Upgrade Information
Riders wishing for an upgrade in category must follow the following procedures:
- Only email the CCA Upgrade Coordinator if any questions before going to the USAC website to submit your request.
- All riders/racers must go to the USAC website to submit an upgrade request. It will be routed to the CCA Upgrade Coordinator for review.
- To determine if you are eligible for an upgrade, fill out a blank resume form with qualifying races (see below). You should also include your resume in the request you submit through the USAC website. You may also e-mail your resume to the CCA Upgrade Coordinator to supplement your request on the USAC website.
- Upgrade requests to categories 4, 3, or 2 are routed to the CCA Upgrade Coordinator for review.
- Upgrade requests to category 1 are routed to the Southeast Regional Representative (Stuart Lamp) for review.
Special Note: Please do not request an upgrade for both Road and Track unless you meet the qualifications for both. Do not request an upgrade to Road 4 and Track 4 at the same time if you have never ridden on the Track - they are different disciplines.
Significant Rider Category Rule Changes As Of 2013
1E1(c) A new rule allowing riders to finish a limited series in the same category if they have mandatory upgrade points.
1E2: Road upgrade procedures changed so that the voluntary upgrade points no longer need be acquired in a 12 month period.
1E6: Category 5 established for men in cyclo-cross and upgrade system changed to resemble the road more. There will be voluntary upgrades and mandatory upgrades based on points. Cat 5 to cat 4 upgrade by experience only.
1H4(c): Riders may now enter single-day time trial events in their proper category or a higher category at their discretion.
1H7(a): Presenting a hard copy license at registration is not necessary if the rider’s status can be documented electronically. This is to encourage use and allowed use of the USA Cycling membership app for smart phones.
Road Upgrade Qualifications
The following events will qualify for road upgrades based on the information given below:
- Road Races
- Criteriums
- General Classifications for Stage Races (only 3 to 2 and 2 to 1 upgrades)
The following events will NOT qualify for road upgrades, but may be considered as a supplement to qualifying events:
- Time Trials
- Final Omnium Places
Guidelines and Notes by Category
From the 2013 USAC Rulebook
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5 to 4
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Finish 10 mass start races.
Local Associations may also establish policies where upgrade credit is given for taking a sanctioned rider education clinic.
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4 to 3
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(1) 20 points; or,
(2) experience in 25 qualifying races with a minimum of 10 top ten finishes with fields of 30 riders+; or,
(3) 20 pack finishes with fields over 50.
30 points in 12 months is a mandatory upgrade. USAC-sanctioned rider Camps and Clinics that are approved by the Local Associations for upgrading will count a maximum of 3 upgrade points when upgrading from category 4 to category 3.
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3 to 2
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30 points.
40 points in 12 months is a mandatory upgrade.
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2 to 1
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35 points.
50 points in 12 months is a mandatory upgrade.
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Qualifying Distances for Each Category
To qualify for upgrading points, races must meet distance standards. Races shorter than the minimum distance do not qualify for upgrading. However, if a road race is less than the road race minimum but above the criterium minimum, it will count for upgrading using the criterium points schedule.
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Category
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Class
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RR
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CT & CR
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5 to 4
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Men
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15 miles
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10 miles/20 minutes
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4 to 3
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Men
Women
Junior
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25 miles
25 miles
25 miles
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20 miles/30 minutes
15 miles/30 minutes
15 miles/30 minutes
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3 to 2
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Men
Women
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50 miles
40 miles
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20 miles/40 minutes
15 miles/30 minutes
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2 to 1
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Men
Women
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80 miles
50 miles
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30 miles/60 minutes
20 miles/40 minutes
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Points Awarded for Criteriums and Circuit Races
|
|
Number of Starters
|
|
Placing
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5-10
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11-20
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21-50
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51+
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1
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3
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4
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5
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7
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|
2
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
4
|
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1
|
2
|
3
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|
5
|
|
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1
|
2
|
|
6
|
|
|
|
1
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Points Awarded for Road Races
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|
Number of Starters
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|
Placing
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5-10
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11-20
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21-50
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51+
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|
1
|
3
|
7
|
8
|
10
|
|
2
|
2
|
5
|
6
|
8
|
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
7
|
|
4
|
|
3
|
4
|
6
|
|
5
|
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
|
6
|
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
|
7
|
|
|
1
|
3
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
1
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Points Awarded for Stage Races (3 to 2 and 2 to 1 only)
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|
Number of Starters
|
|
Placing
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10-19
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20-35
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36-49
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50+
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|
1
|
5
|
7
|
10
|
20
|
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
8
|
18
|
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
6
|
16
|
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
14
|
|
5
|
|
1
|
4
|
12
|
|
6
|
|
|
3
|
10
|
|
7
|
|
|
2
|
9
|
|
8
|
|
|
1
|
8
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
7
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
6
|
|
11
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
12
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
14
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
15
|
|
|
|
1
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NOTE: For points earned in stage races, GC and stage places both count for points, but only up to a maximum of 20 points for a cat 1 upgrade or 15 points for a cat 2 upgrade from a single stage race.
Track Upgrade Qualifications
Mellowdrome Requirements
From the Mellowdrome Rider Manual
Beginning riders on the track will be categorized according to the USCF as either a 5 (men) or 4 (women). The Mellowdrome will upgrade riders from 5 to 4 (men) and from 4 to 3 (men and women). For the purposes of upgrading to a 2, the rider will have to use the guidelines in the current USCF rulebook and will have to be upgraded at another track (Dick Lane Velodrome is the closest).
The upgrade policy for the Mellowdrome is outlined below:
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5 to 4
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Six Saturday sessions AND
Four (4) race days.
Consideration to time spent at banked velodromes.
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4 to 3
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Five (5) race days AND
20 points (points earned at another track may be used) AND
Five (5) race days on a banked velodrome.
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USAC Requirements
From the 2013 USAC Rulebook.
These rules will be applied for USAC events held on the Giordana Velodrome.
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5 to 4
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Complete a Velodrome Class or 4 race days.
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4 to 3
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5 race days and 20 points.
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3 to 2
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5 race days and 25 points.
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2 to 1
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5 race days and 30 points.
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Points
- National Championships and Cat A, B, and C events: 7, 5, 3, 2, and 1 for each event.
- For all other events, upgrade points are 5,3,2,1 and are based on an omnium of the event’s races. If the race ran individual events but did not award omnium prizes, the points are still allocated as though they had run an omnium.
- USA Cycling sanctioned and approved rider education clinics (at least half day), will count as three qualifying races for category 5 to 4 upgrades, up to a maximum of 5 qualifying races. It will also count as 4 upgrade points for a category 4 to 3 upgrade and 3 upgrade points for a category 3 to 2 upgrade.
Additional Considerations
1. Ten-person field minimum for upgrading from categories 3-5, and twenty-person field minimum for upgrade to category 1.
2. Fifty percent of upgrading points and number of times raced will be carried over to the next year. Points do not carry over to the next category.
3. When upgrading to a category 1, points earned need to be from more than one velodrome.
4. A “race day” is defined as one full day of racing. A race day can include a number of events such as a kilometer, sprints or time trial, but it only counts as one race day.
5. Omniums will be counted for upgrading if at least half of the events on the omnium were massed-start.
6. Women and Juniors earn one point for every five race days when upgrading from category 4 through category 2.
7. Races exempt from upgrading are Youth races and races of more than two categories (i.e., “A” and “B” races).
Cyclo-cross Upgrade Requirements
From the 2013 USAC Rulebook.
Cyclo-cross categories are upgraded similarly to road category upgrades using the system below:
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5 to 4
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Experience in 10 races is a mandatory upgrade.
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4 to 3
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Voluntary upgrade with 10 points. Fifteen points or two wins if the field had at least 30 competitors is a mandatory upgrade.*
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3 to 2
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Voluntary upgrade with 15 points. Twenty points or two wins if the field had at least 30 competitors is a mandatory upgrade.*
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|
2 to 1
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Voluntary upgrade with 20 points. Twenty-five points or two wins if the field had at least 40 competitors is a mandatory upgrade.
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*Juniors are exempt from this mandatory upgrade
Points Awarded for Cyclo-cross races
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|
Number of Starters
|
|
Placing
|
5-10
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11-20
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21-50
|
51+
|
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
7
|
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
4
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
5
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
|
6
|
|
|
|
1
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Cyclo-cross Conversion
Cyclo-cross (CX) categories may also be upgraded by conversion from a rider’s earned road or mountain bike (MTB) cross country (XC) category. If during the season, a rider upgrades his or her road or XC category, the cyclo-cross category can be upgraded to match the road or XC category shown below by request of the rider or by request of the administrator.
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CX category based on road or XC category
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Road Category
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MTB XC Category
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CX Category
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Pro/1
|
Pro
|
1
|
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
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4 or 5
|
3
|
4
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