Race Categories

Categories	Stages
Category 1 (Men)	All stages
Category 2 (Men)	All stages
Category 3 (Men)	All stages
Category Women	All stages
Recreational	Choice of all stages, or choice of any one/two stages.

When registering online for the race, cyclists are required to select their race category based on their ability and cycling experience.

The below information will help you determine your category.
For the sake of a fair, safe and enjoyable competition for all, we do ask you to assess your skills and capability as accurately as possible.

Female cyclists can only choose between the Competitive and Recreational events. Females who choose the Competitive event will be automatically put in 'Category Women'

When selecting you category, please ensure you meet the below criteria.

Category 1:

Estimated average speed of the peloton on a flat 150km ride: 42km/h
Characteristics:
- Very experienced cyclist with strong endurance base and acceleration capacity
- Very good bike handling skills and thorough understanding of group riding etiquette and peloton rules
- Has competed at a high level in several strong amateur competitions in the region or abroad.
- Weekly training mileage: over 300km

Category 2:

Estimated average speed of the peloton on a flat 150km ride: 38km/h
Characteristics:
- Experienced cyclist with solid endurance base
- good bike handling skills and a good understanding of group riding etiquette and peloton rules,
- takes part regularly in local competitions and weekly group training rides.
- Weekly training mileage: 200-300km

Category 3 and Category Women:

Estimated average speed of the peloton on a flat 150km ride: 34km/h
Characteristics:
- Good cyclist with decent endurance base
- Good bike handling skills and knowledge of group etiquette to ride safely in a peloton.
- Weekly mileage: 100-200km per week
Note 1: For the women's category these are the minimum requirements. More able and stronger female cyclists will also start in this category.

Note 2: For safety reasons only the first 80 cyclists of Category 3 will be allowed to start in Category 3 for stage 2 and 3. Cyclists of Category 3 who finish outside the first 80 on stage 1 will start in the recreational category for stage 2 and 3. Their times will still be recorded and accumulated in the general ranking.

Recreational:

Any cyclist who would like to take on the challenge of completing any or all stages of the Tour de Bintan. Note that generous cut-off times are applicable.

Cut-off Times

Stage 1:

Km 73 cut off time is 12:30 – cyclists who do not make the cut-off time are cut short and skip an 11km loop through Kijang. These cyclists will be disqualified in the final results, but allowed to continue the ride.

Km 73 cut-off time is 13:00 – cyclists who do not make the cut-off time are not allowed to continue.

Km 125 cut-off time is 14:45 – cyclists who do not make the cut-off time are not allowed to continue.

Km 145 cut-off time is 15:35 – cyclists who do not make the cut-off time are not allowed to continue.

Km 156 cut-off time is 16:00 – cyclists are still allowed to cross the finish line, but will be disqualified in the final results.

Stage 2:

Km 60 cut off-time is 10:25 – cyclists who do not make the cut-off time are not allowed to continue.

Km 74 cut off-time is 11:10 – cyclists are still allowed to cross the finish line, but will be disqualified in the final results.

Stage 3:

Km 38 cut-off time is 14:00 – cyclists are still allowed to cross the finish line, but will be disqualified in the final results.

Changes of category will be allowed up to the closing of registration for a S$20 fee. After that changes will not be accepted.

Note that the Bintan course is not flat. The above-indicated 'flat' average speeds are categorisation criteria only.

Cyclists wanting to change category at the end of a stage will be disqualified but will be able to complete the Tour.

***The Tour Management reserves the right to place cyclists in a different category than what they registered for, based on recommendations from National Federations, Associations and Clubs, or cycling race results from the past 12 months. This includes downgrades from a competitive category to the recreational category should the Tour Management consider that the cyclist does not have the experience and skills to be part of the competitive category.