Race Propositions for Spiral year 2023,
5th edition.
Everybody is welcome. Special care is planned for newcomers especially from other countries!
Some info about previous editions including links to pictures: Historie Spirály
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Race Propositions
- The event starts on December 1st, 2023, at 12:00 (noon), in the Pilsen Region, Rokycany District, 3.7km/91m from the Rokycany train station. Exact location for registered racers in the app starting 29th November.
- 200km – 400km, elevation gain 4000 – 6000m.
- The route is designed to be 26-28h for the first competitors, so they finish just before dark.
- Depending on the weather, we reserve the right to shorten/simplify the route.
- The race follows a route provided in the MapCatch app on your own phone.
- Each competitor can only see the next 10km of the route ahead.
- The location of all competitors is visible on the map.
- The time limit is Sunday, December 3rd, at noon.
- Those who finish within the time limit may participate in Loudání in June, even beyond the limit of 50 riders (they must pay within a week).
Fees
For 1500Kč or 65EUR you get:
- The route and timing in the MapCatch app.
- Luggage transport between the start and finish.
- Refreshments at the finish line:
- A warm dinner,
- Drinks including various non-alcoholic and Hostomice 12 beer from tap
- Snacks for the entire night,
- Breakfast.
- Accommodation at the finish in a warm bed with bedding and a hot shower.
- A commemorative finisher’s T-shirt.
Beyond this, and not included in the entry fee:
- Refreshments on the route at random places and in random amounts… do not count on it.
- In case of serious problems, within our capabilities and goodwill, evacuation from the route to civilization or to the finish if it is not too far.
The entry fee is paid to the account CZ33 2010 0000 0021 0207 0199 (2102070199/2010, is different from Loudání), if you are paying from someone else’s account, please mention your name in the note.
The entry fee is refundable until Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
Registration
- Online registration here
- Registration is possible until midnight on November 30, 2023.
- There is no limit on the number of starters.
If you come to Czechia just for the race, you may want to get some more details about this since it looks like crazy. Feel free to call the organiser at +420 720 704 481 by Whatsapp or Signal.
Additional Race Rules
- Everything is at your own risk, we do not provide any insurance or assistance.
- You must follow the route; in case of an obstacle on the track, you can consult the possibility of a detour by phone.
- It is possible to leave the route for an unlimited time provided that you return to the same place.
- No mandatory equipment is demanded.
- Assistance among competitors is allowed.
- Help from acquaintances is prohibited except at their place of residence.
- Arranging help from a public service or by persuading a stranger is allowed without restriction.
Race Philosophy
Spiral aims to be the ultimate MTB race:
- Extreme weather
- Extreme darkness
- Extreme uncertainty
- A concentration of extremists
- Extreme relief at the finish
We also ensure it’s feasible to complete the whole Spiral and it serves as a test for beginners who don’t want to wait until spring.
The race is unsecured, with full traffic on the roads. The route is designed considering the weather to ensure the fastest arrive on Saturday after dusk, and the slowest can comfortably finish by Sunday morning, including time for a short sleep. The difficulty of the track can’t be guaranteed in advance, but technical descents shouldn’t be feared. The race is not flat, and forests tend to be damp, so a mountain bike is advised. Those who opt for a gravel single speed will continue to advocate for it anyhow.
The route’s finish is secret, known first to the first racer 10km before the end. It’s located so participants can reach any part of Central Europe by Sunday evening. Unlike other races, we don’t organize an afterparty but a duringparty instead. Experiences can be shared immediately; there’s no need to remember anything. Hence, facilities with a warm shower, food, drink, and a bed are provided at the finish. Nevertheless, it’s advised to get a good sleep at home because you won’t want to during the event.
The start and finish are nearly perfectly accessible by train, but not necessarily on the same train line. We can’t guarantee the proximity of the start to the finish. If you want to leave your car at a statistically advantageous place, we recommend this material, Czech trains almost all take bikes, payment is feasible online, so it’s very easy. For those who inquire, we offer to check whether they want to leave their car at such an inconvenient place that it would be meme-worthy. We’re careful not to reveal the race route through this.
Technically, the race route will be displayed in the MapCatch app. The app is optimized for these races, allowing orientation on the map, displaying the travelled route, finding the positions of other racers live, and communicating with other racers and organizers. The app copes well with poor signal. For Spiral, the app has a special setting to continuously display only the next 10km of the route.
Expect to use about 50MB of data during the race and have the ability to charge your phone. Experience from previous years shows a phone lasts 10-30 hours without charging. In the rain, be prepared for unresponsive screens, malfunctioning USB ports, and other issues. In freezing conditions, similar problems arise, plus some phones report being too cold to charge. We’ve successfully tested wrapping phones with foam materials from electronic boxes, significantly improving resistance to cold. Carrying at least a small power bank and testing everything in real conditions before the race is necessary. Past experience suggests „keeping the power bank always connected to prevent moisture in the USB port“. Even when chilled, the phone can run on a power bank. Despite these complications, all past editions were completed successfully by all except those who ran out. Therefore, we believe this year too, the unique experience will outweigh all technical challenges associated.
We always choose a finish that allows for pleasant late-night conversations about experiences, a true relief. Under certain conditions, some family members can arrive at the finish and pay 500 CZK for an overnight stay, but they must be cool people who won’t look sour even if someone spends two hours discussing the benefits of ceramic bearings. We test them on this upon entry to the cottage. 😄