE CATEGORIES

5.1: Categories for the Cross Country (XC) races are classified as follows:

ELITE MEN
LADIES
JUNIORS U/19 (17 – 18 yrs.)
U/17 (15 – 16 yrs.)
U/15 (12 – 14 yrs.)
U/12 (8 – 11 yrs.)
SPORT (19-39 yrs.)
MASTER 40+ (40-49 yrs.)
MASTER 50+ (50-59 yrs.)

5.2: Medals for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each will be presented after each race except for the NOVICE and U/12 categories, Trophies for overall winners will be presented at the end of the season.

5.3 All riders in U/12 category will be presented with a participation medal for each event.

5.4: Riders in the NOVICE category will be awarded a participation medal on completion of at least 3 events from 5 at the end of the series. 5.5: Categories that don’t reach the minimum amount of three (3) riders, will only be rewarded for 1st place. 5.6: Riders must choose category according to age. Riders will only be allowed to advance from SPORT and MASTERS categories to ELITE class.

5.7: The MMBA will reserve the right to promote riders from their category to ELITE based on their performance.

5.8: Each category class is valid for an entire race season. 5.9: Any participant who is under the age of 18 years shall have the required membership form and race disclaimer signed by his parents or authorized guardian.

6.0: POINTS CLASSIFICATION

6.1: Overall winners in the National Point Series (NPS) for each category will be determined on a ‘best out of 4’ system.

6.2: Points will be awarded as follows: 1. 250 2. 200 3. 160 4. 150 5. 140 6. 130 7. 120 8. 110 9. 100 10. 95 11. 90 12. 85 13. 80 14. to 38.: intervals of 2 points 39. to 60.: intervals of 1 point. 6.3: Riders tying on points in the NPS classificaiton will be ranked by the greatest number of 1st places, 2nd places, etc.. In the case they are still tied, the points scored in the most recent race will be used to separate them.

6.4: Foreign riders can participate in the National Championship event and will be awarded a medal on the podium if they place in the Top 3 of their respective category. National title and trophies to the first 3 Maltese will then be awarded.

7.0: CONDUCT OF RIDERS

7.1: A rider must act in a sporting manner at all times and must permit any faster rider to overtake without obstructing. The slower rider should move aside when possible and in a safe manner. PROPER and ETHICAL conduct is expected from all riders. The MMBA reserves the right to disqualify/penalize any riders who break this rule.

7.2: Riders shall only dispose of food/drink wrapping or packaging in those areas which are designated for by such purpose by the MMBA or the Race Director. Any breach of such rule as corroborated by another rider, race official or other third party shall be penalised by the imposition of a one-minute delay penalty in the first instance. Any further breach of this regulation during a race shall be sanctioned by disqualification from such race. Provided that should littering be attributable to a genuine error during a race or should any such action be remedied by a cyclist accordingly out of his/her own initiative then the terms of the foregoing paragraph shall not apply.

7.3: Riders shall at all times respect other riders, race officials and third parties present during any MMBA event. Any offensive behaviour as corroborated by another rider, race official or other third party shall automatically lead to the disqualification of the rider form a particular race. The MMBA reserves the right to take any further action in this regard as it may be required.

7.4: Any breach of any race regulation may be sanctioned in such manner as the MMBA or the Race Director may deem fit provided that such sanction is communicated verbally or in writing to all riders prior to the start of a particular race.

8.0 E-BIKES

8.1 All participants in the E-BIKE category shall ensure that the e-bike power unit would not have been tampered with and that all power limits as established by the manufacturer are not exceeded at any given time. The MMBA will disqualify any such participant: UCI Rule 4.8.001 applies.

8.2 Unless otherwise communicated by the MMBA, it should be noted that races in this category shall only be held should there be a minimum of four (4) participants.