How to choose the first bike race and register

1. Select a familiar format

Open cycling calendar and select the appropriate dates and region. Then look at the discipline and the description of the route. The name "amateur" in itself says nothing about the complexity.

Road cycling

Please specify whether this is a group race or a separate start. For a group ride, driving skills are needed alongside other participants; regular single rides do not replace them.

Gravel

Look at the proportion of asphalt, soil and sand, the condition of the roads after the rain, the requirements for the bike. Two starts of the same length can be very different.

MTB and cyclocross

Look for video of the circle and information about technical areas. A short distance with roots, climbs and carrying a bike is not necessarily easier than a long flat road.

2. Estimate time, not just kilometers

Compare the distance with trips that have already been confidently driven on a similar surface. Take into account the climb, stops, weather and the ability to replenish water. The average speed on asphalt is not suitable for calculating a sandy route.

Find the reference time and intermediate cut-offs. For example, 60 km in four hours requires an average speed of 15 km/h along with stops. This is an example of arithmetic, not a promise that a particular route will be within your power.

In race results of previous years look at the time distribution of the finishers, but check if the route has changed. The winner's time does little to evaluate his first start.

3. Read the position and distance page

From the race card, go to the organizer's page and open the rules for the right year. Write down the start time, the place of issue of numbers, permitted bicycles, mandatory equipment, documents and conditions of departure.

For example, you can study The Tsar Grader page: the name of the distance should be compared with its mileage and current conditions, and not chosen only by sound. Do not transfer the requirements of this race to all others.

If the regulations and the registration form differ, check the disputed item with the organizer before payment. Save the response along with the registration confirmation.

4. Select the appropriate category

The category may depend on gender, age, type of bike, license or sports status. Age is sometimes calculated by the year of birth, and sometimes by the start date — this should be indicated in the position.

Check which competition your bike is participating in and whether changes are allowed after registration. If there is a separate category of beginners, read its criteria: lack of starting experience and lack of a sports category are different conditions.

Participants under 18 must separately check the age limit and documents from a legal representative. The presence of a children's race does not mean that a child will be allowed to participate in the adult distance.

5. Register and check the result

1. Go to the registration link from the event card or from the official page of the organizer.
2. Check the year, date, distance and category before filling out the questionnaire.
3. Specify the name and date of birth without typos; keep the order number.
4. After payment, wait for confirmation from the service.
5. Check the status in the cabinet and the start list if it is published.

A write—off in a bank, a letter about the creation of an application and a confirmed slot are not the same thing. If the money has been debited and the request is awaiting payment, first send the order number and payment confirmation to support. Do not pay again just because the page is delayed.

6. Put together a plan for the start day

Decide in advance how to get there, where to leave your belongings and how much to come to issue a room. Upload the route and save the organizer's contacts offline. Find out how to report a gathering: just going home may not be enough.

• Slot and category are confirmed.
• The documents are collected by admission checklist.
• The bike is checked, familiar food and clothes are prepared.
• The control time and the plan of return after the finish or descent are known.

For the first start, a good result is to go through the whole process calmly and see if you want to repeat it. The place in the race results can be disassembled after the finish.