Simple 8

  Simple8: the discovery version of the Double8 race

This leisure mountain bike and eMTB format is perfect for those who want to discover and test part of the route before embarking on the full length race the following year.

See you on Sunday the 13th of July 2025!

 Discovery format: discover the first 2 loops of the full Double8 race

The base camp for start and finish lines will be set up at Plagne Bellecôte. Participants will start with the 1st loop, and will then decide whether to stop or carry on to “push their luck” on the 2nd loop.

You can choose between 23 km and 45 km in total!

The order of the loops is as follows:

•  Loop (boucle) 1 – Plagne Montalbert Area
  ↔️ 23km  1 020 m 
•  Loop (boucle) 2 – Montchavin-les-Coches Area
  ↔️ 21.5 km  742 m

Simple8 is an un-timed amateur format, where everyone can go at their own pace!

  Base Camp: Plagne Bellecôte

  Distance et Elevation Gain:
Loop 1                     ↔️ 23 km 1 020 m
Loop 1 + 2              ↔️ 45 km 1 762 m

  Number of bibs available : 100 Individual E-MTB individuel / 100 individual MTB

  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 unclassified format is open to mountain bikes and ATVs in individual format.

The Plagne Bellecôte base camp is where it all happens!

Start and finish lines for the 2 loops, a refuelling point for refueling, a battery-charging stand (supervised), a washing station and a repair stand are all available here.

> Discover the Simple8 route

  Loop 1
↔️ 23km 1 020 m 
Start & finish : Plagne bellecôte
Area: Plagne Montalbert

 Loop^2
↔️ 21.5km 742 m 
Start & finish : Plagne bellecôte
Area: Montchavin-les-Coches

 Simple8 – Boucle 1+2

↔️ 45km 1 762m 
Start & finish : Plagne bellecôte

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

  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

The time limits for the Simple8correspond 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

• 1 batteries
• Approved conventional or full-face helmet
• Gloves
• Charged and switched-on cell phone to alert emergency services
• Repair kit
• Survival blanket
• Windbreaker
• Whistle

•  E-MTB specificities
  Competitors taking part in the Simple8 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.

 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-site medical assistance

  Loop 1 services 

• 1 refreshments area: Top of the bobsleigh run (Water supply)

 Loop 2 services

• 1 refreshments area : Les Coches

 Base camp services

• Bike washing area
• Battery charging stand (personal charger)
• Repair stand
• 1 refreshments area

  Battery rules and regulations

Competitors taking part in the Simple8 on an eMTB must ensure that their bike complies with the following rules:

• 250 w motor
• Electric assistance only when pedalling
• Assistance limited to 25 km/h (+or- 5%)

To take part in the Double8 VTTAE, you must have 2 batteries. The 2 batteries must be of at least 500 Wh with no maximum power limit. Races are divided into two categories (determined according to the total power of the 2 batteries):

• Classification for competitors (or teams) having ridden with a total power of less than 1200Wh (accumulation of 2 batteries of 500Wh or one of 500Wh and one of 600Wh)
• Classification for competitors (or teams) having ridden with a total power of more than 1200wh (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 will be labelled with the competitor’s number when the bibs are handed over, 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 your rucksack. Battery changes must be made at the location specified in advance by the organiser. It is forbidden to change batteries anywhere other than at the point clearly identified by the organiser, i.e. the Plagne Bellecôte site. VTTAEs that can be equipped with 2 batteries must limit themselves to 1 battery during the race and respect the battery change points.

Individual format

Participants must ensure that their 2 batteries are fully charged before the start of the race and take their No. 2 battery and charger to the ‘individual’ recharging point at the Plagne Bellecôte base camp.

The participant must return to this recharging stand between each loop in order to change batteries and charge the empty battery while riding the next loop. A member of the organisers will check that the batteries are correct by checking that the stickers match the rider’s 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 (minimum 500Wh each) for their VTTAE.

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 VTTAE for 2, the empty battery must be charged at each relay at the recharging stand, where a member of the organisation will check that the batteries deposited match the stickers and the team number.

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