Race Rules and Ethics
Important Information
All Riders are required to stop by Ruby Roubaix headquarters for packet pickup at the Lamoille School House. This will be on Friday, June 23, 2023 -- 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm -- for all distances.
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Any riders unable to pick up their packets need to make special arrangements prior to Monday, May 1, 2023. Email info@rubyroubaix.com or call 775-389-1862.
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Plan to be at the starting line for a Mandatory Rider Briefing 15 minutes prior to race start times. Race officials will cover pertinent information and answer any last minute questions.
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Packets include all the important items you’ll need in order to participate: your race bib, bike number plate, maps, meal vouchers, and more.
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Rider Responsibility
This is a deceptively remote course with generally minimal traffic and no services along the entire route (other than the Jiggs Bar, which won’t likely be open when Ruby Loop riders pass through Jiggs). Cellular service is spotty at best, especially on Harrison Pass, Secret Pass, and all of Ruby Valley. You will pass numerous active cattle and sheep ranches along the way. Most are more than willing to lend a hand to someone in need; however, they spend most of the day tending to the animals, irrigation systems, hay pastures, etc. – you may wait a long time for someone to return to the house. You will share the roads with ranch traffic (including trucks with livestock trailers--please give them room to pass safely as they can't pull off the road in most locations), recreational traffic, and some mine traffic (Kinross Bald Mountain Mine between Lee and base of Harrison Pass). You may get to share the road with a cattle drive.
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Regardless of emergency preparations, this is a remote course and emergency assistance is not readily available at all points. At the most distant points in Ruby Valley, time for a helicopter to reach your location may approach 1 hour after notification. Ambulance times are even longer.
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We strongly encourage riders to carry a satellite emergency beacon of some sort (Garmin InReach or SPOT) which can be used to allow friends and/or family to track your progress along the routes, call for non-emergency assistance or call for emergency assistance. We can provide information so that you may communicate directly with ride staff and local emergency contacts via these devices.
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We strongly encourage to consider emergency evacuation coverage--not trying to promote our partners, but medical air evacuation coverage is available from Reach Air Ambulance Network for a very reasonable annual membership fee, and this coverage is valid in all of their service areas.
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The EVENT SPONSORS, ORGANIZERS, PROMOTERS, STAFF and anyone having anything to do with this event ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SAFETY OR WELL BEING. We cannot stress this strongly enough... YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU!
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Each participant is considered to be on a private excursion and remains solely responsible for any accidents in which he or she may be involved. No responsibility can be accepted for participants becoming lost, stranded, injured... or worse.
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Be Prepared
Participants will be responsible for printing their own course maps/cue sheets/or downloading the GPS files prior to the event. These will be your primary navigational tools. The course will be well marked at critical locations, but it is imperative that riders be cognizant of their surroundings and be able to recognize critical features from the maps, GPS files, cue sheets, etc.
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Do Not rely solely on course markings for navigation. Use the map, cue sheets, and GPS! Participants should load the route into their GPS prior to the event to assist in navigation. Be familiar with your specific GPS device – some units only display the route (without the benefit of showing other roads or intersections, and they only squawk at you after you’re 100m off-course) and some only provide turn-by-turn directions through an additional app.
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There are a total of 7 support areas at approximate 15 mile intervals on the Ruby Loop where you can get food and water (2 each on the Lee School and Secret Pass Rides). We highly recommend that you carry a minimum of 1 liter of water, electrolytes, gels or bars, basic toolkit, 2 tubes and mini-pump. A hydration-style pack or frame bag is ideal, though the choice is yours. Our support vehicles will have water, tubes, maybe a floor pump, and some other basic tools. We’ll also have a few basic repair tools and tubes at rest stops. We will not have capability to reliably seat tubeless tires, nor will we be carrying tire sealant.
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Race/Ride Rules
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Helmets are mandatory. Period.
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Follow all rules of the road – the race takes place on public roads which will be open to public traffic. While these roads are generally lightly traveled, the section of Jiggs Highway (Ruby Loop) and Harrison Pass will likely have weekend traffic headed to Ruby Marshes. Taillights are highly recommended as an aid to rider visibility. Please minimize time riding 2-abreast on paved sections (especially the Jiggs Highway and Secret Pass sections).
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E-bikes (Class 1 and 3, Pedal assist only) will be allowed and will be managed as a separate category. E-bike riders will start 15 minutes prior to standard bikes in order to minimize the possibility of "motor-pacing". There will not be an e-bike category for the Ruby Loop as that distance is beyond the range of most e-bikes currently on the market.
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Drafting (motor-pacing) behind and motorized equipment is not permitted.
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No personal vehicles or follow cars allowed on course, exceptions will be granted to pick up riders abandoning the race. Providing support to a rider while on course puts all riders at risk and creates excess dust on the roads.
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In the spirit of early mountain bike racing and most current gravel races, plan on being largely self-sufficient. Aid is allowed by fellow riders or event staff only. There will be neutral support on the course; team support is not permitted.
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No littering. This includes water bottles and other non-organic material.
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Be nice to your fellow racers. Always announce when you are passing and make sure that you are not putting fellow racers at risk especially on the 2-lane highway portions of the routes. There are ample opportunities to pass safely.
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Use the toilets provided. This is a requirement of our permit.
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All rides will begin with an escorted, neutral rollout.
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Start times will be as follows for both men's and women's:
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Ruby Loop--6:30 am
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Secret Pass--7:00 am
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Lee School-Pleasant Valley--7:30 am
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Finish times will be recorded by the event timing crew and posted to BikeReg, RaceDayEvent, and (with luck) our website as soon as they are entered into our ride timing database.
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Cutoff times will be strictly enforced. This is to ensure your safety and allow for our volunteer crews to more efficiently patrol and sweep the course for medical or mechanical issues. If you choose to keep riding the course after cutoff times, you are solely responsible for your safety, food, water, mechanical issues, or anything else that may arise.​
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If you take a SAG ride back to the Start-Finish, please contact event staff in the schoolhouse to let them know you did not complete the ride but are safe with a burrito and beer in hand. Most likely, your SAG driver will have already contacted event HQ, however taking responsibility for yourself helps us make this a safe and fun event for all.​
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​Check Points and Cut-Off Times
We would appreciate riders checking in at rest stops, even if they don’t stop. This helps us to keep track of riders, ensuring that every rider is accounted for.
Cutoff times at rest stop locations are calculated based on the slowest average speed a person who is likely to finish any given route may be traveling and may be adjusted according to conditions during the event (unusually fast or slow riders, heat, cold, wind, storms, etc.).
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Riders on the longer routes may start early, however, please alert event staff so that we can 1) adjust your start time in our timing software and 2) know you are on the course.
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A rider may choose on his/her own to continue beyond a checkpoint after the cutoff time; however, he/she will no longer be participating in the Ruby Roubaix event and no additional services will be available (rest stops, food, water, restrooms, mechanical aid, SAG support, etc.).
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Ruby Loop – First time cutoff will be at the Summit of Harrison Pass, a little less than half-way into the race. This is essentially a point of no-return as the easiest way back to the start is by finishing the route. Cutoff time is 11:00 am (average ride speed 9 mph).
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Course SAG/Sweep will pick up riders who do not make cutoff times.
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Lee Loop – The only cutoff point will be at the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road and Chimney Creek Road which is also the turn-around point for the 22-mile ride. Cutoff time is 11:00 am (average rider speed of 5 mph).
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Secret Pass Loop – The only cutoff point will be at the North Ruby Valley. Exact cutoff time will be determined based on progress of the Ruby Loop riders at Ruby Valley Church. The Secret Pass cutoff time is more lenient due to the fact that the North Ruby Valley and Ft. Halleck aid stations serve both distances. Once the last Ruby Loop rider passes the North Ruby Valley rest stop, the course will be swept and any remaining Secret Pass riders will need to return to Lamoille (it is highly unlikely that any Secret Pass riders will still be outbound at that time).
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ALL racers not reaching the check-points by the designated times will have their number marked and radioed in and will be instructed to return directly to the start-finish or to the nearest aid station to get picked up. There will be NO exceptions to these times.
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Ruby Roubaix Schedule
Friday, June 23, 2023
2:00 pm to 7:00 pm: Packet pickup at Lamoille School House
Saturday, June 24, 2023--Lamoille School House--Men's and Women's
06:15: Ruby Loop Pre-Race Briefing
06:30: Ruby Loop Start with Escorted Neutral Rollout
06:45: Secret Pass Ride Pre-Race Briefing
07:00: Secret Pass Start with Escorted Neutral Rollout
07:15: Lee Ride AND Pleasant Valley Ride Pre-Race Briefing
07:30: Lee and Pleasant Valley Ride Start with Escorted Neutral Rollout
Awards Ceremonies (Afternoon)
Pleasant Valley - 1st, 2nd, 3rd place--Men’s and Women’s
Lee School – 1st, 2nd, 3rd place--Men’s and Women’s
Secret Pass - 1st, 2nd, 3rd place--Men’s and Women’s
Ruby Loop - 1st, 2nd, 3rd place--Men’s and Women’s
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​Download Race Rules and Ethics.
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