Advice
Support Crew watch the road while Marg Cavallieri, Mark McLaren and Kate Winnen wait for their Belfast Bikers team mates to reach the change-over spot.
Advice for Riders –
The M2M is a team cycle relay. It is not designed to be an individual full distance ride and is certainly NOT A RACE. The M2M provides riders of all abilities with the physical challenge to cover the full distance in not much more than 24 hours as a team in relay. Riders looking for more of a challenge can increase the distance of their relay sections or try riding a double shift. In the interests of safety and a directive from the Police, teams found racing will be stopped. No full distance riders are permitted.
The Ride Director on each leg will have ultimate control of decisions to be made once the ride is in progress. He or she will have radio contact with Motorcycle Marshals, Lead and Rear Vehicles, Medical Vehicles and can contact the Police if necessary.
Motorcycle Marshals will be moving through the ride to give reminders and assistance when necessary. It is important to follow their instructions.
Official Event Volunteers and Police will be marshaling corners and danger spots, and also giving directions and assistance when needed.
Medical units will be strategically placed throughout the ride, but it is advised for all teams to carry their own First Aid equipment.
The rear vehicle will ensure slower teams are aware of their time limit. The lead vehicle may need to stop the front of the ride if the spread is getting too far to ensure support services are not spread too thinly. The Ride Director reserves the right to move slower teams by vehicle to catch up if they are not averaging a speed of approximately 22kms/hr in order to complete the event within 24 hours. This is in the interests of safety. RIDERS ARE TO STAY APPROXIMATELY 300 METRES BEHIND THE LEAD VEHICLE.
CYCLISTS AND SUPPORT VEHICLE DRIVERS MUST OBEY ALL ROAD RULES.
This includes obeying traffic signals and road signs. We do NOT have permission to close roads for the event and it is your responsibility to take care at intersections, etc. Riding helmets, reflective clothing and working lights on bikes at night are COMPULSORY.
TRIBARS ARE NOT PERMITTED AS THEY JEOPARDISE THE SAFETY OF OTHER RIDERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN RIDING IN BUNCHES.
Teams will be notified of their team number and starting time well before the event. It is the team's responsibility to clearly display their team number on the backs of all their riders, day and night. A patch of 20 cm x 25 cm is a good size.
All Riders and Support Crew MUST attend a pre-ride briefing near the starting area at a time to be notified. It is compulsory for all support drivers to wear a reflective vest for the duration of the ride.
Groups of 15-24 riders will leave at 5 minute intervals, and starting times will be at the discretion of the event organisers. If you consider your team to be slow, please request an early start. Alternatively, if you consider your team to be experienced and fast, please request a late start to avoid the frustration of being stopped on the ride. Teams may ride together as a bunch or on their own. If riders from other teams group into bunches of similar ability, it makes riding more pleasant, but make sure that you have practiced bunch riding in the weeks before.
There will be a compulsory stop and regroup at Hamilton for a short rest for all riders. Teams MUST REGISTER at the Hamilton venue, whether staying there or not. A venue for communal sleeping (bring own sleeping bag, lilo), shower facilities, and breakfast for a small cost, will be provided. If teams elect to stay elsewhere, they must ensure that their riders are punctual for the re-start and vehicles not allocated to follow go directly to Port Fairy before the lead vehicle. The ride then re-starts from 7.00 a.m. from Hamilton. Each team is given a start time, leaving at 5 minute intervals.
Only one allocated vehicle is permitted for each team to follow cyclists from Hamilton to Port Fairy, a distance of 80 to 90 kms. Teams must be very organised for this final section, as there is only one support vehicle, and if they wish to make a change, it must be organised carefully to ensure their other vehicle does not get mixed up in the event i.e. it must remain in front of the lead vehicle. Non-designated vehicles leaving after the Hamilton start time will be directed by Police and volunteers down a vehicle only alternative route via Mt. Napier to Port Fairy.
Riders must be into Port Fairy by 11:00am, as there are no officials on the course after this time. Ideally riders should finish by 10:00am to complete the event within 24 hours.
At the end of the ride, there will be a short ceremony to present medallions to team captains and the annual Graham Woodrup Memorial Medal.
