The ALGARVE BIKE CHALLENGE is a mountain bike stage race and it will run from 28th to 30th of March 2014. The real challenge of this stage race is not only about to win, but the knowledge, living the mtb spirit, overcome own limits and being in close touch with Nature.
The development of this Event is about the increasing demand and search for a type of Race who suits the best of two worlds: teams of two riders and a course guided by a GPS track.
The Algarve is an exclusive touritic destination famous by his coastline, although there is much more still to discover mostly inland. Thereby the Organization of ABC is commited to show that Algarve can be one of the best nature and sport tourism destiny.
Like the famous Epic stage races, the riders of ABC will race by teams of two. Team members can be off different ages and/or gender and at Checkpoints (CP) and at Finish line, the team result will only be authenticated when both two team members are present at the same time.
This concept is a surplus in endurance races, stimulating team spirit. Effort management and risk assessment are also important factors in this kind of stage race.
The structure of this Race will provide everything that is necessary from water, food, accommodation, technical support while you only just care about your passion, RIDING A BIKE!
The ABC will be hosted in the historical city of Tavira and the riders will race in the rocky and thecnical barrocal as well the mystic Serra do Caldeirão.
Cycling by cliffs and vales, crossing streams, the riders of the ABC will cross the Serra do Caldeirão remote trails with faboulous landscapes and ride back to the coastline city of Tavira.
Concerning the results Teams will be classified in one single category using a scheme of time allowances for gender and age. The team will be attributed the handicap of the member with the highest allowance.
The allowances of the two team members cannot be accumulated.
The winning team of each race will be the one with less time, combined the results from the two stages.
In each stage, each team will follow a preset track on the GPS screen.
Since no marks will be placed along the course, only signposting to alert from danger sections, crossings and descents, the environmental impact of the race is substantial reduced.
The GPS should have a colored screen, a minimum of 32Mb of memory, be able to accept cartography, and a recordable track capacity of at least 10000 points. The GPS must have an USB communication interface.
