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FAQ

 

What is T-P's cancellation policy and when must the final balance be paid?

Deposit.
The deposit of €500 that is required upon sign-up to the event is intended to be a measure of a participant's commitment to the event and should, strictly-speaking, be non-refundable. However, if we receive an email before 31st January 2012 with a genuinely exceptional reason why your participation is no longer possible, then we will refund your deposit (minus any bank charges incurred). If we are contacted from 31st January - 30th April about your participation no longer being possible, no refund will be given, but you may transfer your deposit to another person. See details on entry request form.

Balance.
The remaining balance of €850 must be paid by latest 30th April 2012. All participants will receive an official invoice and payment reminder in good time. This €850 is neither time-transferrable (i.e. to another year) nor refundable. However, we understand that circumstances may arise between sign-up and the event itself which prevent booked-in individuals from being able to attend. As such, we employ a policy of allowing registrations to be person-transferrable, without further cost to the cancelling party (except bank charges) or replacing party, up to Friday 17th August 2011 (i.e. we must be informed of any changes by this date). See further details on entry request form.


Absolutely no cash refunds will be issued by Trans-Provence SARL after 31st January 2012 because after this date, in our preparation for the event we will start to incur considerable costs on behalf of each individual that has signed up.

 

From when until when, exactly, is the event?

The riding takes place over 7 days from Sunday 23rd September 2012 to Saturday 29th September 2012, inclusive. The event officially starts (with dinner at 19:30) on the evening of Saturday 22nd September and officially ends after breakfast on Sunday 30th September.

 

Which airport should I fly to?

The only airport which we organise transfers from (on Saturday 22nd September 2012) and to (on Sunday 30th September 2012) is Nice-Côte-d'Azur (NCE).

 

How much luggage can I bring with me?

You should bring a total of two items of luggage:

  • kit bag (large sports bag, with enough room for your clothing, sleeping bag and any spares)
  • trail/day-pack
  • bike bag (which will be stored at Nice Airport for the duration of the event)

Can we enter the Trans-Provence as a team?

Trans-Provence is a solo-only event. There are two key reasons for this:

  • extensive research shows that the overwhelming majority of people entering an event like this would welcome the opportunity to enter as an individual
  • we happen to think that this is the format which best suits the nature of the T-P route, a large percentage of which technical singletrack riding.

Also worth noting: various aspects of other multi-day adventure races which lead to them having to be in a team format are not relevant to the T-P. This being said, although everybody enters on an individual basis, it is a highly social event as there are short staggers between rider's starts, and of course multiple stages each day, i.e. regrouping.

 

How are transfers organised? When should my flight arrive? How early can I fly home?

We will provide three or four pick-ups from Nice-Côte-d’Azur airport on Saturday 22nd September 2012, between approximately 10:00 and 14:00. Therefore please book a flight to arrive there for sometime between about 09:00 and 13:00. On Sunday 30th September we will be able drop you off at the airport as of 8:30, so please book a flight home to depart absolutely no earlier than 10:00.
Please double check with us via email before booking any flights.

 

When does each day begin? end?

Competitors are divided into two separate uplift groups prior to the event, Wave 1 and Wave 2. This grouping is roughly based on your day-long speed (a judgement that we will make based on what you communicate with us about your fitness and your competitiveness at this event). Generally, fast-paced riders will be placed in the later wave. Most days, the morning uplifts will depart at 08:00 and 09:00, respectively with riding starting approximately 30 minutes later in each case. The day's riding will end between 15:00 and 17:00.

 

How much food will I get?

Three meals plus one official snack-stop per day are included in the Trans-Provence entrance price:

  • Breakfast is buffet-style with a full range of cereals to choose from, bread and conserves, juices, and of course pots of tea and coffee.
  • Lunch is packed to be taken on the trails, consisting of a substantial baguette sandwich and an energy bar.
  • Feeding station. One of these is located approximately half-way through each day's route. Lots of sweet things, salty things, dried fruit, fresh fruit, isotonic drink, tea, coffee, etc...
  • Dinner is a filling yet tasty 3-course affair. Soup or salad, main course and dessert.

Whilst we do pride ourselves on keeping our guests well fed, if you feel there's a possibility that the above food quantities will not meet your personal "calorific intake requirements", please be sure to bring some additional supplies with you (e.g. energy bars, gels, etc.). There won't be too many food shops along the way.

 

How fit do I need to be to complete the Trans-Provence?

While maintaining the concept of a point-to-point trek, we wanted the Trans-Provence to focus on trail riding rather than simply out-and-out endurance. As such, we introduced the concept of vehicle uplift support so, whilst you do need to have a decent level of fitness and stamina to complete the event, you do not need to have "ironman" capabilities. The average amount of vertical ascent per day is just under 1400m, whilst in a single day, there is never less than 1000m and never more than 1800m. The most important thing you need to have is a passion for long, singletrack descents (average of 2200m daily height drop) and no qualms about pedalling quite a lot to get to them.

 

How technical are the trails?

Trans-Provence is more technically demanding than any other multi-day MTB race on the planet. A bold statement indeed but one of which we are fully convinced. 95% of all descents take place on singletrack trails, many of which are rocky or rooty or steep or switchbacky or exposed... or any combination of these. The technical aspects are not "occasional", they are intrinsic to the nature of the terrain and the landscapes that we cross. So, whilst you do not require an expert level of bike-handling skill, you must be competent when the going gets technical (or happy to get off and walk with your bike) and above all, you must enjoy the challenge of riding long demanding singletrack descents.
If you would like to enter / have entered the event, and perhaps don't have a huge amount of "Alpine" experience, but would like to ensure that you are 100% ready for the technical aspect of Trans-Provence, then we would highly recommend attending a Alpine prep skills day, such as with Ed Oxley (Great Rock). We appreciate that this is somewhat difficult for those based outside of the UK :-)

 

I'm up for a 7-day trek, but perhaps not a race. Is the Trans-Provence for me?

If you really would prefer not to be part of a race event but would really like to ride the Trans-Provence itinerary, please check out our limited-availability guided trips.

 

What do I need to bring with me?

The four absolutely essential items that you need to bring are:

  • a bike
  • riding kit, enough for 7 days (note there will be the possibility at some camps to wash clothes)
  • a trail/day-pack to carry your essentials for the day's riding (tubes, mini-pump, first-aid kit, etc.)
  • a sleeping bag (4-season)

You also definitely need to bring:

  • casual clothes for the evenings, including a fleece or similar for those nippier evenings
  • a towel and toiletries

Other items that we recommend you to consider bringing along:

  • spares specific to your bike or specific to a particular component of your bike which we are unlikely to be able to stock (e.g. spare derailleur hanger, brake pads)

 

What bike should I bring?

This really is up to you as there are a variety of bikes and builds that would do the trick. Essentially, your bike must not too much of a slog on the fairly long ups, yet capable and confidence-inspiring on the long technical downs. There's a lot of discussion as to whether this means a 125mm (5") "trail-bike" or a 150-160mm (6") all-mountain bike. Our thought is that IF you have the stamina to ride an all-mountain rig all week without tiring too much and IF you have the choice, then bring the all-mountain to perhaps get a bit more out of the trails. But if not, a trail-bike will be just fine. All that said, arguably, the outright amount of travel matters less than geometry and cockpit setup. For confident descending we recommend no steeper than a 68 degree headangle, but if you really want to compete on the descents you'd be better off nearer to 66 degrees. Also, wide-ish (700-760mm) handlebars and a short stem (70mm absolute max!) are the order of the week.

 

How will my bike be stored?

There is a secure storage area at each camp every night.

 

What if my bike breaks and is unrideable? Is there a mechanic? Do you stock any spares?

We have pro suspension tecnician and a seperate public workshop area available for everyone's use in the evenings. We carry some spares (consumables), but please be aware that there is a limit to the range of components and parts that we are able to stock, so please do your homework on your bike and its components and bring any non-generic spares with you (as far as is realistically possible).

 

Can I bring my non-biking spouse / girlfriend / boyfriend ?

Very sorry, but we are not able to accommodate this.

 

What happens if I get injured? Can I have a day off?

We have a dedicated doctor on our team who will provide first-aid and further treatment should you have an accident. They will also offer you advice and support regarding the question of how best to continue your week (i.e. whether or not to ride, and under what conditions you could ride). Depending on the severity of the injury sustained, you may need a hospital visit and if this is the case, we will of course make the necessary arrangements for you. If you require a day or multiple days off the bike in order for an injury to heal, it is of course no problem for you to rejoin the riding once you are fit to ride, but you will be removed from the competition standings.

 

What are the rules? Why aren't they on the website?

Every Trans-Provence entrant will receive the official set of Trans-Provence rules in his/her pre-event prep pack.

 

Do I need insurance?

Yes. We will not allow anybody to take part in the Trans-Provence event without showing us proof of an insurance policy which covers wilderness rescue for backcountry mountain biking. We recommend SportsCover Direct's VentureGuard.

 

How is the event marshalled?

Due to the point-to-point nature of this long-distance event, we do not station marshalls at regular intervals along the route. We employ a sweeper system with one back marker for each wave of 28 riders. The back markers are highly competent riders with an in-depth knowledge of bike repair and first aid. As such we can be confident that they will be able to help with any problems that they come across. We also employ a system of mutual trail support whereby riders are encouraged to help each other with difficult situations whilst out on the trails.

 


Trans-Provence SARL
(Tribunal: Chambery /// Immatriculation: C 73 01 900806 2)
Res. les Gliéres 340, 73700 Bourg St Maurice, France
+41 (0)61 681 64 74 / +33 (0)638 881 022

Site Design: mrtimeverett@yahoo.co.uk

Photos: Irmo Keizer, Michiel Rotgans & Ash Smith