BBBR RACE MANUAL
Introduction
The Bohemian Border Bash Race is a serious unsupported, single-stage ultra-endurance on & off-road cycling competition. Yes, it takes place in the middle of Europe, but it should not be underestimated. It will require not only the ability to cycle for extended periods of time every day but also knowledge and experience of being self-reliant in a mountain environment. BBBR is a race, but your personal safety should be your primary concern.
Six main mountain ranges form the ancient border of Bohemia.
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Krusne Hory - Erzgebirge
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Bohemian Forest - Oberpfälzer Wald
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Sumava - Bayerischer Wald
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Eagle Mountains - Adlergebirge
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Krkonose - Riesengebirge
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Jizerske Hory - Isergebirge.
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Each one of these ranges is different, and each one will bring a different set of challenges and experiences which will stay with you for a lifetime.
Race Route
The race route is available on Komoot. It is the world’s leading route planning and navigation app. The Komoot mobile app is available for iOS, Android, and web users. Komoot has integration with Wahoo and a range of Garmin devices. Komoot’s map, route planner, and navigation are available globally. As the official route partner of the Bohemian Border Bash Race, Komoot is offering each participant a complete map package voucher. This enables you to download the entire map of the Czech Republic for offline navigation with your smartphone.
We will send you the complete route split into seven sections before the race.
The BBB Race will start and end in the very place where Bohemian Border Bash Camp has been organized past four years.
We have taken great care creating this route, but some slight deviations may be due to changes on the ground. It is a long route through a living country. In the unlikely case that you come across a section where you feel the track is incorrect but you see an obvious alternative, please make a note and tell us about the deviation you took and why.
Another thing that we’d like to mention is that the quality of the road surface can vary a lot over time, especially in the forests. Please take great care when you see login going on, as there might be debris on the roads. Be aware at all times as you might be going super fast on a smooth single-lane asphalt forest road which abruptly changes into rough gravel.
Start and an End
Location: 50.8547019N, 14.3579331E
Name: Camp Vysoka Lipa
Arriving by train:
Trains from Dresden (Germany) or Decin (Czechia) stop at Schöna station. Take the ferry (50m from the station, €2.50) across the river Elbe/Labe. You will find yourself in Hrensko. Follow the road into the woods. It is only an 11.6km long ride.
International trains from Berlin or Prague stop in Bad Schandau. You can cycle from the train station to the event. It is a 22km long ride. There is a ferry service from Bad Schandau to Hrensko as well. More information here: http://www.ovps.de/Verkehrsmittel/Schiff/Fahrplan-und-Tarife/4193/
From Berlin
By car - 2:45h
By train - 2:20h
From Dresden
By car - 0:50h
By train - 0:44h
From Prague
By car - 1:43h
By train - 1:47h
From Munich
By car - 4:30h
By train - 6:30h
From Bonn
By car - 6:00h
By train - 7:40h
Race Outline
1. Start to Klingenthal, 243 km
The race begins, as is tradition, in the "Bohemian Border Bash Camp," the exact familiar location as our annual BBB Gravel Camp.
The start of the race is at sunrise on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
The first kilometers of the route will lead you through Bohemian and, shortly after, Saxon portions of the National Park in our Border Bash backyard. Please do use caution when you pass through the town of Bad Schandau, where you will cross the river Elbe. It's the last big town you'll see for a while and signals where your first climbing will soon begin.
Elbe Sandstone Mountains / Elbsandsteingebirge / Labské pískovce (EN, DE, CZ)
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains are the mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, the first big hills you'll encounter on the trip around Bohemia.
Onward you go towards the Ore Mountains. Better hope for good weather. There are plenty of chances for exposure and quickly changing conditions here.
Ore Mountains / Erzgebirge / Krušné Hory (EN, DE, CZ)
Next up are the Ore Mountains, a natural region that has defined the natural border between Bohemia and Saxony for over 800 years - from the 12th to 21st centuries. Today, the border between the Czech Republic and Germany runs just north of the main crest of the mountain range, making the German side seem rolling, while the Czech climbs (and descents) seem to last forever. The climate of these higher regions of the Ore Mountains is characterized as being distinctly harsh.
2. Klingenthal to Furth im Wald; 188 km
Hoorah! This section will take you through the Geographical Center of Europe.
Upper Palatine Forest / Oberpfälzer Wald / Český les (EN, DE, CZ)
Political turmoil has reshaped this region over the last half-century, leaving a unique environment. Most of this area was vacated after the forced expulsion of its predominantly German inhabitants after World War II. Then, until the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, it was part of the Western Border Zone of then Czechoslovakia, virtually uninhabited. As a result, to this day the area is only minimally affected by human activities - remaining a mosaic of quiet deep forests, meadows, and forests.
3. Furth im Wald to Český Krumlov - CP1; 178 km
Bohemian Forest / Bayerischer Wald / Šumava (EN, DE, CZ)
As a border region, the Bohemian Forest has had a complicated history, as well. In the 20th century, it was also part of the Iron Curtain, and large areas were stripped of human settlement, leaving scars on the landscape that remain today. But even before that, settlement had already been sparse. For centuries thick forests dominated over human dwellings and pathways. These unique circumstances led to the preservation of plenty of unspoiled nature and several forest ecosystems relatively unaffected by human activity on both sides of the current border, now dotted with natural tourism hot spots both in winter & summer. Sumava is made up of heavily forested mountains (and some major recent invasive bark beetle devastation) with average heights of 800-1400 meters.
This section ends in the beautiful medieval town of Český Krumlov, where you'll find CP1, at the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.
4. Český Krumlov to Choceň, CP2; 322 km
The route from CP1 will be relatively flat for the first 80 kilometers after you leave behind the city of Český Krumlov and the Vltava river. Enjoy the respite.
You'll then be heading towards the Třeboňsko region, itself designated a UNESCO MAB biosphere reserve in 1977. This area has been shaped by humans since the 12th century. By resculpting & adjusting the natural water system into hundreds of individual ponds - 460 in total - the region evolved a distinct character, becoming an important source of farmed fish. Alongside one of those ponds that you pass, you can find an Iron-curtain memorial, and the northernmost point of Austria at the same time.
Cycling northeast from here, our route will generally follow the border between Bohemia and Moravia - the two largest historical Czech lands that make up the modern Czech Republic. First crossing a natural region called Czech Canada, named for its climate extremes of hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Next, you'll roll through another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town of Telč, renown for its Italian Renaissance architecture. Then, more than 130 kilometres of Bohemian forests & fields later you'll find CP2 in the small 13th century King's market town of Chocen.
5. Choceň, CP2 to Špindlerův Mlýn; 237 km
From CP2 the route follows the river valley before climbing up into the Eagle Mountains, at the start of the Bohemian-Silesian border.
Eagle Mountains / Adlergebirge / Góry Orlickie / Orlické hory (EN, DE, PL, CZ)
This mountain range located mainly in northeastern Bohemia, now marks the natural Czech border with Poland. This entire region has maintained its original natural character over the centuries... with gentle rolling hills, dense forests, and meandering rivers winding through valleys.
Table Mountains / Heuscheuergebirge / Góry Stołowe (EN, DE, PL)
Next up, you'll ride along the 42km sandstone range of the Polish Table Mountains. Uniquely the only such sandstone formation in Poland, you'll see the layered towers we are more familiar with around our basecamp, highlighted by picturesque sheer rock ledges.
Adersbach-Weckelsdorfer Felsenstadt - Adršpašsko-teplické (DE, CZ)
Another beautiful region to ride with more unusual clusters of sandstone formations, back on our Czech side of the border. You'll skirt the most touristy parts here, heading west back towards the highest of Czech mountains.
Giant Mountains / Riesengebirge / Krkonoše (EN, DE, CZ)
The northern half of the Czech-Polish border and which divides the historic regions of Bohemia and Silesia, runs along the main ridge of Krkonose. The highest peak, Sněžka / Schneekoppe is the tallest mountain of the Czech Republic (1603m). It features an unusually alpine environment above tree-line, thanks to the exposed nature of the mountains to wind & weather blowing in all the way from the Baltic Sea. You are sure to still see a snow-capped Snezka, even this late in spring. The river Elbe springs from this mountainous region, and this section will be very tough to ride, especially on tired legs this late in The Race. You might even still encounter snow on your own crossing here. Be prepared for frequent weather changes, the main ridge is unpredictable - one of the most wind-exposed areas in Europe.
6. Špindlerův Mlýn to the finish; 147 km
Isergebirge / Góry Izerskie / Jizerské hory (DE, PL, CZ)
The Jizera Mountains form the last, most northern section of the Czech-Polish border, and will guide you home towards the start of our Bohemian circuit. Named from Celtic-origins of the Jizera/Iser river which rises at the southern base of the highest peak in this shorter range - the 1124m mountain Smrk, itself simply the Czech name of one of many large spruce trees on the mountaintop. This range stretches from the Lusatian Mountains beneath where Germany, Poland & the Czech Republic come together (Lužické hory / Zittau Mountains) in the northwest, to the Krkonoše in the southeast. The weather conditions here are characterized by above-average annual precipitation. You still have your rain jacket, right?
From Jizerske hory, the route will take you to that "Three Corners" - the spot where the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland meet. Then, crossing the smaller Zittau Mountains, you'll finally arrive right back where you started.
Welcome back to camp, and more importantly to our finish line in Bohemian Switzerland!
Race Categories
Solo - 1 rider
Pair - a team of 2 riders maximum
BBBR is designed as a solo cycling challenge, but to make it more inclusive to less experienced riders or those that want to share the experience with someone, we have included a category for teams of two riders. - “Pair”
Solo riders are expected to be entirely independent and self-sufficient. Any outside assistance, resupply, navigation information, or drafting must be refused. The pair riders must comply with the very same rules, but they can assist each other. If you have any questions or doubts about this topic, we are happy to answer your questions.
Solo riders can’t plan to sleep in the same place. They can’t wait for each other or ride together for days on end. If you find riding together with someone, it is because you happen to have the same pace at the very moment.
Race Coverage
The main way how to follow the race and each individual rider will be the Race Map and rider “dots.” This is an excellent way for your family and friends to check on your progress.
https://www.followmychallenge.com/trackers
We will be regularly posting pictures to Instagram: @BBB_RACE
The official hashtag of the 2023 Race is #BBBR2023
Each individual rider will be allocated her/his hashtag. It will be comprised of the official hashtag above and her/his race number: “#BBBR2023.001” (an example)
While the race is in progress, the ways to get in touch with us will be printed on your Brevet Card, and these will include:
Email: ride@thebas.cc
SMS / Helpline: TBD
Next of kin following the race
The race map and the dots will be the primary means of following the race. However, please remember that the information provided by the system is not infallible. As with other events where the system is used, there may be periods where tracking is incomplete or less than 100% reliable. There can be tracker failures and issues with tracker reliability. The race organization has a number of designated “Dot-watchers” but welcomes information from those who are also watching their loved ones. It is natural for people, especially friends and family, to worry about riders when their tracker stops moving for any length of time. Please do not panic, as there is any number of reasons why this could be the case. If you are particularly concerned, you can send an email to ride@thebash.cc with a rider number and RIDER-TRACKING in the title. The person on duty at HQ can then act accordingly and compare with other data from the ground and the latest dot-watching logs. We will do our best to get back to you in a timely manner and check on riders as necessary, but please understand that we are very busy during this time.
Finally, for followers’ peace of mind, don’t forget that whilst the BBBR is held in a wild and often remote location, the fact that all riders follow the same route will ensure that if a rider does encounter a problem, another rider will soon pass the same way. Although remote, it will often be easy to find help within an hour or two away from the route.
Scratching from the Race
If you end up in a situation where, for one reason or another, you cannot continue with your race and wish to drop out or ‘scratch’ from the race, please get in touch with us as soon as possible by sending an email to ride@thebash.cc. If you are unable to do so, please use one of the contact methods above. Include in your email as much information as possible regarding the circumstances of your withdrawal from the race, including your full name and your race number. Note that all riders are welcome to celebrate with us at the finish regardless of how they get there. If you scratch from the race, you are responsible for your onward travel to the destination you choose.
Emergency
If you find yourself or someone else in a life-threatening situation, you must call for help immediately. The phone number to call is 112. It is the common EU emergency telephone number, and it will work in any location you find yourself in.
In case you are in one of the mountain regions, it is better to dial Mountain Rescue directly. The number to call is +420 1210. These mountain regions are:
Krusne Hory - Erzgebirge
Sumava - Bayerischer Wald
Eagle Mountains - Adlergebirge
Krkonose - Riesengebirge
Jizerske Hory - Isergebirge
Make sure that you study the route before the race thoroughly. You must be aware of your location at the time of an emergency.
Emergency phone numbers:
EU common Emergency number: 112
Mountain Rescue (above regions only): +420 1210
Race HQ: TBA
Contact with BBBR during the race
BBBR will be operating a mobile Race Headquarters (HQ) that will function 24/7 during the race period and will be best equipped to respond to any urgent inquiries. The official race email, ride@thebash.cc, is the best way to get in touch with staff at race HQ. BBBR staff will then be able to quickly get in touch with the teams out in the field and pass on information as required to best respond to any situations that arise. Details of how to get in touch with the HQ will also be printed on the Brevet cards that will be given to riders at registration the day before the start of the race.
It is crucial for riders and their next of kin to understand before entering the race that informing your next of kin of any relevant information may well be the only action that BBBR is able to perform in the event of an accident. Riders need to understand that they are fully self-reliant and responsible for themselves and it simply may not be possible for BBBR to provide any assistance, which therefore carries no obligation. Riders will need to sign the Rider Agreement prior to their participation in the race is accepted. It will be provided to them online before the start of the race.
Registration and Race Start Registration
Friday September 1, 2023 from 4 PM ADDRESS : Vysoká Lípa 1, 40502 Jetřichovice - Vysoká Lípa, Czechia Coordinates : 50.8547019N, 14.3579331E
Please make sure you bring all the documents with you that are outlined below in this manual or any more recent communications from BBBR. Copies of insurance documents are acceptable, and you can leave the copies with the registration team. We recommend you carry a copy of your insurance documents during the race.
The tracker deposit payment will be made available online in March through PayPal, allowing for quicker registration. Your deposit payment will also be reimbursed using PayPal when you return your tracker. This will be possible at the finish line.
If you have your own tracker, please turn it on and test it after registration. We will have checked all trackers to ensure they have registered a pre-race position and they are working properly but please also do so yourself. If you fail to test the tracker, we may not get a chance to check for errors before you leave and you may experience tracking problems.
Race Start
Start: September 2, 2023, at sunrise End: The deadline is September 9, 2024, at sunset
Please be at the start line, all packed and ready to go, at least 30 minutes before the official start.
Bags
You will be able to leave your bike bag and personal belongings in the camp in a locked room. We will not be held responsible for loss or damage.
Rider Briefings
The rider briefing will take place at the Camp at 8:30 PM on September 1st, 2023. This briefing is mandatory for all riders and will either confirm or update you on the information provided in this manual. Brevet cards are your official record of race times and may only be issued at the rider briefings, so make sure you attend. Without a Brevet Card, you may not appear on the race results. You MUST attend, or you will not be allowed to race.
BBBR Volunteers at Control Points
Please be mindful that most of the people you will meet at the start, finish and control points will be volunteers who are giving their time to make all this possible. Please be kind and courteous to all volunteers, no matter how tired you are. Without these people, there would be no race.
The Checkpoints
Checkpoints are used to confirm the passage of race participants along the route both as proof of full participation and as a safety check for the organizers to confirm the physical location (and condition) of participants compared to the satellite tracking data.
There will be several checkpoints throughout the route. These checkpoints will only have an official race stamp, and each racer will self-stamp in the correct location on her/his brevet card.
Checkpoint Cut-offs
BBBR will not be operating hard cut-offs for the race checkpoints. You will be free to continue on your way around the race course even if you are outside the time frame of the race. You will be able to self-validate using the official race stamps provided along the route. However, you should consider scratching and taking a train back to the start/finish line so you are back for the Finisher’s Party - Saturday, September 9, at 9 PM.
Warnings about riding the Bohemian Border Bash Race
Terrain
The race takes part in mountainous terrain. There will be difficult-to-ride sections. There will be nice, smooth, single-lane, tarmac forest roads. Gravel, mud, rocky sections. Please pay attention to road conditions at all times. The conditions may change suddenly.
Climate and Weather Conditions
Conditions in the mountains all around Bohemia can change rapidly. It can go from nice to cold and wet in a very short time. You need to be prepared for rain, there might be snow still in some parts, and you should expect temperatures to drop down close to zero at night.
Emergency and medical services
You will be riding mostly through very difficult terrain, seemingly far away from any services. There is Mountain Rescue in 5 mountain ranges, and an ambulance can be called from any other place you will pass through. The phone numbers are mentioned above and will be printed on the brevet card.
Resupply
There will be “plentiful” possible resupply points on the route, but you should do your research, and it is a good idea to keep some reserves in case you are unable to get a resupply. There will be long stretches with no services.
Water
Tap water is drinkable everywhere you go, so you can ask for water, or you can refill your bottles at any petrol station. You can drink water from springs when you come across them. Do not drink water from creeks and rivers.
Mandatory equipment list
Front and Rear lights
Helmet
First aid kit - bandages, antiseptic-sterile wipes, personal medication
Sleeping system. We will not be enforcing any equipment, but you have to be able to spend safe nights with temperatures dropping down close to zero; rain.
Down or synthetic jacket.
Waterproof jacket.
Survival blanket.
Gloves
Bike
The route is just perfect for your Gravel Bike. You will go across all surfaces known to a rider. A nice smooth tarmac road will disappear below your tire abruptly, so a few wider tires are a plus.
Emergency Situations
Regardless of how competitive you are or where you stand in the race rankings, safety should always be your primary concern. Please think carefully about your personal safety at all times and avoid unnecessary risks. There are many sections of the race route that are difficult to access. Help could take an hour or more to arrive.
In the event that you do find yourself in a life-threatening situation, call Mountain Rescue at +420 1210 (If you are in one of the Mountain Regions) or the common EU Emergency Number 112.
Next of Kin
All riders are required to give details of their next of kin so that they can be contacted if BBBR becomes aware of any incidents or accidents involving riders. Next of kin will be contacted before the race and notified that they had been nominated as a racer’s point of contact. They will also be advised of some of the more important details of the rider agreement, which riders have signed, the responsibilities of the riders, and the limited obligations of BBBR. They will also be given information on how to follow the race and what to expect as it unfolds.
BBBR advises that riders discuss their entry into the race with their next of kin well in advance of the event. Their next of kin should understand that the ride is taking full responsibility for their ride and is fully aware that they won’t be getting any assistance. This discussion is key to the avoidance of any misunderstanding by participants or their next of kin.
Registration Documents / Checklist
For registration, you will need the following:
Photo ID - ID card or passport
Doctor’s Note
We must ask you to provide a medical note signed by your doctor to certify that you are in good physical health to undertake the demands of the event. The note must bear the name and marks of a traceable doctor’s practice, confirm that there are no known health reasons that you should not participate, and mention the Bohemian Border Bash Race by name.
Insurance
All riders must have valid insurance which covers emergency extraction and repatriation. Please bring your policy number, your insurer's name, or a copy of your cover certificate.
Policies are also available which will insure you for your race fee should you have an accident before the race, which means you cannot participate.
It is the rider’s responsibility to contact the insurer and confirm that the level of coverage they require is provided, particularly for BBBR, which is a competitive event. Please note that there are no cash or high-value prizes in the BBBR, as this can affect premiums and coverage.
Satellite Tracking
Satellite trackers are mandatory. If you do not own one, you can rent one through BBBR for €40.
Private trackers are welcomed and encouraged.
Compatible trackers are: SPOT gen3/4 or TraceX | Garmin inReach
We work with: https://www.followmychallenge.com/
All racers who do not own a tracker will be supplied one by BBBR. It is the rider’s responsibility to keep this active and charge the battery as necessary. In the event that your tracker is not active for any period of time then riders may be asked to present other evidence to confirm their ride in order to get a valid time and place in the general classification. All finishers in the top 10 need their ride verified by a tracker.
Tracker Deposit
A refundable deposit of €200 against loss or damage will be required for each tracker online via Paypal. Your deposit will be returned to you via Paypal once you have returned the tracker.
Rules
Here are the rules that all riders must meet in order to be awarded a completion and finishing time for the Bohemian Border Bash Race.
Ride from the Start to the Finish via the designated route.
Ride through all checkpoints and obtain a stamp in each of them in a specified spot in your Brevet Card.
No drafting (other than pairs with their partners)
All travel must be human-powered.
All riders must maintain evidence of their ride.
All solo riders must ride solo. They must not ride together with other riders for an extended period of time or plan to camp together. All such must be accidental.
Helmet, lights, equipment in the equipment list, and travel insurance are mandatory.
Riders must know and observe all local traffic laws.
Ride in the spirit of self-reliance and equal opportunity.
Riders will qualify for Solo or Pairs general classification if:
They begin and finish their race under the same classification.
They remain self-sufficient for the entire duration of their ride.
This is a largely self-certified race, and it is taken on trust that the ride presented has been ridden in good faith. However, if that trust is found to be broken, for example, if the rider is pictured drafting another, dismissal of the offending riders will be swift and definite. You are strongly encouraged to report foul play in your fellow riders. This should not be viewed as malicious against the riders(s) in question but favor and duty to the racing community and to preserve an honest, self-policing racing culture.
Should any rider receive outside assistance from another rider in the race, then this is classed as an assisted finish and is not eligible for either Solo or Paris classification since riders must start and finish under the rules of their classification in order to qualify. The exception for this is that riders can help another rider in an emergency situation on the understanding that the rider who needs help gives up their Brevet Card to the helping rider and scratches from the race. This allows the helping rider to help/rescue a rider in distress and also achieve a Solo Finish. If a rider gets themselves into a situation where they require rescue but then carries on to the finish, whatever the merits of the ride, they cannot reasonably be said to have completed the Bohemian Border Bash Race.
Pairs riders
In the pairs category, riders in the pair act as a unit and may share food, equipment, information, and resources between themselves and help each other, including riding in each other’s slipstream. No support is to come from outside the pair, and resources cannot be shared outside the pair. To all intents and purposes, the pair shall interact with others outside the pair as if they were solo riders.