Cyclocross - USA Cycling categories for cross?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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" :)

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.

^^ 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.