What are the drafting, passing and blocking rules on the bike?

Drafting is prohibited at IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 races (IRONMAN Competition Rules 5.04).

Draft zone: for age-groupers, 12 m, measured from the leading edge of the front wheel of the rider ahead. That is about 6 bike lengths of clear space. You must stay outside it except when passing.

Passing:

• You have a maximum of 25 seconds to pass through another rider's draft zone.
• Once you enter a draft zone, you must complete the pass. You may not back out.
• A pass is made when your front wheel passes the leading edge of the other rider's front wheel.

Being passed:

• Immediately drop back out of the passing rider's draft zone, continuously moving backwards.
• Re-passing before you have dropped out is an "overtaken" violation (yellow card).
• Staying in the passer's draft zone for more than 25 seconds is a drafting violation (blue card).

Position: ride single file on the side of the road set by local law, except when passing or for safety. In South Africa traffic keeps left, so that means the far left. Side-by-side riding is not permitted and may be penalised as drafting or blocking. Impeding other riders is a blocking violation (yellow card).

Allowed in the draft zone without penalty: completing a pass within the time; for safety; entering and leaving an aid station or transition; at an acute turn; and in sections exempted by a race official.

Penalties: