The 2021 Nearly

Road World

Championships

Serk Cycling Beijing

The Serk Nearly World Road Championships are back after a COVID hiatus!

Despite your weight, age, or the lack of exoticness of your bike you can still dream of glory in this event. We’ve evened out the competition with some special non-UCI rules to ensure that everyone has a fighting chance to win. Expect a bonus head start of half an hour or more if you are over 50 and a little on the heavy side. If you are married with children you’ll also get a some bonus minutes. Now all of a sudden the rainbow jersey is well within reach for everyone…

For the serious riders, you’ll have your chance at glory- the event is timed and trophies awarded for the fastest female and males times too!

The event will take place around Miyun, Beijing, on Saturday 23th October and will finish off with a catered party.

Do you have what it takes to be the World Champ?

October 23, 2021

Race + Party :
Saturday Oct 23
2021

RACES

74KM

Overall
Fastest time (Mens/Womens)
Highest Ranked Country

Format

Handicap Race
Anyone can win!

location

Miyun Beijing

Do your country proud and race for the rainbow stripes !

Race Format

The Nearly Worlds is designed as one-day cycling party. The race is limited to 120 participants. It's a unique and super fun format.

"The best weekend I've had in China - period."
Paul Freeman, UK - 60 years old (2015 5th place, 2016 World Champion).

"This format is awesome. I've always wanted to race for America. With the age bonus and 2 kids bonus I thought I was going to win.. until the last 4km when those young guys just blew right past me. Damn."

Mike Chao, US - 45 years old (2015 10th, 2016 4th)

Race Format

The race is run as a ‘handicap race’. This style of racing is popular in Australia and helps give everyone a chance to win. All the starters are given a handicap (bonus head start time).

The handicap is based on the following factors :

Age
Weight
Sex
Number of young kids you have
Shittiness of your bike

We have a complicated spreadsheet to work all this out. The older you are the more bonus seconds you receive. Have a few kids and a heavy bike? Lots more bonus seconds. This is the race where the best training might actually be drinking beer and eating hamburgers. Or is it?

We split the field in to around 10 groups. Those with the most handicap (usually the oldest riders) start first, and the ones with the least handicap start last (usually the youngest). There will be approximately 8 groups that start in-between at varying intervals (depending on age/ weight and other factors above). Everyone races on the same course and during the race riders from behind you on the course will most likely catch you up and bigger groups will form. The winner is the first person across the finish line.

We are combining the Womens and Mens and races into one. Based on the time differentials between mens and womens cycling world records we will give all women in the race a head start compared to men of the same age.

There will also be a prize for the ‘fastest time’ awarded to the female and male rider that completes the course in the shortest period of time.

And a team prize for the highest ranked country. So get your team together and start strategising and maybe do a bit of training - either on the road or at the bar...

Schedule

Courses

Prizes

The Hotel Overnight Stay

The starting point is around 150km from central Beijing. If you prefer to sleep longer in the morning or bring your family out to make a weekend of it we have arranged preferential rates at the hotel that is hosting the event. The Hotel is called WuLing Shan Zhuang 雾灵山庄

You will have to self drive if you take this option - we suggest arriving on Friday afternoon.

The hotel is a decent local hotel in a very picturesque area of Miyun. It's close to Wuling Mountain and Gubekou Great Wall. There is a tourist park called 云岫谷 5-10 mins drive away which is a good location for after ride hiking and sightseeing.

There are two types of room available to choose:

1/ 600RMB (pay direct to hotel) luxury twin share bedroom (with lake view): view here

2/ 600RMB (pay direct to hotel) luxury King-size bedroom (only 8 rooms are available, with lake view)

Check out the Hotel website for all the information and details (only in Chinese).

How to book:

Fill in the race registration form below and we make a booking in your name. Please bring your passport/ Chinese ID card when you do check-in and make the full payment on the hotel reception.

2021 Jersey. Updated design and high quality materials. With your customised name and country flag on the back this is a great Beijing souvenir!

Race Registration

Registration Fee

800 RMB

Registration includes

Fabulous Serk designed high-end Jersey and with your own surname plus national flag on the rear pocket. This is only available for those that register before September 22nd. If you register after September 22nd you will get the same jersey but a generic version without your name and country on it
Transportation to and from the race course in Serk bus with your bike
Race water supply
Lunch buffet at start/finish venue (alcohol not included)
Insurance

Rebate Option

If you've participated in NWC before, have a national jersey and are reusing it: - 100 RMB
If you prefer to self drive to the meeting up location instead of taking our van: - 200 RMB
If you are a Serk Ride member and decide to use one of your passes for the transportation: -200 RMB

Refund Policy

Cancellation more than 7 days before event starts.
We are ordering a custom jersey with your name on it. Once the order has gone in on Sept 22nd there is no refund available for the jersey. If you can not make the event we can will refund the amount paid minus 300 RMB.

Cancellation less than 7 days before the event starts.
No refund.

COVID Cancellation
In case of COVID related issues in Beijing or the venue area the event will be cancelled.
Full refund minus 300RMB if you ordered a jersey.

How do the handicaps work ?

Bonus seconds will be awarded for :

A. Age.

We’ve closely scrutinised World Records in the Elite and Masters Categories and Strava age categories and come up with a scientific formula to correct your finishing time based on your age. The older you are the more bonus seconds you get.

B. Sex

We've also looked at the differences in world record times between male and female elite riders and have data from our previous Nearly Worlds. We've worked out a formula to equalise the men and women in the race.

C. Kids

No time for training, no money to spend on the bike ? Now is your time to use the kids and lack of training to your advantage. You’ll get bonus points for each child under 10 or any child under .

D. Shit bike compensation

Every kg of extra weight on the bike slows you down on climbs – we’ve heard this excuse many a time. No you’ll finally be compensated for that shit bike and be able to climb up the leaderboard where you should have always been. We’ve worked out average bike weights and how much weight will slow you down on the climbs on the course.

E. BMI over 25

Carrying a bit of extra weight on the body as well ? Naturally, bonus seconds for you too.

About Serk

Serk is a Beijing based bike brand and community. Serk has been organizing pioneering adventures across China since 2012. Check out our 12 day trip to Everest Base Camp in Tibet or our epic gravel trip to Gansu. Or you might be interested in our range of Titanium bikes and carbon wheels.

We also run weekend riding adventures in the mountains around Beijing. If you are visiting come and ride with us !

The 2021 Nearly

Road World

Championships

October 23, 2021

RACES

Format

location

Race Format

Race Registration

REGISTRATION IS FULL. WE'D LOVE SOME VOLUNTEERS TO HELP SO PLEASE CONTACT @SERK ADMIN ON WECHAT

Sign Up

Personal Details

Race Group

Waiver

Payment Details

Hotel Arrangement

Total

Payment Method