28 April 2014
THE ASEAN MTB CUP
By now, many would have heard about the coming of the ASEAN MTB CUP. What do we know about it. Bikezilla gives you the full rundown on what this event is all about.
For an Asian cyclist, wouldn't it be good to race downhill (DH) or cross-country (XC) in all the ASEAN countries, experiencing its different trails and cultures? Not just the usual places riding groups talked about, but all 10 countries of ASEAN! Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. To many cyclists, this would be a dream come true. And to top it all, there's a chance to pitch against other cyclists from all over the world. Forget STRAVA, this is the real deal!
The ASEAN MTB CUP is a multi-stage race for 2 disciplines of cycling – downhill and cross-country, racing at different regions' trails. There will be winners for each CATEGORY, followed by a challenge for the ELITE CHAMPION and finally the OVERALL CHAMPION.
CATEGORIES AND SUB-CATEGORIES
The current categories and sub-categories as as follows:
ELITE
Men's Elite ( 17 years old and above) as per UCI regulations
Women's Elite ( 17 years old and above) as per UCI regulations
MASTERS
Master A ( 30 – 39 years old)
Master B ( 40 and above)
OPEN
Men's Open (19 years old and above)
Men's Junior (17-18 years old)
WOMEN OPEN
Women's Open (19 years old and above)
Women's Junior (17-18 years old)
THE DETAILS
ASEAN MTB Cup will have MEN's JUNIOR (17-18) and MEN's OPEN (19 and above) – which will have 3 winners for each category. The race will then combine both results to produce an overall result for the MEN's ELITE.
MASTERS Category will gather race results from MASTER A (30-39) and MASTER B (40 and above), and subsequently combined for the overall result of MEN MASTER.
The same system will be followed for the UCI Categories, except that the MEN's JUNIOR will have to go straight to OVERALL and not combined with the WOMEN's OPEN and WOMEN's ELITE because Cross-country (XC) has JUNIOR categories in the UCI races.
By sub-categorizing the racers into smaller groups, ASEAN MTB CUP aims to attract more riders as they now have a chance to race within their own classes and at the same time get an overall result that is within the UCI regulations. This will be done in both the series races and subsequently combined for OVERALL results. ( In this coming prologue race, results will be consolidated from the 2 stages of Philippines and Malaysia for the ASEAN MTB CUP OVERALL CHAMPION.) Although the UCI Categories are only Elite for DH; and Men and Women Junior, Under 23, Elite for Cross Country and also the Masters, the ASEAN MTB CUP gives the opportunity for more riders to experience what it's like to be in an international scene as what elite riders/national team experience during SEA GAMES, ASIAN GAMES, and Continental Championships (ASIAN CHAMPS).
For 2014 – the Prologue Stage – the test events will be held at the Philippines and Malaysia. The Prologue Stage is needed before ASEAN MTB CUP can register for the 2015 series with UCI. Each race will be sanctioned by each of the host nation's national federation and thus follows the UCI regulations and overseen by International UCI Commissaires. From most cyclists' point of view, the prologue and the first official UCI sanctioned race (in the near future) will be the biggest milestones and incentive to join ASEAN MTB CUP. Definitely not to be missed.
ASEAN MTB CUP orgainzer feels it is exciting that cyclists in each class get to compete with competitors from other countries and the event will open their racing experience to a new level. Also, both host countries for the prologue races are working hard to prepare race tracks that are of international standards in terms of difficulty and safety.
WHAT ABOUT THE NON COMPETITIVE CYCLISTS?
The event is open to anyone, but it is definitely a race, no less. Though the non-competitive riders can join, the tracks and the whole racing experience is directed to the racers. Still, non-competitive riders who wants to join and experience the fun and excitement of a big scale race event are very much welcome. The experience will be worth the effort.
REGISTRATION FOR ASEAN MTB CUP
Registration will be online as soon as the website is up. Stay tuned!
MORE INFORMATION
Bikezilla will be providing regular updates of ASEAN MTB CUP and the coming prologue races. At the same time, you can also visit their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/ASEAN-MTB-CUP-2014/237729006432087 or their website: www.aseanmtbcup.com
Race information by ASEAN MTB CUP
All charts by ASEAN MTB CUP