WELCOME! On behalf of USA Cycling, we hope that you are looking forward to a new year of bike racing. We are glad that you are a member and hope that you will find many opportunities to enjoy bike racing of all kinds. Good luck with your racing! Cover Photos: MTB World’s: Craig Dutton National Championship: Bruce Buckley 2 | @usacycling This Rulebook is published by USA Cycling. It is organized as follows: Chapter 1 ........ General Regulations Chapter 2 ........ Track Chapter 3 ........ Road and Stage Racing Chapter 4 ........ Cyclocross Chapter 5 ........ Mountain Bike Chapter 6 ........ Collegiate Chapter 7 ........ Championships Chapter 8 ........ Discipline Chapter 9 ........ Records Chapter 10 ...... Gran Fondo Appendices Glossary Copies may be downloaded from the USAC website at www.usacycling.org. Officials are sent a hard copy. Other members may request a hard copy by sending a self-addressed mailing label and note that says “rulebook” to the address below: USA Cycling/ Attn: Technical Director 210 USA Cycling Point, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Schedule of fees, USA Cycling Bylaws, Policies, Records, and Results of National Champion- ships may be found online at www.usacycling.org/resources/schedule-of-fees Unfortunately, the English language does not have a neutral gender personal pronoun. Please understand that, where applicable, the use of the terms “he”, “his” and “him” may equally refer to “she” and “her”. © Copyright 2019 USA Cycling, Inc. Copying without fee is permitted provided credit to the source is given Printed by DocuMart 01•19 USA Cycling Rule Book | 3 IMPORTANT RULE CHANGES FOR 2019 For a complete list of changes and explanations, see the rulebook page atusacycling.org GENERAL REGULATIONS 1D2. Cyclocross, as a professional rider discipline, has been added to the text of Professional Categories 1E2-1E8. Upgrading and Downgrading regulations for all disciplines have been transferred to a policy document. USA Cycling Policy VIII-Race Category Upgrading/Downgrading. The intent is to more rapidly change the upgrade system to reflect local needs and allow experi- mentation in the process as we move toward a better model of upgrading that reflects current customer needs and current event offerings. Upgrade and Downgrade procedures remain the same as previously published. Some local adjustments are being tested as new policies are developed. 1F3. Further limitation of club and team names to limit the use of national terminology; US and American, to avoid confusion with National Teams or the duty and authority of USA Cycling as the National Governing body. No existing names have been restricted. 1I1. Bicycle elements further defined/clarified (added brake controls 1I1(e)) and Single Speed bicycles moved to 1I3. Bicycle Types. Roller Race gear limitations moved into this section for clarity1I1(j). 1I3. Bicycle Types are further expanded to current definitions for handcycles1I3(c) and tri-cy- cles 1I3(d) for para-cycling competitions. 1I4. Youth/Junior Gears are clarified to note that they are not enforced for Mountain Bike or Cyclocross. In track events, Junior riders competing in an older age group are allowed to use the gear re- striction of that age group (reflects current exception in practice for National Championships) 1I4 (b)(i). Gear restrictions, based on age, remain unchanged for junior riders competing in older groups and Elite events. 4 | @usacycling 1N5. Requiring riders to follow instructions has been implied in many regulations but never formally stated. A new regulation has been added. 1N5. Instructions. Riders shall follow the instructions of the race organizers, the officials and police. (Remaining following regulations renumbered.) TRACK RACING 2B1. Leaders, has been modified to remove reference to the (ANYTIME and ALWAYS) leader on the track having to occupy the sprinter’s lane. There are sufficient regulations that govern the use of the sprinter’s lane and the conduct of both leading and following riders. 2B2 Clarified to establish whatoverlap of another rider is. 2B17. A new regulation governing track and apron access has been added. Non-competitor track access is defined. Further definitions of when and wherecoaches allowed on the track are consolidated here. 2B18. Moves 2J8, Equipment, to unify standard placement of sponges in time trial events. 2C4, 2M5, 2N8. Free laps are now unified across bunch start races (Scratch, Points and Madi- son) up to a distance nearest to 1250 meters. 2K3, 2K4. Championship team pursuit definitions are modified to match National Champion- ship regulations, indicating that teams must contain four riders 2K10. Team pursuit starts are defined as riders in a straight line, on the pursuit line, 1 meter apart, to coordinate with international regulations. 2H1. Keirin description has been rewritten for clarity and to coordinate with international regulations and practices, including defining when and where the pacer leaves the track. (½ the race is behind a pacer, ½ of the race is ridden as a bunch sprint). 2H2. (a) Defines the exit location of the Keirin pacer at the pursuit line, front or back, depend- ing upon the length of the track. 01•19 USA Cycling Rule Book | 5 2L2. Team Sprint starts are defined as riders in a straight line spaced at 1.5 meters apart to coordinate with international regulations .and more effective judging of the start. 2N3. Standardized laps and sprints for Madison events introduced, including Appendix 1 table. 2O1. Omnium scoring is modified to remove conflict with National Championship regulations and allows for any announced point scoring methods. CHAMPIONSHIPS 7C3. Junior Track Omnium events and distances have been slightly modified after last year’s implementation to increase some distances and modify the events to include an Elimination race in the Junior 15-16 Omnium. 7C3. Junior Track Omnium scoring has been modified to recognize growing field sizes and the ability to score participants who do not qualify for finals, if qualification heats are required based on track field limits. 7D11. Points race championships for Junior 15-18 has been returned to ages 17-18 as the 15- 16 year old Championship Omnium already contains a points race. 7F2. Cyclocross distances Cyclocross national championship race durations are modified to create time parity between similar age groups for Men and Women, except where required by the UCI for qualifying events. GLOSSARY UPDATES ELITE rider definitions, related to Master’s racing, are further clarified to include specific requirements for cyclocross and comply with international regulations. INTERNATIONAL-STYLE OMNIUM definition is brought into alignment with the regulations. OFFICIALS definition is refined to indicate their training under USA Cycling programs and emphasize their oversight of the sporting conduct of events. Clarifies that officials can be assigned by USA Cycling or Local Associations. 6 | @usacycling TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. General Regulations ......................................................................... 11 1A. Licenses ...................................................................................... 12 1B. Rider Nationalities ...................................................................... 14 1C. Rider Classes ............................................................................... 14 1D. Rider Categories ......................................................................... 15 1E. Rider Upgrading and Downgrading ............................................. 15 1F. Clubs and Teams .......................................................................... 16 1G. Officials ....................................................................................... 18 1H. Races .......................................................................................... 21 1I. Bicycles ........................................................................................ 26 1J. Rider’s Uniform ........................................................................... 29 1K. Racing Rule Generalities ............................................................. 33 1L. Start of a Race ............................................................................. 34 1M. Finish of a Race.......................................................................... 35 1N. Conduct ...................................................................................... 36 1O. Protests and Hearings ................................................................ 37 2. Track Racing ..................................................................................... 39 2A. Track Markings ........................................................................... 40 2B. General Track Rules .................................................................... 40 2C. Scratch Race ............................................................................... 42 2D. Handicap Race ............................................................................ 43 2E. Miss-and-Out and Elimination .................................................... 43 2F. Sprint ........................................................................................... 44 2G. Tandem Sprint ............................................................................ 47 2H. Keirin .......................................................................................... 47 2I. Time Trial ..................................................................................... 48 2J. Individual Pursuit