Zambezi Cycle Challenge 2018 News Letter 2

The preparations of the tracks for this year have commenced and for those that have attended in prior years, you will find some pleasant additions and improvements to the 3rd day in particular.
As you will have seen from the program on the website, the cycle village this year will be based at The Kingdom Hotel. This is a central location and a very friendly venue for a vibrant finish around the main swimming pool.
Please note that we will do one main race briefing on the evening of the 12th July at the Riverside Venue. It is essential that you all attend  as the briefing will cover safety features as well as other important rider information for the whole event.  As we will not have daily briefings on the next day’s ride, we will form a Whatsapp Broadcast group. So if you have a different what’s app number to the contact details on your registration, you need to send this number to either Karen at karen@vicfallsoccasions.com . Reminders and any other announcements will be made through this broadcast group. The organising team will also be around most of the time to help with information and anything else.
We will circulate the programme separately for your info and ask that you all go through it carefully. You will also be given a program at registration on your arrival.

A couple of reminders:

• Each day, your bikes will be transported to the start which will be out of town, and we will ride back into Vic Falls. We will be loading the bikes onto trucks and they will be packed carefully and each bike will be wrapped in a blanket. The bikes need to be on the bike racks for loading by 16h00 each afternoon for loading.
• We will take the utmost care with your bikes and have never had any damage in any of the past 4 years that we have hosted the ride, but I do need to mention, that you will be signing to indemnify the organisers should there be any damage in transit, and therefore it is up to you if you wish to insure your bike.
• Each team needs to have at least 1 GPS (preferable each rider should have one), and that is well mounted in a visible position on your handle bars. There are no markings other than the track you will have pre loaded on your GPS.
• As we are still finalising aspects of the course, I expect that the final GPS tracks will be circulated about a week before the ride.
• We will not allow any riders riding alone! Any single riders that are isolated for any reason need to join up with another team. We will be riding through areas with wildlife all around and the safety marshals are instructed to stop and pick up any rider not in a group. This is for your own safety.
• It is very strongly recommended that you have tubeless tyres fitted. Long sections of our tracks are in a very natural state and largely un-manicured.
• Helmets are compulsory – no helmet, no ride!
• There will be at least 2 water points on each days ride and you can expect to find water, coke, potatoes, muffins, bananas and various other energy foods.

The following categories will be used:

1. Racing Snakes Men
2. Racing Snakes Women
3. Silver Foxes (all team members must be over 45 years of age)
4. Silver Vixens ( all team members must be over 45 years of age)
5. Mixed teams

Important Notes on Day 2 Ride along the Zambezi River
The Day 2 Ride is not timed and is all about riding through the Zambezi National Park and enjoying the Zambezi River back to Victoria Falls.
As you will be riding through a National park with lots of wildlife including a healthy concentration of 4 of the Big 5, it is important to follow the safety precautions we have laid out for you.
Riders will be sent off in seeded Groups of 20 -25 riders at intervals of no more than 5 minutes between each group and will be led by either a professional guide or a rider with good experience with wildlife.
The times from Day 1 ride will be used to seed the groups  for Day 2.
There will be two compulsory 10 – 15 minute stops at pre designated water points at scenic locations on the banks of the Zambezi.
You will love this day if you just slow down and appreciate the natural beauty around you and the company of the other riders in your group.

Three weeks to go!!
Keep pedalling and see you soon!

Zambezi Cycle Challenge Organising Committee