Official USAC rule changes to be aware of

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New rules voted in place for 2010/2011 Cyclo-cross Season

Colorado Springs, Colo. (August 12, 2010) -- USA Cycling announced today that its Road, Track & Cyclo-cross Board of Trustees has voted in favor of several rule changes for the upcoming cyclo-cross season.

The new rules are in line with the UCI rulebook and will take effect at the beginning of the 2010/2011 cyclo-cross season. The changes accomplish the following three things:

Establish rules for cyclo-cross race feeding
Change the manner in which lapped riders are handled to enable the use of the 80% rule currently utilized in many mountain bike events, and
Modify the rules regarding course obstacles (barrier height, distance between, and total number of obstacles on the course)

A summary of the rule changes is as follows:

Course Design

There are several important changes to course design as outlined below:
The nature of the wooden planks has changed. Instead of having to be 40 cm high, they now can be up to 40 cm high. Also, the distance between the planks is now a range of 4 to 6 meters instead of the prescribed 4 meters.
The number of obstacles has been changed from 6 total obstacles to 6 artificial obstacles. This might make it possible for some courses to have more total obstacles than in the past. However, the limiting factor is that obstacles can still only be 10% of the course, so if you have a 3K circuit, you can only have 300 meters of obstacles.
The ban on artificial sand was removed and replaced with specifications that if you have artificial sand, it must be 40-80 meters long, straight, and have no lip up or down to access it.

Feeding

Feeding is now authorized under select circumstances:
It must be at least 68 degrees
Feeding must take place in the service lane only
It cannot take place in the first two or the last two laps
The penalty for feeding any other place or time is disqualification

Tire Width

The UCI has narrowed the maximum width of a cyclo-cross tire from 35 mm to 33 mm. The intent was to reduce the amount of equipment that many riders feel they must bring in order to be competitive.
This rule does not affect local events as we currently have no rules regarding tire width and the Board of Trustees is not adding any tire width requirement. However, the tire width rule will apply at National Championships for all riders 17 and over.

Disc Brakes

This also does not affect local events, but the UCI will now allow disc brakes for international events

Lapped Riders

For the second year in a row, the UCI has changed how lapped riders are handled. They now have two ways to handle it. For domestic events, there are now three methods. The officials will decide what method is being used at each race and communicate that method to the riders.
Lapped riders can be left in the race and may finish on the same lap as the leader.
Lapped riders can be removed at the entrance to the final straight once they have been lapped. Note, sometimes when there are few officials, these same riders are removed at the line, but the UCI requires that no lapped rider ever cross the finish line.
Riders may be withdrawn per the 80% rule. For example, if the first lap took 10 minutes, then 80% of that is 8 minutes. This rule would require that each rider who is more than 8 minutes down every lap would be pulled. Again, this should happen at the entrance to the final straight or some other convenient location.

For a more in-depth look at the rule changes, please reference the complete rulebook here: http://www.usacycling.org/forms/USAC_rulebook-5.pdf.

2010 Rule Changes

The following are a list of rules that could affect you as a rider, promoter, or team manager. Please reference the USCF Rulebook on pages 3-5 for a complete list of changes and for specific wording.

New rules incorporated into USA Cycling rule book for 2010 season

Colorado Springs, Colo. (November 30, 2009) -- USA Cycling’s mountain bike, collegiate, and road, track, and cyclo-cross boards of trustees met in Colorado Springs last month. The meetings resulted in several new rules or changes to existing ones being written into the USA Cycling rule book for the 2010 racing season. The most significant changes are outlined below, and the complete rule book will be available in pdf format on USA Cycling’s website by January.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

The 2010 rule book defines technical assistance zones for mountain bike races and specifies which races these zones are permitted in:

6D1. Feed/Technical Assistance Zones are permitted in the following events: Ultra-Endurance Events (Marathon, 6-hour, 12-hour, 24-hour events), UCI Cross Country (XCO) events (UCI classes only), Cross Country National Championships for the UCI classes (Pro men, Pro women, Junior 17-18 men, and Junior 17-18 women). Note that when the category 1 junior 15-16 year old juniors are on the course at the same time as the category 1 junior 17-18 riders, they will also have access to Technical Assistance Zones.
6D2. Authorised technical assistance during a race consists of repairs to or the replacement of any part of the bicycle other than the frame. Bike changes are not permitted and the rider must cross the finishing line with the same handlebar number plate that he had at the start.
It was also decided that Stars-and-Stripes jerseys will no longer be awarded in the “competition” classes at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. Competition class winners will, beginning in 2010, receive medals only. Along with the aforementioned change came a restructure of the masters categories for Mountain Bike Nationals with the men’s 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70+, and the women 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, and 60+ fields being moved out of the “competition” class and into the “championship” class.
Other noteworthy results from the mountain bike trustee meeting include a single-speed class being added to the USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships; the junior 15-18 field being split in two (15-16 and 17-18) for national championship cross country and downhill contests; and non UCI-class competitions at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships being opened to permanent residents as well as U.S. citizens.

COLLEGIATE

The National Collegiate Cycling Association wrote several amendments to its rules, including a new statute regarding the use of aerodynamic equipment. The following rules will be effective for the 2010 racing season for road categories B, C, D, and E, and will apply to all collegiate cycling categories in 2011.

7J1(a) Bicycles used in competition in all Collegiate Road Events must conform with the current UCI and USAC regulations for mass-start legal bicycles.
7J1(b) No handlebar extensions, including "aero bars," or other forms of bars offering forearm support shall be allowed.
7J2(a)Wheels used in competition in all Collegiate Road Events must conform with UCI mass-start legal regulations. The UCI maintains a website with the information of approved wheels.
7J3(a) Helmets worn at Collegiate Road Events must meet USAC regulations for mass-start legal, and be worn in accordance with USAC rules.
As more and more collegiate cycling conferences are holding cyclo-cross and track seasons, a new rule has also been established requiring riders to participate in their conference’s cyclo-cross and track events in order to race in the respective collegiate national championship events.
7L7(c)To compete at Collegiate Track National Championships, a Rider must produce documented evidence of completion of one USAC track race. To race in the points race a rider must hold a Collegiate Cycling License and be at least a Track Category 3 or a Collegiate Track Category A. Additionally, a Rider must have competed in one Conference Race if their Conference held a Track Season.
7L9(b) To compete at Collegiate Cyclo-cross National Championships, a Rider must hold a Collegiate Cycling License and be at least USAC Cyclo-cross Category 3 or Collegiate Cyclo-cross Category A. Additionally, a Rider must have competed in one Conference Race if their Conference held a Cyclo-cross Season.

TRACK

The trustees that govern road, track, and cyclo-cross racing voted to allow a rider only one warning in all rounds of a track competition (e.g. sprints) before that rider is disqualified.
Another track-related change is the distance of the men’s Madison event at the USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships; It has been raised to 50 kilometers. Additionally, a women’s 25 kilometer Madison event will be added to the program with a minimum field size of ten teams.
Gear restrictions will no longer apply to juniors age 16 and younger in the following events at Championship events: team sprint, Madison, keirin, and team pursuit.

CYCLO-CROSS

Beginning with the 2010/2011 Cyclo-cross season, all riders lapped in an event will receive a final placing, regardless of when they were lapped.
Another new cyclo-cross-related regulation now specifies that feeding is not permitted in USA Cycling-sanctioned cyclo-cross races unless specifically authorized by a chief referee.

ROAD

A new rule was established dictating that riders who have been dropped off the back of a field may not lead a breakaway group seeking to lap the field.
3D4.Riders who have lost contact with the field, and are then caught by a breakaway from the field, may not lead [disqualification]. Riders off the front of the field may not accept assistance from riders who have lost contact with the back of the field [disqualification for accepting such assistance]. Lapped riders may rejoin and race with the field.
Also, the rule book now clarifies the manner in which a rider may return to a criterium after being granted a free lap. The rider must re-enter the race before the final eight kilometers of racing.
Another result of trustee voting allows promoters to restrict time trial competitors to mass-start bicycles in one or more classes, provided that the restriction is stated in the race announcement and technical guide. This includes time trials in stage races.
Concerning prize breakdowns in stage races, the following now applies:
IL3(e) In stage races, the prizes for each individual stage and for final individual general classification (g.c.) are treated separately, so that the required number of places and prize breakdown for stage 1 is based on the dollar value of prizes for stage 1 and similarly for each stage; likewise the number of g.c. places and breakdown is governed by the total amount of the g.c. prize list. These rules will not be applied to team classifications or special classification (mountains etc.).
In USA Cycling-sanctioned stage races, the regulations surrounding time bonuses have been changed to reflect UCI rules. The new rule is as follows:
43C(b)Time bonuses may only be awarded for mass start stages. If bonuses are awarded they shall be (for first, second and third place):
Finish stage: 10” - 6” - 4”
Half stage: 6” – 4” – 2”
Intermediate Sprints: 3” – 2” – 1”
These bonuses are doubled for stage races with a duration of more than 14 days.
No bonuses for intermediate sprints may be awarded during stages or half-stages unless a bonus is also awarded at the finish.
Additionally, the manner in which teams may enter a road race event has been clarified. Each team is limited to only one entry. Individuals who normally race for a specific team, but are not included on that team’s roster for an event, are not permitted to enter as individuals or on composite teams. This clarification is stated as follows:
IJ5(a)Races that have team entry, or are team-limited events, are covered by the following general rules concerning entry:
Each racing team or club may enter only one team.
When a racing team or club has entered a team, additional team/club members may not enter as individuals, guest riders on other teams, or on a mixed team.
By entering, each team implicitly agrees that it is racing on its own behalf, and not in the interest of another team.
IJ5(b) When entries are received from closely related entities, (e.g. two racing teams from the same club, a racing team and the general ridership of the same club, or two teams with a common sponsor), the Chief Referee/race jury will decide whether to permit both entries. The basis for the decision will be whether the teams can be expected to race as separate entities. Criteria to be used include:
separate management and support;
geographical separation (in the case of multiple club teams or shared sponsors);
skill level and experience (club professional teams versus general club riders, or professional teams versus regional development teams);
major or minor sponsorship (in the case of shared sponsors).
IJ5(c)Teams may petition USA Cycling to establish that they are sufficiently distinct entities for the season, rather than on a race-by-race basis. Such a decision is still subject to review based on personnel changes or conduct at races.
IJ5(d) Entry having been accepted, teams must still ride in a manner consistent with their being a distinct entity. Riding in the interest of a related team is subject to discipline, up to disqualification.

PARA-CYCLING

The USA Cycling rule book now spells out that Para-cycling national championships for cyclists with disabilities may be held in conjunction with other national championships. Classifications of para-cycling riders and regulations of competition will follow the Functional Classification System outlined by the UCI.

In addition, the CCA will continue to enforce the "sponsored club" rule meaning that if a club in NC or SC did not permit an event last year then those riders for the club cannot wear any advertising on their jerseys until they show proof that they have permitted an event for 2008. New clubs are exempt from this rule, but it is in their best interest to permit an event this year. White t-shirts may be made available at races for those riders whose clubs are in violation.

2008 NC RR Championship 2007 Road Race Champion Jersey