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Age group world championship questions
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I'm going to be racing in Lausanne next year, age group standard distance non-draft. Finding rules, especially bike rules, is surprisingly difficult. Can anyone chime in on the following:
- are wheelcovers legal? Discs only?
- any restriction on front wheel depth?
- are BTA bottles legal?
- do helmets need a European safety sticker?
- how crowded should I expect the bike course to be? It is a two loop course.
- how closely does my bike set up have to align with UCI or ITU rules eg. saddle set back, extension length, etc.

I plan on update this post as more questions arise. Qualifying wasn't a goal for me, and it was more being in the right place at the right time, than speed, that got me there. I'm not totally sure what I am in for.....

Thanks.

"I keep hoping for you to use your superior intellect to be less insufferable. Sadly, you continue to disappoint." - gofigure
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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Here are the ITU rules for 2018: https://www.triathlon.org/...ition-rules_2018.pdf

I've never had anyone check the offsets on my bikes.

For non-draft legal races, disk and wheelcovers are OK. Again, I've never been checked (for non DL races).

On helmets: "Helmets must be approved by a national accredited testing authority recognised by a National Federation affiliated with ITU;" Thus helmets sold in the States will be fine. I've never had issues with my helmet.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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Last time I did one, the ITU was checking for motors.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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I've also been at an ITU race where they checked for motors (at age-group check in). Careful if you bring a disc as your only back wheel... if it ends up insanely windy (like the week leading up to the race in Rotterdam last year), you could be hosed if you don't have another option.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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For your questions (based on the 2018 rules, the updated ITU rules tend to come out late Nov/Early Dec, so it's worth checking once those are released):

- Wheel covers are fine for non-DL... Might actually be smarter to travel with than a disc, because if winds are strong, the Technical Delegate may decide to ban discs, and then you could be SOL if you only have a disc...
- Obviously no front disc, but no restriction on front wheel depth
- BTA are fine for non-drafting
- No, as long as your helmet is certified with a recognized designation in an ITU member nation, you'll be fine.
- Moderately crowded for a two loop course. Depends on what the final schedule looks like in terms of wave spacing.
- Make sure you read the ITU age group rules, which are much more relaxed than the elite ones. It's not super common, but i have been checked with a jig for an age group race. more common these days, especially at the Grand Final/Multisport worlds, allow time at check in, because there's a chance of random doping control or motor checks. In terms of the bars, the rule for bar length is strictly enforced, your bars cannot extend past the front wheel (I can't imagine that would be comfortable, or handle particularly well either)...

Other big things:
- Whenever you are on the race site, if you are straddling your bike frame, make sure your helmet is on and buckled. You can technically be DQ'd if you roll up without your helmet, or with your helmet unbuckled...
- Make sure you have your helmet (on and buckled), and race kit at bike check in, and on race morning, make sure you have your race kit visible for uniform checks, otherwise you hold up the line and slow the process...
- Rack by your seat in T1 (this is mandatory), in T2 it can be either by the bars or the seat (if by the bars, make sure it's by both sides, if it's only one side, it's a penalty). This said, when you check in the night before, listen to the officials, you may be asked to rack by the bars because it's more stable in the wind, just remember on race morning to turn your bike around to avoid a penalty (this sounds nit-picky, but if you rack by the bars in T1, then you have to pull your bike out into the aisle, and then flip it around, which makes you an obstacle for those in the same row, so there is logic to this rule, to keep things safe... having been taken out by someone who stopped in the middle of the aisle at a past worlds, you'll get no argument from me on this one...).
- Transition bins, most age groupers are not used to these, but it's pretty simple... the bin is for used equipment, anything used must go in the bin, at the end of T2, there should be nothing outside of the bin (otherwise you'll have a visit to the penalty box). Apparently for the standard distance Du in Fyn this year, it was raining penalties for these types of errors, because many age groupers were not used to the bins)...
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Re: Age group world championship questions [Trauma] [ In reply to ]
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Trauma wrote:
Other big things:

- If you're one of the idiots who bought a two-piece uniform: make sure your gut doesn't spill over your shorts. Not only does it look really bad in photos (don't ask), you can also be DQ-ed for having your midrif visible.

Citizen of the world, former drunkard. Resident Traumatic Brain Injury advocate.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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sonofdad wrote:
- are wheelcovers legal? Discs only?
Wheelcovers are fine... in fact they could come in handy if the course is windy and the ITU/race organizers say you can't race a disc. Happened in Australia.. almost in Chicago a few years ago. I carry both a disc and non disc rear wheel.

- any restriction on front wheel depth?
No

- are BTA bottles legal?
Yes


- do helmets need a European safety sticker?
Maybe, I've never had them check my helmet... other than the fact I had one. Generally on your head when you check your bike in.

- how crowded should I expect the bike course to be? It is a two loop course.
Depends on the course honestly but I've not had any major issues and I've raced Chicago, Cozumel, Rotterdam and Gold Coast Oly.

- how closely does my bike set up have to align with UCI or ITU rules eg. saddle set back, extension length, etc.
I've never had my bike checked for any spec in the Oly.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [Richard Blaine] [ In reply to ]
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Unfortunately I am one of those idiots. There was nowhere to try on a one piece within 3 hours of me, so I defaulted to the two piece. Those who are unlucky enough to see my gut can blame the manufacturer or rep.

"I keep hoping for you to use your superior intellect to be less insufferable. Sadly, you continue to disappoint." - gofigure
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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sonofdad wrote:
Unfortunately I am one of those idiots. There was nowhere to try on a one piece within 3 hours of me, so I defaulted to the two piece. Those who are unlucky enough to see my gut can blame the manufacturer or rep.

Well, be careful with that. Bring safety pins. Because DQ.

Anecdote: I raced both the Standard and Sprint Du in Fyn last summer, and the morning of second race I was stopped by a representative of Triathlon Canada who handed me some safety pins and told me that they had been warned that any "uniform infractions" that day would be penalized.

The safety pins worked fine. Two in the front and two in the back - no problem. I used my uniform a couple of times later in the summer, and found out that if you hike up your shorts and tighten the drawstring properly, everything stays in place (this is 2XU - don't know what brand you have). But if racing ITU events: be prepared and use safety pins.

But I am taking the safe route and ordered myself a one piece for next year, even though I can use the two piece again.

Citizen of the world, former drunkard. Resident Traumatic Brain Injury advocate.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [Richard Blaine] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the tip.

On an unrelated note - Does anyone have any information about shipping a bike back from Europe? I will take it on the plane there, but we are going to stay in Europe for a bit and fly out of a different airport. I don't want to lug it around, and bike transport places won't ship one way. Has anyone ever shipped a bike case by mail? UPS and Fed-Ex are over $1000.

"I keep hoping for you to use your superior intellect to be less insufferable. Sadly, you continue to disappoint." - gofigure
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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sonofdad wrote:
I'm going to be racing in Lausanne next year, age group standard distance non-draft. Finding rules, especially bike rules, is surprisingly difficult. Can anyone chime in on the following:

- are wheelcovers legal? Discs only?
- any restriction on front wheel depth?
- are BTA bottles legal?
- do helmets need a European safety sticker?
- how crowded should I expect the bike course to be? It is a two loop course.
- how closely does my bike set up have to align with UCI or ITU rules eg. saddle set back, extension length, etc.

I plan on update this post as more questions arise. Qualifying wasn't a goal for me, and it was more being in the right place at the right time, than speed, that got me there. I'm not totally sure what I am in for.....

Thanks.


The official course maps are not out, but this link is to the course maps from the 2018 Lausanne race (so I think 2019 will likely be the same/similar). Standard distance was a two loop course in 2018.

https://www.trilausanne.ch/cms/en/race-information/course-maps
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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In Australia for 70.3 worlds we traveled for a few weeks after the race. I had looked into a number of options. The cheapest (and best for me given the bike flew for free with me) was to just ship the bike in country. I went to quantas’s freight counter dropped off my bike and had it shipped to my last hotel stay (had called to confirm acceptable). Cost me maybe 80 AUS.

Look into just shipping to your last location.

________________________________________________________
Taylor Rogers

2024: IM Hamburg
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Re: Age group world championship questions [xcrogers] [ In reply to ]
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Are the rolldowns complete?

Just wondering...I thought I had a chance, but haven't heard anything.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [mdiet22] [ In reply to ]
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Roll down occurs at each event directly after awards. If you're not there when they call your name or run through the other finishers you don't get a spot.

________________________________________________________
Taylor Rogers

2024: IM Hamburg
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Re: Age group world championship questions [xcrogers] [ In reply to ]
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That's for Ironman, not ITU Worlds.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [jaretj] [ In reply to ]
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Ah, Apologies, you are correct. My mistake in forgetting the context.

________________________________________________________
Taylor Rogers

2024: IM Hamburg
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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I ship my bike with Tribike Transport for this very reason... I generally travel for two weeks and NOT having a bike to keep up with is awesome.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [sonofdad] [ In reply to ]
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Just some extra info:
-There's never been any restriction on use of disc or wheelcover in a non-draft tri in Switzerland that I've heard of in the last fithteen years
-The bike course is going to be moderately crowded, and it is hilly and technical. Main climb is about 600m long and 8-10% on average.
-Nobody is going to check your bike closely. They may check your brakes are working and that's about it.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [Bib02] [ In reply to ]
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All I will say is just be familiar with the ITU rules (and make sure you look at the age group rules for bike position, not the elite ones), and make sure the bike is set-up accordingly. While you may get a pass on a more thorough inspection, that has not been my experience over a number of ITU events/Worlds... typically you'll face a visual inspection, brake check, front end stability check, saddle angle and wheel check (make sure that the wheels are stable), with random spot checks for motors... as mentioned above, it's been a while since I have seen a jig check for age groupers, but I have experienced it at worlds before (in some ways, a jig check is actually faster)...

For those curious, the new rules are out on the ITU website, and will be in effect until the end of 2020 (the rules revisions have been moved to a 2 year cycle). There are several changes impacting age groupers that are worth a look. https://www.triathlon.org/...ry/competition_rules
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Re: Age group world championship questions [Trauma] [ In reply to ]
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Trauma wrote:

Other big things:
- Whenever you are on the race site, if you are straddling your bike frame, make sure your helmet is on and buckled. You can technically be DQ'd if you roll up without your helmet, or with your helmet unbuckled...

I had an ITU official tell me you needed your helmet buckled if your bike was unracked (during the race). I had never heard of such a thing and I was worried I was going to get a penalty for unbuckling my helmet in the transition area while running to the racks in T2.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [tri_yoda] [ In reply to ]
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tri_yoda wrote:
Trauma wrote:


Other big things:
- Whenever you are on the race site, if you are straddling your bike frame, make sure your helmet is on and buckled. You can technically be DQ'd if you roll up without your helmet, or with your helmet unbuckled...


I had an ITU official tell me you needed your helmet buckled if your bike was unracked (during the race). I had never heard of such a thing and I was worried I was going to get a penalty for unbuckling my helmet in the transition area while running to the racks in T2.

The rules may vary around the world but in Australia your helmet must on at all times your bike is unracked during the race. The rules don't define "securely" but I can only assume it means buckled.

"3.5 The bicycle helmet must remain securely fastened on the head the competitor at all times once the bicycle is removed from the bicycle rack, while on the bicycle course and until the bicycle is replaced on the bicycle rack. '
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Re: Age group world championship questions [Bib02] [ In reply to ]
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Bib02 wrote:
Just some extra info:
-There's never been any restriction on use of disc or wheelcover in a non-draft tri in Switzerland that I've heard of in the last fithteen years
-The bike course is going to be moderately crowded, and it is hilly and technical. Main climb is about 600m long and 8-10% on average.
-Nobody is going to check your bike closely. They may check your brakes are working and that's about it.
I didn't know that the Sprint/Oly course was known yet. I'd love to know what it is... I'm kicking around doing the Sprint but would prefer to not ship two bikes... if it's super technical and hilly I might be okay on my road bike... I could slap on some shorty aero bars for the standard.

I digress interested if you have some info on the bike courses.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [xeon] [ In reply to ]
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xeon wrote:
Bib02 wrote:
Just some extra info:
-There's never been any restriction on use of disc or wheelcover in a non-draft tri in Switzerland that I've heard of in the last fithteen years
-The bike course is going to be moderately crowded, and it is hilly and technical. Main climb is about 600m long and 8-10% on average.
-Nobody is going to check your bike closely. They may check your brakes are working and that's about it.

I didn't know that the Sprint/Oly course was known yet. I'd love to know what it is... I'm kicking around doing the Sprint but would prefer to not ship two bikes... if it's super technical and hilly I might be okay on my road bike... I could slap on some shorty aero bars for the standard.

I digress interested if you have some info on the bike courses.

Not official, yet -- but there is a good chance it will be the same as last year's race at Lausanne. See my link above.
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Re: Age group world championship questions [tri_yoda] [ In reply to ]
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tri_yoda wrote:
Trauma wrote:


Other big things:
- Whenever you are on the race site, if you are straddling your bike frame, make sure your helmet is on and buckled. You can technically be DQ'd if you roll up without your helmet, or with your helmet unbuckled...


I had an ITU official tell me you needed your helmet buckled if your bike was unracked (during the race). I had never heard of such a thing and I was worried I was going to get a penalty for unbuckling my helmet in the transition area while running to the racks in T2.

That 100% IS a penalty... Your helmet must be buckled from before your bike has been removed from the rack in T1, until after the bike has been racked in T2. Unbuckling prior to that is a stop & go penalty for age groupers (stop forward progress, rebuckle helmet, and the resume) or a time penalty in run penalty box for elites (time depends on the distance). Unbuckling while riding your bike is an auto-DQ. Not sure where you race where the helmet rule is not enforced? But for sure ITU, and in many other jurisdictions, this is the application of the rule. This tends to be the most common violation called...
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Re: Age group world championship questions [nickag] [ In reply to ]
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nickag wrote:
tri_yoda wrote:
Trauma wrote:


Other big things:
- Whenever you are on the race site, if you are straddling your bike frame, make sure your helmet is on and buckled. You can technically be DQ'd if you roll up without your helmet, or with your helmet unbuckled...


I had an ITU official tell me you needed your helmet buckled if your bike was unracked (during the race). I had never heard of such a thing and I was worried I was going to get a penalty for unbuckling my helmet in the transition area while running to the racks in T2.


The rules may vary around the world but in Australia your helmet must on at all times your bike is unracked during the race. The rules don't define "securely" but I can only assume it means buckled.

"3.5 The bicycle helmet must remain securely fastened on the head the competitor at all times once the bicycle is removed from the bicycle rack, while on the bicycle course and until the bicycle is replaced on the bicycle rack. '

I believe it is in the violations appendix, but the ITU Rules do define "Securely fastened". It means buckled, except in the case where the buckle breaks during the race, in which case, the straps can be knotted tightly to allow you to finish the race.
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