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Photo: triadamtb.ro
Three stages, one cup. Avrig, Vidraru, Câmpulung — the marathon scene's favourite triad.
4–6 September 2026 · Avrig, Sibiu
Three weekends on the bike. Triada is the regional 3-stage XCM cup the marathon scene shows up to even when the federation calendar doesn't — Cindrel foothills out of Avrig, the Vidraru ridge above the dam, the Câmpulung Muscel forest. Each round is a real XCM weekend with 3–4 distance options; cup classification combines all three stages. Hardtail or short-travel full-sus, tubeless 2.25–2.4", hydration pack. Bring real food, not just gels.
About the cup
Choose your distance
Each Triada stage publishes its own distance lineup, but the family is consistent: a long route (the cup-points distance), a mid for first marathoners, and a hobby for new riders and families. Pick by realistic time on the bike, not bike size.
Aid stations + cutoffs
Aid stations sit roughly every 20–25 km on the long route, stocked with water, isotonic, fruit, and basic food. Intermediate checkpoints redirect missed riders onto the mid route instead of DNF-ing them outright — finish the day, just on a shorter loop.
| Km | Location | Services | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Race village · grand-départ | Number pickup · chip · briefing | Start time |
| ~20 | Aid 1 | Water · isotonic · fruit | Open |
| ~40 | Aid 2 · intermediate checkpoint | Water · isotonic · gel · food | Redirects to mid route past cutoff |
| ~55 | Aid 3 · feed zone | Full feed station · medical · mechanical | Hard cutoff for the long route |
Kit list
Helmet is the only piece every Triada round makes non-negotiable. Beyond that, kit varies by route length and organiser; the list below covers the long route — short routes drop self-support items where the loop stays close to the race village.
Mandatory
Helmet
Half-shell MTB helmet. Removed = DSQ. Required at all times on course.
Race number on bars
Plate at the front; number visible from above. Loss = penalty. Cup classification depends on chip + plate match.
Timing chip
Issued at registration. Wrist or fork-mount. Skipped checkpoint = DSQ from that stage; missed checkpoint zeroes your cup points for the round.
Working brakes
Pre-start mechanical check at the race village. Don't show up with squealing pads — there's a workshop on site at Avrig.
Recommended
Hydration pack or 2× bottles
Self-supported between aid stations. 1 L per 90 min of riding is the floor for the long route — the Cindrel + Făgăraș forerange sun is real in June.
Who races
Triada follows the FRC age framework with a lighter touch — the cup is less Master-dominated than the federation calendar because the accessible singletrack and shorter long route bring younger Open Amator and Junior riders into the long-route start corral.
Ages 19–29 (born 1997–2007). Long route only. Cup-points category — combined classification decides the Triada champion across all three stages.
Day-licence path at every Triada stage. The most common entry route — crossover from gravel, trail running, road sportive. Long, mid, or hobby route by self-selection.
Ages 30–39 (born 1987–1996). The biggest single bracket at most Triada rounds — typically races the long route.
Race weekend
Triada weekend cadence — exact times in the technical guide published 7–14 days before each stage.
Vineri 4 sept — Preluare numere, Base Camp (14:00-15:30)
Vineri 4 sept — Start Prolog (Poiana Neamțului)
Vineri 4 sept — Ședință tehnică (Base Camp)
Vineri 4 sept — Închiderea înscrierilor online ONE DAY Xperience
Sâmbătă 5 sept — Transfer la start P.S. 1 (de la Base Camp)
Sâmbătă 5 sept — Start P.S. 1 QUEST + P.S. 2 SURU DH
Sâmbătă 5 sept — Refuel & Recharge, Base Camp (12:00-16:00)
Triada MTB Cup
4 stages across the season. Cup points combine all stages for the Triada classification; finishers' jerseys go to the combined leaders, not the per-stage winners.
Stage 3
This stage· Avrig
Registration windows differ per stage. The technical guide drops 7–14 days before each round — read it before you pack. Cup classification rewards finishing all three; the Triada title is earned across the triad, not on one breakaway.
Distances and cutoffs are organiser-published per stage. The technical guide drops 7–14 days before each round.
| Long route finish | Finish · race village | Showers · medical · food · podium | Course closes 7 h after start |
|---|
Kilometres above are representative for the long route. The technical guide pins exact aid-station locations and cutoff clock times per stage.
Multi-tool · tubeless plug · spare tube
Marshals don't carry spares for you. Triada singletrack hides thorns under leaf litter — one plug between you and walking out.
Real food · not just gels
Cup veterans pack a sandwich and a salt tab for the long route. Aid stations stock fruit and isotonic, but the third hour rewards real calories.
First-aid basics · phone · ID
GPS signal is patchy in the Făgăraș forerange and around Vidraru. Carry an ID and a phone with battery — the marshals do the rest.
Ages 40–49 (born 1977–1986). Long or mid route — the cup picks up the longer distance for combined classification.
Ages 50–59 (born 1967–1976). Often combines with Master W at smaller Triada stages.
Scaled to the mid or hobby distance. Parental consent required for under-18s. Triada's hobby route is a common first MTB event for the 12–16 cohort coming up through Avrig and Câmpulung clubs.
Sâmbătă 5 sept — Start P.S. 3 JUNGLE + P.S. 4 BEAUTY & THE BEAST
Sâmbătă 5 sept — Cînă + vizionare de film
Duminică 6 sept — Închiderea înscrierilor ONE DAY Xperience
Duminică 6 sept — Start P.S. 5 UP Bârcaciu + P.S. 6 DOWN Bârcaciu (Poiana Neamțului)
Duminică 6 sept — Festivitatea de premiere (Base Camp)
FAQ
Cup points are awarded per stage on the long route, summed across all three rounds for the combined classification. You don't have to do every stage to get on the board, but the Triada title goes to riders who finish all three. Mid and hobby route finishers are classified per-stage but don't accumulate cup points — the cup classification lives on the long route.
Triada long-route cutoffs typically run 7 hours from the grand-départ at 70 km — Avrig 7h, Vidraru 7h, Câmpulung 7h. Intermediate checkpoints redirect missed riders to the mid route rather than DNF-ing them. Exact clock times are in the per-stage technical guide.
Helmet at all times, race number on bars, timing chip, working brakes. Back protectors are NOT required (that's DH territory). Hydration pack and a multi-tool / spare tube / tubeless plug are recommended self-support kit between aid stations — Triada singletrack hides thorns under leaf litter.
Roughly every 20–25 km on the long route. First aid is usually water + isotonic + fruit; the second adds gel and basic food; the feed zone at the third stop usually adds medical and mechanical. Between stations you're self-supported — bring real food, not just gels.
Yes. Triada singletrack is accessible — Avrig's loop is a Făgăraș forerange ride more than an alpine descent, and Câmpulung's beech forest is rolling. Wheel choice matters more than rear-shock: 29" tubeless 2.25–2.4" is the working consensus.
Annual FRC licence is required only if you're chasing Cupa României XCM points — Triada is a Cupa României round where the federation overlays. The Triada cup classification itself accepts day-licence Open Amator entries. Most amateurs ride Triada on a day licence and never touch the FRC system.
ACS XterraSport hosts the Avrig stage, with partner clubs running Vidraru and Câmpulung. Race village is at the host club's home venue — number pickup, briefing, post-race food, mechanical support all in one place. Club entry isn't required, but volunteer slots open before public registration.
Missing an intermediate cutoff drops you to the mid route — you still finish the day, just on a shorter loop with the mid-route classification. DNFing a stage zeroes your cup points for that round, but you can still chase the Triada title across the remaining stages if you finish the others.