Rules & Regulation

Cycling race for the amateur public on road or gravel bikes. Conditions for participation are: properly fastened bicycle helmet, bicycle with road handlebars (so-called rams). Time trial/triathlon trapeze is not allowed in the race.

Races are held according to the following regulations. All participants take part in the race at their own risk, the organizer is not liable and is not responsible for damages incurred by the participants or caused by them. All participants must comply with the provisions of the Road Traffic Act and are obliged to respect the instructions of the designated organizers, members of the Police of the Czech Republic and the Municipal Police. The organiser reserves the right to make necessary changes to the race rules due to unforeseen (vis maior) circumstances.

Rules of participation
Each competitor must have properly completed registration and wear a properly fixed bicycle helmet and have a bicycle in a good technical condition at all times during the race.

The use of headphones during the race is prohibited and the competitor risks disqualification. The prohibition of headphones is for the safety of participants and spectators.

There are races on 3 different routes within the Hill Stage. The Long route is about 130 km long, the Medium route about 100 km long and the Short route about 60 km long. The start and finish of all routes is located in Vaníčkova street in Prague, Strahov. Complete information about the routes will be published on 21 November 2023.

Maximum capacity for each route in the Hilly Stage: 
Short route: 1000 participants 
Medium route: 1500 participants 
Long route: 1000 participants

For the Mountain Stage, there is a race designated on one route measuring between 100-110 km. The starting point, finish, and routes will be announced in November 2023.

Maximum capacity for the Mountain Stage: 1000 participants

A/ Tour de France-style competition categories

Overall classification: the winner is the competitor who completes the course in the shortest time. It is announced separately on all 3 routes of the hilly stage and on the route of the mountain stage.

Best Sprinter. It is announced separately on all 3 announced routes.

King/Queen of the Hills: The winner is the competitor who completes the section/s of the route marked Climbing Premium in the shortest time or sum of times in the sections so marked. It is announced separately on all 3 announced routes.

Best young man/woman. It is announced separately on all 3 announced routes.

Financial bonuses are not announced.

B/ Competition categories by age

*age of the participant on 31 December 2024
**Written consent of the legal representative is required

C/ Competition category Heroes

On the Short Route of the Hill Stage and on the Mountain Stage there is a Heroes Men and Heroes Women category with the following parameters:

• Road bike made before 1989
• Shift levers mounted on the bottom frame tube
• Pedals fitted with clip-ons
• Stylish cycling clothing
• Period helmet, or replica of a period helmet, or modern helmet required (race cannot be completed wearing only a cycling cap

Competitors in this category can use the discount code "heroes" for 30% off the current entry fee.

D/ Non-competitive category Gruppetto

The non-competitive Gruppetto category is only for the Central Route. Participants in this category are timed but are not included in the overall race results. They are subject to a 22 km/h limit to complete the race and will receive a participant medal if they meet this limit.

Participants in this category are entered into the Best Sprinter/Sprintmaker Competition on the Middle Route of the race. They can therefore become the winner of the green jersey.

Participants in this category will be placed at the back of the field at the start. The pace will be set by the category ambassador Tomas Babek.

The team consists of exactly 5 competitors.

Team members COMPETE in individual classification.

Team competition is announced on all routes. Team classification has the following categories.

The team ranking will be determined by the time of the 4th team member at the finish line, and for the Mixy XT category it is a requirement that at least one team member in the position to be counted is of the opposite sex.

Team members must wear identical jerseys.

Teams will be placed in their own starting block at the start, which will be positioned behind the first 200 competitors in the individual category.

There are no financial bonuses for teams.

Team application and nomination:

The team members must be sent no later than 24 May 2024 (Hill stage) or 17 July 2024 (Mountain stage) to info@letapeczech.cz. All nominated competitors must be on the entry list at the time of nomination, which can be viewed on the race website.

To be completed.

Registration for L'Etape CZ takes place exclusively on the event website www.letapeczech.cz. Registration includes redirection to the payment gateway. The registration of the competitor is completed when the registration fee is paid to the organizer's account. When registering, the candidate must fill in all mandatory data and agree to the declaration of participation in the race.

The organizer reserves 10% of the total capacity for the awarding of wild cards. Wild cards will be distributed no later than 31 May 2024. The allocation of a wild card does not mean free participation in the race, it is an opportunity to register for the race

Registration for the Hillclimb Stage will open on June 22, 2023 and close on June 7, 2024 online and on June 14, 2024 at the on-site registration desk.

FAIR ENTRY FEE FOR WOMEN

We are responding to the gender pay gap by introducing a fair start under the GPG. The gender pay gap (GPG; variously translated as gender income gap or gender income gap) refers to the average pay gap between working women and men, with women generally paid less than men. In the Czech Republic, this gap is specifically 16.4%, which is why all women can use the discount code "ferovestartovne" when registering and receive a 16% discount off the basic entry fee. The fair entry fee cannot be combined with other discounts or claimed retroactively. More information in the article...

Starting fee as a gift

A voucher for the entry fee, which includes a special code to register for the race, will be on sale here:

https://eshop.sportprozivot.cz/kategorie/letape-czech-republic/

WE DO NOT RECOMMEND registering on behalf of another participant to provide the necessary consent for their participation in the race by someone who not participating.

The starting pack includes:

• Starting number and a saddle sticker with a chip which is the property of the organiser until the end of the race.
• Gifts from our partners
• A unique participant's medal (for everyone who finishes the race)
• Health care assitance at the highest level
• Well-stocked refreshment station
• Pick up vehicles for those who do not finish
• Pasta party in the finish

A competitor in the L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France always starts at his own risk. The races are held under restricted traffic conditions, but the participant is obliged to obey the rules of the road and follow the instructions of the organizer, the Czech Police and the Municipal Police.

The competitor should know his/her current state of health before the race and undergo a professional examination by a sports doctor. We strongly recommend taking out accident insurance. The organizer does not accept responsibility for damage to property or health related to the travel, stay and participation of the competitor in the event. Each participant starts at his/her own responsibility.

The race is run on normal roads with complete or partial exclusion of traffic on the entire route, with the assistance of members of the Police of the Czech Republic, Municipal Police and marked and trained organizers.

The organizer cannot restrict the integrated rescue system vehicles going to the intervention in any way, therefore the participants are always obliged to use the right side of the road as a priority, or respect the instructions of the security forces, organizers and information boards.

Ceremonial start

The first 8.0 km of the race will be run in a compact group with the assistance of the Police of the Czech Republic and the organizers. During this initial phase it is forbidden to actively improve the position in the peloton by risky riding, riding in the opposite direction or on the pavement. The official start will be announced by waving a green flag and a siren from the race director's car.

transverse crossings for passenger traffic

There may be crossings with the track along the route. For selected crossings, we are requesting a closure of all train traffic, so the race should not be affected in any way. At other crossings, if the red light is flashing, you must stop and wait for the train to pass!

CROSSINGS FOR PASSENGER TRANSPORT

At several points along the route, crossings are provided to allow public transport providers and local residents in particular to cross the race route. All these locations will be manned by trained organisers, in some cases by members of the security forces. Primary priority will be given to race participants at these crossings. However, please exercise extra caution and heed the instructions of the organisers.

Medical support

At the end of each start wave, a rapid rescue vehicle will drive. Additional ambulances (7 in total) will be on standby at several selected locations along the route. The L'Etape CZ medical escort is part of the integrated rescue system. In case of an accident with injuries, call +420 728 155 155.

Additional services on the route

Feed zones:

Refreshment stations are located along the race route. The refreshment stations will provide a variety of sweet and savoury foods as well as energy products and sports nutrition from the race partner.

Each refreshment station will have dozens of filled bidons, and you will also have the opportunity to refill yours from a prepared water or ion drink barrel.

Mobile restrooms will be available at the refreshment stations.

Approximately 200 meters before and after each refreshment station, there will be a Refreshment Zone marked where racers can accept refreshments from their entourage and also dispose of waste. Littering anywhere else on the course will be punishable by disqualification.

Escort vehicles are not allowed.

Additional services in the L'ETAPE village

The race facilities include a sufficient number of showers and mobile toilets as well as backpack and bike storage.

The time limit for each route is set as follows: 

• Short route: 18 km/h
• Medium route: 22 km/h
• Long route: 25 km/h

At the end of the group of competitors there will be a vehicle marked as track closure. This vehicle will always move behind the slowest competitor on that route until it joins another route. The vehicle of the "slower" route then takes over this function. Therefore, a situation may arise where a competitor is not overtaken by the track closure vehicle but is classified OTL (Over Time Limit) at the finish line due to not meeting the time limit applicable to the route as stated above.

If the competitor is overtaken by this vehicle he is withdrawn from the race. The competitor may still finish the race, but only at his own risk, in full traffic and without safety. The other option is to load the competitor at predetermined locations with his bike onto a collection bus to take him to the finish.

Friday 14. 6. 2024
15.00 Opening of the L'Etape Village and Race Office
15.00 - 20.00 PDistribution of the race packets at  Menza Strahov
16:00 Riders briefing
17:00 Introduction of L'Etape by TdF Series Races
18:00 Riders briefing
18:30 Q&A with Alberto Contador
19:00 Signing session with Ambassadors
20.00 Closing of the L'Etape Village and Race office

Saturday 15. 6. 2024
8.00 Opening of the L'Etape Village and Race Office
8.00 - 9.00 Last miniute rides check-in Long route
8.50 Shortened Riders Brieging Long route
9.00 Opening of the startion corridor
9.23 Ceremonial opening of the Long route
9.30 Start of the race on the Long route

9.00 - 10.00 Last minute rider check-in Medium route
9.50 Shortened Riders Briefing Medium route
10.00 Opening of the starting corridor
10.23 Ceremonial opening of the Medium route
10.30 Start of the race on the Medium route

10.00 - 11.30 Last minute rider check-on Short route
11.20 Shortened Riders Briefing Short route
11.30 Opening of the starting corridor
11.53 Ceremonial opening of the Short route
12.00 Start of the race on the Short route

12.30 - 13.30 Anticipated arrival of winner of all routes

13.00 - 17.00 Pasta party at Menza Strahov

15.00 Flower ceremony of TdF jersey winners
16.00 Flower ceremony of the category and team winners
18.15 Drawing of the Van Rysel RCR bike contest
18.30 Event Closure

The regulations of the Czech Anti-Doping Agency are in full force for the race.

In case of non-compliance with these regulations, the participant may be eliminated from the ranking or completely excluded from the race.

Protests against results and rule violations can only be lodged on race day, no later than half an hour before the start of the awards ceremony at the info point in L'Etape village. The condition is to fill in the appropriate form and deposit 500 CZK, which will be returned to the protestor in the event of a positive outcome. Later claims will not be accepted. In exceptional cases, where a protest could not be lodged in due time for an objective reason, a protest can be lodged by email within 2 working days from the day of the race.

Complaints must be in writing (email to info@letapeczech.cz is sufficient). Only the competitor may file a complaint. Unjustified complaints will not be considered.

The race organizers reserve the right to modify and further specify certain information and provisions of these regulations. They also reserve the right to close the registration of participants in view of the maximum number of participants.

The organisers reserve the right to cancel or suspend the event or any part thereof in the event of a serious danger, namely adverse weather, unsuitable epidemic situation, threat of terrorist danger or attack threatening the safety of the participants or other unforeseeable circumstances (vis maior).

In such a case, the participant is not entitled to a refund of the entry fee or any part thereof if the organisers have already incurred the costs of the race in the time leading up to the moment of the interruption/cancellation. However, the organisers may, after considering all the circumstances and quantifying the costs associated with the preparation of the race, proceed to a partial refund of the entry fee.

Prior to the race, the organisers will publish the rules and conditions of participation in the race for participants, the organising team and spectators, taking into account the current epidemic situation and hygiene rules.