License

[natehakensak]

Not trying to beat a dead horse if the info is out there already but...
I am going to race the expert stallions and in looking at requirements, a racer needs a license. The USA cyling website has all I need, I think. I created an account and all that jazz and in trying to purchase a mtn. license(with road as add on), the only options to choose from were 'beginner' or 'sport'. Am I missing something or are those two the only options available? Is the expert option somewhere else? Thanks for the help.

[Tower]

Good question... I believe these days you can't just "move up" to expert. You have to go through some sort of approval process to race expert... I wish I could remember the exact requirements, but I was grandfathered in before USA cycling made any stipulations a couple years ago...

So anybody out there (Red Squirrel) planning to move up, you better figure out the details fairly soon... Wish I could give you more info, but right now I'm not sure what the requirements are these days...

[Matthew]

After you sign up for your license on the website you will get an account number and so on. (it sounds like you did this already.) Then find the option for requesting an upgrade. Request the upgrade to expert. they will ask you for your reasons and a racing resume, put anything results you have in the resume and tell them why you need the expert license. It has been my experience that they will just grant you the upgrade to expert. I filled out almost nothing and was given the upgrade the next day. Hope this helps.

[RedSquirrel]

But do you really need to upgrade at USA Cycling to race expert? Won't mnscs, or wors just let you race? It's not road racing rules no? As long as you have a license, does it matter? Good questions.

I recall Jerimia, late to show for race, raced expert a few years ago at the Laddies (and only did sport with us prior).

Points. Heck, USA Cycling still doesn't have 2006 points results for MN riders on the site anyhow!!! We are ranked below the cheeseheads ect ect.

OK, ok, ok, just to be safe I upgraded my account at USA Cycling. Upgrade pending. Thanks for the question.

[mill0298]

They changed this rule last year. In the past you could elect to upgrade to Expert without any qualification process. However, it was a major PITA if you ever wanted to move back down to Sport or Comp. You actually had to submit a good reason to USA cycling-Norba explaining why you should be allowed to downgrade your classification. Norba decided to institute this policy to help prevent sandbagging. My speculation is that many racers, who advanced to expert too quickly, became discouraged with the level of competition and the amount of training required to race at that level, and consequently stopped racing. This would have a negative effect on the membership levels of USA Cycling/Norba. Now, in order to race expert, you need to show commitment to that level of competition by providing some race results. I would guess that Norba is pretty liberal with giving the expert upgrade. I think you can basically just ask for it and they'll give it to you.

If you ever want to race Semi-pro/Pro, which really only applies to Norba Nationals (or larger races out west), the upgrade process is more strict. I believe you need 3 top 3 (overall) expert finishes in a Norba sanctioned state series or 3 top 5's at Nationals. When I requested that upgrade, my results where heavily scrutinized.

[natehakensak]

Okay, buy the sport mtn with the road add on for $90 total and then find the upgrade link, right Matt? I guess I can use my check I got back from Cheq to buy my license now...
Speaking of rants, why doesn't Gary increase the field size at Cheq? How big is the Birke? Aren't the races on the same course almost? Last time I measured, a bike on the single track takes up much less room than a skate skiier flailing about. I love to ski, but come on.
That is my rant. I guess I'll just be in the usacycling club and not the cheq club. Thanks for the info brothers and sisters.

[Matthew]

Sounds like you have the idea. I bought mine over the internet, then found the request an upgrade link, and by the time they got around to actually sending me the license I was already listed as an expert.

[Magic]

Okay, buy the sport mtn with the road add on for $90 total and then find the upgrade link, right Matt? I guess I can use my check I got back from Cheq to buy my license now...
Speaking of rants, why doesn't Gary increase the field size at Cheq? How big is the Birke? Aren't the races on the same course almost? Last time I measured, a bike on the single track takes up much less room than a skate skiier flailing about. I love to ski, but come on.
That is my rant. I guess I'll just be in the usacycling club and not the cheq club. Thanks for the info brothers and sisters.

The reason why Cheq. doesn't make the field bigger is because 1700 riders can and do enough damage to the trail system. And on the wet years for the race, it's twice as bad. Just keep trying to get in, it will happen.

[Tone Coughlin]

You do not have to purchase a USA Cycling license unless the race is sanctioned by USA Cycling and has USAC officials present at the race.

Here is the list of races in MN that require a license.

https://www.usacycling.org/events/index.php?state=MN&race=Mountain

Ugrading to Expert/Semi-Pro/Pro has to be done online through USA Cycling.

Here is info on upgrades.

http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=2134

Here is a link to the rulebook.

https://www.usacycling.org/forms/MTB_rulebook.pdf

FYI, there is no more NORBA, it is now USAC Cross Country.

[gus man]

FYI, there is no more NORBA, it is now USAC Cross Country.


Bad choice on the name. Now no other race directors will want to do multiple disciplines at their events. The names drives it home. Just my 2 cents worth. :banghead:

Gus

[RedSquirrel]

Bad choice on the name. Now no other race directors will want to do multiple disciplines at their events. The names drives it home. Just my 2 cents worth. Gus

You got it all wrong, cross country is only one discipline under MTB. There's downhill, bmx, ect ect. Click below, then "MTB".

http://www.usacycling.org/

[gus man]

You got it all wrong, cross country is only one discipline under MTB. There's downhill, bmx, ect ect. Click below, then "MTB".

http://www.usacycling.org/

Well the link sucked and makes it all even more confusing than ever. My point in the previous post is that too many race directors thing that the only thing that exist is xc. That is such a sad state of competitive mtb'ing. It's really quite simple logic. If you have more disciplines and therefore invite more riders your attendance will grow. They should have named it "USAMTB" that encompasses more. USAC CROSS COUNTRY gives off a connotation of only one thing.

Personlly I think that all of the MNSCS events should have at least 2 events.

Gus