USA Cycling categories for cross?

[billh]

Word has it that there will be cx categories on our USAC licenses next year. I heard they will set it to Road categories. So instead of self-selecting A, B, C races, like the local series in Missouri this season, I guess they will set up races like crits, say 4/5, 3, Pro/1/2? I am a road cat 4 who races the C race so it won't really affect me. But I know the B race around here has Cat 2, 3, 4 roadies so I will be racing with some of the B-4's, and some of the B-2/3 will have to move up to race with the A-1/2. Comments? I wonder if they would allow a Road cat 2 to downgrade to a lower cross category if they are just starting out, for example?

[jfmckenna]

Yea I just heard that too and I am not so sure I like it. Whats wrong with A, B, C anyway? If you are a cat 1 then you would have to start off as a cat 5 cross I guess. I say that because that is the way it works with track for example. But probably there will be many loop holes. I kind of liked the loose knit way things were run. Now that cross is getting popular the uscf has to tighten the noose.

[ronbridal]

Word has it that there will be cx categories on our USAC licenses next year. I heard they will set it to Road categories. So instead of self-selecting A, B, C races, like the local series in Missouri this season, I guess they will set up races like crits, say 4/5, 3, Pro/1/2? I am a road cat 4 who races the C race so it won't really affect me. But I know the B race around here has Cat 2, 3, 4 roadies so I will be racing with some of the B-4's, and some of the B-2/3 will have to move up to race with the A-1/2. Comments? I wonder if they would allow a Road cat 2 to downgrade to a lower cross category if they are just starting out, for example?

I can't really comment on the categories because I haven't raced on the road yet, but I have been to the last four Bubba races. I too raced the C's. I guess my question is what cat were many of the people in the C races in St. Louis? It's also possible we rode together too. I wore a Team Mack jersey the last few races, what about you? Small world.

[crowbike]

I guess my question is what cat were many of the people in the C races in St. Louis?
Well I know of at least one cat 3 racing the C's in StL. But he was usually finishing towards the back. There are also quite a few 4's racing in the C's.
I'm a cat5 racing the B's, but I do race MTB as a Sport.

[billh]

I was the one in black jersey with yellow tiger stripes, black bike. I think you Team Mack guys were pretty much punishing the field! So probably didn't see much of each other. It was a really good series, though, great variety of courses. I am definitely motivated to improve for next year. I think the self-selected A, B, C races worked really well. With the new cats, there should will be enough people of similar skill/fitness to race against, no worries. All I need is one person to chase. No shortage of that for me!

ps--or as Mike W says, "Team sMack" :)

[roadbuzz]

Not sure what it means, but my '06 USCF license shows a "cyclo-cross" category, and they used 4, which is my road category.

While I like the freedom to race whichever and as many races as you want in CX right now, I don't appreciate it when the road 2 & 3s race with the Cs, or As and Bs use the C race as a warm-up and take all the top spots. Maybe some category control will help that situation.

[jfmckenna]

^^ I've never seen A's race in C's before. That is definitelly a problem with the people running the race. It should not be allowed.