Double8 – MTB & MTB – EA

  Double8 : a classified and timed MTB & E-MTB Event

Ranging from 23km to 82km, it’s ideal for amateurs and long-distance aficionados alike. This year’s event takes place on Sunday, July 13, 2025.

In the shape of a double “8” or 4-leaf clover, these are four loops of varying difficulty in “stop or go” format.

   The race is available in 2 versions: MTB & VTTAE

Each race is available in individual or 2-up relay team formats. Both formats take place together on Sunday July 13, 2025 in our beautiful Alpine landscape.

The base camp for starts and finishes will be set up at Plagne Bellecôte. Participants will set off on the first loop, and will be able to extend the pleasure according to their state of fitness by taking on the following loops, all of which feature new points of interest and varied landscapes between forests and high mountains.

Choose from 23 km, 46 km, 71 km or 82 km!

The order of the loops is as follows:

•  Loop 1 – Plagne Montalbert area
  ↔️ 23km  1 025 m 
•  Loop 2 – Montchavin-les-Coches area
  ↔️ 23 km  815 m 
•  Loop 3 – Champagny en Vanoise area
  ↔️ 25 km  1 165 m
•  Loop 4 –  Saint Jacques Tour
  ↔️ 11 km  576 m

Participants who complete all 4 loops for a total of 82km and 3820m D+ will be considered finishers!

  Base Camp : Plagne Bellecôte

  Distance et Dénivelé :
Loop 1                     ↔️ 23 km 1 025 m
Loop 1 + 2              ↔️ 46 km 1 840 m
Loop 1 + 2 + 3        ↔️ 71 km 3 005 m
Loop 1 + 2 + 3 + 4  ↔️ 82 km 3 580 m

  Number of bibs available  : 200 individual MTB / 200 individual E-MTB – 50 E-MTB teams / 50 MTB teams

  Number pick-up : Saturday, July 12 – Salle Omnisport –  Plagne Centre – from 9.00 am to 7.30 pm
ATTENTION: There will be no number collection on Sunday morning.

This race is open to MTB and E-MTB in both individual and 2-person relay formats.

The Plagne Bellecôte base camp is where it all happens!

Start and finish lines for the 4 loops, a refuelling point for refueling, a battery-charging stand (supervised), a washing station and a repair stand are all available here.

> Discover the Double8 route

 Loop 1
↔️ 23km 1 025 m 
Start & finish : Plagne Bellecôte
Area: Plagne Montalbert

 Loop 2
↔️ 23km 815 m 
Start & finish : Plagne bellecôte
Area : Montchavin-les-Coches

 Loop 3
↔️ 25km 1 165 m 
Start & finish : Plagne bellecôte
Area : Champagny en Vanoise

 Loop 4
↔️ 11km 576 m 
Start & finish : Plagne bellecôte
Area : Tour du Saint Jacques 

Double8 – Finisher    
↔️ 82km 3 580 m 

The time barriers are set for safety reasons, to limit excessively long running times that could be dangerous for runners, particularly in the event of weather changes at altitude.

  MTB Format 
Start time for loop 1 – Plagne Montalbert is 8:45 am for team and individual MTB. Start times for the other loops are as follows:

• Loop 2 – Montchavin les Coches : 12:15 pm
• Loop 3 – Champagny en Vanoise : 15:15 pm
• Loop 4 – Saint Jacques Tour : 17:45 pm

  E-MTB Format

Start time for Loop 1 – Plagne Montalbert is 8 a.m. for team and individual E-MTB. Start times for the other loops are as follows:

• Loop 2 – Montchavin les Coches : 11:00 am
• Loop 3 – Champagny-en-Vanoise : 13:00 pm
• Loop 4 – Saint Jacques Tour : 15:00 pm

The time limits for the Double8 correspond only to the starting times for loops 2, 3 and 4. When a competitor finishes a loop, he/she must take into account the time needed to change batteries and to take a break at the refreshment station before starting the next loop. If the time limit is exceeded, the competitor will be refused access to the start of the loop concerned and will have to hand in his timing chip to the organizer, who will register his end of race.

Required equipment

• 2 batteries (if you have a single battery, the Simple8 is an opportunity to test yourself on a similar format)
• Approved conventional or full-face helmet
• Gloves
• Charged and switched-on cell phone to alert emergency services
• Repair kit
• Survival blanket
• Windbreaker
• Whistle

•  VTTAE specificities
  Competitors taking part in the Double8 on a VTTAE must ensure that their bike complies with the following rules:
  • 250 w motor
  • Electric assistance only when pedaling
  • Assistance limited to 25 km/h (+or- 5%)
  • Battery extenders or range extenders are forbidden.

Recommended equipment

• Minimum water supply (0.5L)
• Food reserve (energy bars or dried fruit…)
• Knee pads
• First-aid kit
• Goggles

Each competitor must bring a collapsible reusable cup, as there are no disposable cups at the refreshment points, in order to limit waste.

  General services

• On-course assistance
• Timing
• Prize-giving

  Loop 1 services 

• 1 supply point : Top of bobsleigh run (Water supply)

 Loop 2 services

• 1 supply point : Les Coches

 Loop 3 services

• 1 supply point : Chalet de Verdons

 Loop 4 services

• 1 supply point : Col du Seuchet (Water supply)

 Base camp services

• Bike wash station
• Battery charging stand (personal charger)
• Mechanics stand
• 1 supply point

  Battery standards

Competitors taking part in the Double8 on a E-MTB must ensure that their bike complies with the following rules:

• 250 w motor
• Electric assistance only when pedaling
• Assistance limited to 25 km/h (+or- 5%)
• Battery extenders or range extenders are forbidden.

To take part in the Double8 E-MTB, you need 2 batteries. The 2 batteries must have a minimum capacity of 500 Wh, with no maximum power limit. Races are divided into two categories (determined by the total power of the 2 batteries):

• Ranking for competitors (or teams) having driven with a total power of less than 1200Wh (accumulation of 2 batteries of 500Wh or one of 500Wh and one of 600Wh)
• Ranking for competitors (or teams) having run with a total power of 1200wh or more (accumulation of 2 batteries of 600Wh or more)

Participants must have their own charger. There is no limit on charger power.

When registering, participants must indicate the power of their batteries, which will be checked when they collect their numbers.

Batteries, chargers and bikes are labelled with the competitor’s bib number when the bibs are collected, to avoid any cheating or mistakes. If a competitor swaps batteries or rides with an unlabelled battery, this may result in disqualification.

Participants must ensure that their batteries are fully charged before starting.

It is forbidden to ride with a battery in the backpack. Battery changes are to be made at a location determined in advance by the organizer. It is forbidden to change batteries other than at the point clearly identified by the organizer, i.e. the Plagne Bellecôte site. E-MTBs that can be equipped with 2 batteries must limit themselves to 1 battery only, and respect the battery change points.

Individual format

Participants must ensure that their 2 batteries are fully charged before setting off, and take their No. 2 battery and charger to the “individual” recharging stand at the Plagne Bellecôte base camp.

The participant must return to this recharging stand between each loop to change batteries and charge the empty battery while riding the next loop. A member of the organization will check the conformity of the deposited batteries by verifying the correspondence between the stickers and the runner’s bib number.

2-person relay team format

It is possible to have only one bike for the team, with competitors alternating loops, but in this case the team must have 2 batteries (500Wh minimum each) for their E-MTB.

The team must ensure that its 2 batteries are fully charged before the start of the 1st loop, and take battery no. 2 and the charger to the team recharging stand at the Plagne Bellecôte base camp. The battery must be charged and replaced between each loop. In the case of teams with 1 E-MTB for 2, the empty battery must be charged at each relay at the recharging stand, where a member of the organization will check the conformity of the batteries deposited by verifying the correspondence between the stickers and the team number.

Team members must alternate loops, i.e. ride 1 loop out of 2. A bib with a specific code for each loop is issued to prevent cheating. If cheating is detected, the team will be disqualified.