CYCLIST LEADER AND SUPPORT LEADER KRA General: The Nedbank Tour de Tuli is a social mountain bike event and not a race. The cyclist field will be divided into cycling groups according to the cylists ability and friends or business colleagues they elect to cycle with. Each cycling group will be allocated a Cyclist Leader and a Support Leader. This DOES NOT necessarily mean that the Cyclist Leader must physically ride in front of the group. This can be worked out within each cycling group. It does mean that the allocated Cyclist Leader is ultimately responsible for the well being and coordination of their group with the assistance of the Support Leader. We will endeavour as much as possible to allocate at least one Wildlife Leader to each group who may or may not be allocated as the Cyclist Leader. In most instances, it would make sense that the Wildlife Leader cycles in the front of the group and the Non-Wildlife Leader cycles at the back of the group. Route Overview: The intended route is still to be finalized, however what we can tell you is that the cycle tour will traverse three different countries; Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa and two game areas: Northern Tuli Game Reserve and Mapungubwe National Park. The distance cycled will be between 60 and 85 km per day on predominantly single and jeep track for four consecutive days with a total distance of approximately 250 to 300km. Although this event is not a race, this route will be tough and ample training will be required. Final details on the route will be loaded onto the website in early 2016 Cyclist/Support Leader Registration Process: Please click here if you are interested in registering as a Cyclist Leader or Support Leader. Once registered, the system will acknowledge your registration however confirmation on whether you have been selected as a Cyclist Leader/Support Leader will happen in March. In March 2016 we will start to review all the Cyclist/Support Leader registrations and will advise on whether or not your application has been successful. At this time all leaders must accept or decline the offer. On acceptance of this offer, you will be expected to fulfill this role and responsibility.
In May 2016 we will start finalizing the groups and routes and will provide all leaders with information on their cyclist group. Obligation: Due to the fact that we cross informal borders, we are obligated to provide full cyclist manifests to the relevant government departments a minimum of three months in advance. Once these manifests have been submitted it is difficult to make any amendments and therefore if Cyclist/Support Leaders cancel it puts the event in a precarious position. For this reason, if you do register as a Cyclist/Support Leader and are accepted we will hold you liable for fulfillment of this role. Please do not register for this role if you have any doubts from a work commitment or other as to whether you will be able to fulfill your commitment. Role: The Cyclist/Support Leaders are predominantly the face of the cycle event. Their overall role is to oversee the enjoyment and safety of all the cyclists in their group for the duration of the Tour. The leaders will be responsible for their group of cyclists that will consist of approximately 16-18 cyclists. The general idea is for each group to be managed independently and efficiently by the Cyclist Leader and Support Leader. In order to facilitate the above, the following will be expected from the Cyclist/Support Leader to ensure the group dynamics and camaraderie exists between the cyclists in their groups. This will need to take place PRIOR to the start of the event so that there is a relationship between the cyclists and his/her leader: Should you not be able to fulfil these requirements please do not apply for the Cyclist/Support Leader role: The email addresses of the cyclists in your respective groups will be given to you in advance. Please make contact with your group and start to ascertain information relevant to their cycling ability (Please keep the Event Organisers copied in on all correspondence) If feasible and/or possible it would be a good idea to set up a training ride with your group or part of your group, in order to ascertain their cycling abilities In around May 2016 a Cyclist Leader Manual will be circulated to all Cyclist/Support Leaders. Please read this document prior to your arrival at the event as it gives you all the pertinent information that you will require to manage your group All Cyclist and Support Leaders need to have their own GPS and know how to use this device. All cycling tracks won t be marked and Leaders will need to navigate their way along the trail without getting the group lost using only a GPS. Responsibilities during the Event: The following are Cyclist Leader and Support Leader responsibilities during the Tour: Safety and Enjoyment: To conduct a safety meeting every morning with your cycling group and ensure that the event rules are adhered to by all cyclists at all times. (Please note that this safety talk is imperative for liability purposes. Please ensure you reiterate this each morning before departure). Each group is allocated a Cyclist Leader and a Support Leader one of the leaders must lead the group and the other at the back of the group to ensure that no one gets dropped off.
To ensure all your Cyclist/Support Leader equipment provided by the Event Organisers is on hand and phones and radios charged at all times (You must please ride with a fully charged back up cell phone - Suggest you keep your phone off and only turn it on when you need it to save battery life). To cycle with your group at ALL TIMES. Please DO NOT register if you are not fit enough to complete the event. It is imperative that we can rely on all Cyclist/Support Leaders to comfortably complete the event with their group. To set a comfortable pace relevant to the terrain and the ability of ALL cyclists in their group. Please do NOT drop cyclists or tell them to ride faster than they physically capable of. If you have cyclists that are holding your group back you must either allocate faster cyclists to the group ahead or slower cyclists to a slower group at the end of a cycling day. Facilitating the cyclist s enjoyment of the tour and assessing group dynamics to ensure the cohesion of their cycling group. Assisting cyclists with safe cycling skills and techniques. Technical and nutritional advice and assistance. Cyclist/Support Leaders need to ensure that each cyclist is carrying enough water and nutrition to take them to the next stop (minimum 3l of water or energy supplement per day). Mechanical concerns - if a cyclist experiences a mechanical problem during the ride, leaders will be responsible to help the cyclist fix the problem and for the group to stay as a group until you can continue together. Cyclist/Support Leaders to ensure that within their group they have enough spares and technical knowledge to manage minor technical issues. You need to know the whereabouts of your cyclists at all times. I.e. if cyclists swop groups you need to ensure that the other Cyclist Leader is made aware of this as well as the Head Cyclist Leader. If a cyclist needs to move up or down a group, the Cyclist Leader must first talk to the other group s Cyclist Leader and then hand over responsibility to that Cyclist Leader for that specific cyclist and update the Support Desk. This should ideally be done at the end of the day. Cyclist/Support Leaders will be responsible for ensuring that everyone in their group is accounted for at the end of each day. The Cyclist Leaders will be responsible for contacting the SUPPORT DESK on arrival at camp each evening and signing their group in. Noting any movements or amendments to your group. All changes to groups need to be finalized at the Cyclist Leader meeting held each evening. Debrief: Each day Cyclist Leaders are to perform a debrief with their cyclists immediately on arrival at the next camp to include the following: Group dynamics and safety issues, positioning of cyclists and cycling skills. Obtain feedback from cyclists if any concerns, issues etc If so these must be managed either through Bike Technicians, Medical Nurse and/or Masseuses or Biokineticist (as relevant) or if general concern with the Event Director. Feedback regarding bikes, gearing or mechanical problems. Any announcements as requested by Event Organisers. General congratulations to everyone for good ride.
Nedbank Tour de Tuli Event Rules: Safety approved riding helmets are compulsory. All helmet straps must be fastened at all times. No overlapping of wheels. Cyclists may not deviate from the official route. The Cyclist Leader and official's word is final! The safety precautions need to be taken seriously, and strictly adhered to. Anyone found in contravention of the officials or any safety regulations will be evicted from the tour without compensation. This cycle tour will travel through National Parks. All cyclists agree to respect the wildlife and environment through which we are travelling and to obey all National Park rules and regulations. No littering. All food wrappers etc must be kept on the cyclists until the next refreshment stop or put into the supporting Land Rover's rubbish bins. Please burn all toilet paper if you have to go between official loo stops Tired cyclists need to do all possible to cycle to the next strategic point if wanting to quit. Cyclists to stay within close proximity of each other especially in wildlife areas. Each cyclist must carry a minimum of 3l of water Every bike must have a tubeless conversion which must be done before the event. Cyclist Leader Equipment: Each Leader is to ensure that they carry their own personal cell phone with international roaming facilities (please encourage cyclists to do the same). Most of the areas through which we will travel will have some cell phone coverage but it will be erratic and cannot be guaranteed. Hence you will be allocated a Satellite phone as back up. One satellite phone per group will be allocated to the Cyclist Leader for emergency use only. Each group will receive three hand held radios for communication between the Cyclist Leader and the Support Leaders. The third radio will need to be allocated to a responsible cyclist in the group who is happy to cycle in the middle of the group Please Note: the Cyclist Leader will be responsible to ensure the third radio is charged each evening and handed in at the Support Desk on the last day. Each Leader will be allocated two Bear bangers and cartridges and air horns Leaders for safety purposes. If you find yourself in a position where you have to let the bear banger off Please collect a new cartridge in camp from the Support Desk. Basic medical aid kit for the treatment of minor injuries will be provided to the Cyclist/Support Leader at registration. Once again please ensure that you carry this each day. It will be your responsibility to ensure that you give the hand held radios and sat phone (if needed) to the Support Desk each day when you arrive in camp so it can be charged. It is your responsibility to ensure that you collect the equipment you handed to the Support Desk before you go to bed each night. All equipment provided by the Event Organisers is your responsibility to look after and should be returned at the end of the event in the same condition it was found. Any loss or damage to any equipment that was allocated to you personally will be for your account. If for some reason your allocated equipment is swopped with another member of staff, this has to be documented at the Support Desk and signed in by yourself and out by the person you are handing it to. Cost liable to Cyclist/Support Leader if equipment is lost or damaged: R800 per item lost/damaged.
Please Note: All of the above equipment will need to be signed out at registration and signed in at the Support Desk on the last riding day. The Cyclist/Support Leaders are RESPONSIBLE for the safe keeping, charging and returning of all of the above equipment for their group. In the Event of an Emergency: Cyclist/Support Leaders or cyclist to please contact all or any of the following: (Contact details will be provided on your key rings that you will carry with you at all times and can also be found on a sticker on every cyclist s bike board) Incident Coordinator Medics and/or Medical Doctor Tour Director In the Event of an Accident or Injury: Cyclist/Support Leaders must ensure that they have done what they can to make the patient comfortable at the site of the incident. Look for and deal with any life threatening problems. Once this has been done, radio or phone (with satellite phone) the Incident Coordinator and/or Tour Director to come to the scene of the accident. Wait for medical personnel to arrive and determine the Incident Action Plan. The Cyclist Leader will make the call as to whether or not the remainder of the group will continue cycling. In this instance a qualified person will need to be nominated to play the role of the Cyclist Leader. Specific problems that can be resolved need to be resolved by the Cyclist/Support Leader with assistance of camp services i.e. masseuses, bike technicians, medical and support team. If you are unable or unsure how to resolve the issues then you need to make the Tour Director aware of them so that they can be suitably managed. In all instances any amendments or changes to groups etc must be coordinated and communicated with the Tour Director, Head Cyclist Leader (Anton Wood) and the affected Cyclist/Support Leaders. Staff Meetings: We will hold a Cyclist/Support Leader meeting every evening at 6:00pm. All Cyclist and Support Leaders to meet at the Support Desk and then find a suitable quiet spot. Ensure that the Support Desk Volunteers are aware of where the meeting is being held so that late leaders will be able to find you. It is expected that all Cyclist Leaders and Support Leaders attend this meeting, without having to be hunted down. The intent of the meeting will be to review the route for the following day and communicate any amendments. Any problems or issues must be dealt with at this meeting. Please note: The first day of the cycle tour will be an exception and the Cyclist/Support Leader meeting will take place at 15:30pm in the airport building, please all be there. What to Bring: Please refer to the recommended packing list which can be found under Tour Information on the website. All Cyclist Leaders and Support Leaders will be provided with four NEDBANK TOUR DE TULI CYCLING SHIRTS which they will be expected to wear on each cycling day. It is imperative that you wear the event Cyclist Leader shirts so that you can be identified as a leader.
Transport and Meeting Point on Thursday 28 July (Cyclist Arrival Date): It is mandatory that all leaders that are not travelling on the coach to meet at Halcyon Car Park, Venetia by 10:30 am. You will be required to accompany groups of cyclists from the Halcyon Car Park to the Pont Drift border post and into camp (approximately 20km from the car park) for most of this day. If you are travelling on the coach on arrival at Pont Drift Border Post all cyclists will disembark and find their bikes. They will proceed through customs and cycle the 2.8km to camp at the Limpopo Valley Airfield. Once again leaders on the coach will be expected to facilitate this. Registration will take place at Limpopo Valley Airfield - Botswana. 1 st /2 nd August Departure Day: All Cyclist/Support Leaders will be expected to assist with bike loading and sorting of their group s bicycles at the end point on the 1 st and 2 nd August will be free to leave only once their cyclist group has departed. Please contact us if you require transport to and from the start of the tour or if you have any further questions. For further information on the event, please go to the Cycle Tour Information tab on the website. We look forward to meeting you on the Nedbank Tour de Tuli!