Rutnick

This has been my first season in cross. Here are my most recent results 17, 13, 10,9, 5...I had 1 DNF and at USGP I was about mid pack out of 120+ both days and started about 110th both days.

I got another 5th place.

I am racing this weekend and then thinking about upgrading. I look around and some people are in the 4s like 2-3 years with the same results as me. I don't get it.

Greenfast

It states after 10 races you can apply for an upgrade to Cat 3, but depending on who does your upgrades for USAC in your area you might not need to wait with good results. I did stay as a 4 longer then I should have, mainly because my fitness was lacking, made the upgrade to the 3's and went from the back of the back last year, to earning a few upgrade points this year in some of the local races, and mid-pack in the larger races.

mzeffex 

5 races, not 10 races to upgrade.

flargle

It's not about placings, it's about lap times. Upgrading to 3 and finding yourself dangling off the back is not the way to do it. So compare your lap times with the cat 3 field.

SpongeDad

I think it also depends on the nature of your local races. In the mid Atlantic, MAC races tend to be a bit faster than MABRA races. If I was in MAC, I'd probably hold out a bit longer.

If you're in between Cats, you can always race the 3/4 race without actually becoming a 3 (assuming your area runs the 3 race as a mixed category).

availpunk9

Last year raced as a 4 in the Cs. Had one podium, 2nd, and a few top tens.

This year, catted up to 3, and did the 3/4 races. Pretty much on podium almost every race w/2 wins.

I'm catting up to 2 and concentrating on MAC next year for the 2/3/4 races. My goal is to get the 20 points and get to 1 by the end of next season.

Rutnick

I think the question was more like...when did "you" cat up. I'm not worried about competing in the 3s. I just can't believe I see someone at year three of the 4s racing a full series for 3 years. Sure, they podium the 4s now but what a waste.

I upgraded from cat5 to cat4 road before the minimum number of races.

I could have upgraded CX already but wanted to finish the series out which ends this weekend. When I see someone with good results but results that don't require an automatic upgrade, I just see sandbagging. Good results are top five and above every single race.

Had I not wrecked my last race, i would have gotten 4th. Starting about 110th both days of the USGP and getting mid pack was nice and damn was it fast. Had I started closer, who knows what I would have gotten. I mean I did pass like 50+ people. I beat a guy that finished 14th in that race in the next race of the series.

Rutnick

our series doesn't offer a 3/4 race. just 3s or 1-3.

Cynikal 

We have A, B, and C's in our series. I did one season at the C's and them up'd to B's. I found I learned much more from the B's but was at the back of the pack. My skills have improved but due to family obligations, I haven't spend the time to build the fitness. I guess it depend on what you want out of racing. I want to have fun and learn.

Rutnick

I race cat 4 road and Cat 2 MTB. The technical skills are there. My callups are now either first or second row due to how the series calls up riders. It is points leaders first then by registration date. I was registering the week of and then the final 5 races was 4-5 weeks early. I'd get either 1st or 2nd row starts. It's much better to get out of traffic early.

I haven't been training much the last couple of weeks and I seem to be doing better. Fresher I guess. I nuked myself in road and MTB this year.

RacerOne

I'm a Cat 4 CX'er, never raced on the road. Placed 4th of 12 and 3rd of 11 in my two races... I plan on staying 4 until I've got the points. Then I'll move up since most of my team races in 3 and above.

Rumpled

I've seen 5 listed on a few promoter's sites - but USAC says 10.
Quoting from the rule book
"1D4. Cyclocross Upgrades
Cyclocross categories are upgraded similarly to road upgrades using the system below:
(a) Requirements for upgrading via points:
4-3: Experience in 10 qualifying races or 10 points in 12 months"

Me, I've got 6 races as a 4 and am not yet to 10 for the upgrade. I've seen it mentioned as mandatory, but that is not how it is written at USAC; unless mandatory is implied.
My next race or two aren't USAC permitted and not eligible for USAC upgrades.
I've been finishing DFL in every race but one and am actually not wanting to go to the 3's.

Rutnick

just upgrade asap. When I went from 4-5 road, I didn't even have the minimum races. I just listed what I had and sent it to the USA Cycling for consideration. I got bumped up in 2 hours.

I've decided I'm going Cat 3 after this weekend for X.

Rutnick

For cat 4 to Cat 3, you can list non USAC cross races as part of your resume for consideration for an upgrade. I listed a ABD Crit race in my USAC request to upgrade road and it wasn't even a USAC sanctioned race.

Rumpled

If 10 is mandatory, then it not being USAC lets me be a 4 for a bit longer.

M_S

I'll never understand the reasoning behind some categories in cross, particularly the splitting up of threes into two plus races.

Flargle's right though. Compare lap times, also keeping in mind you'll probably have to do 1-3 more of them. Around here it's usually 4s in a big B category of their own and then 1-3s, except the bigger races which are more traditionally split up. My goal is cat 3 by the end of next season but it has nothing to do with how I place (for me).

Rutnick

I just went ahead and upgraded. Nobody seemed to understand the question. They question was...WHEN DID YOU UPGRADE? MEANING...HOW MANY RACES FOR YOU?

I did 12 Cat4 races. My final 4 races were in the top 8 in big fields.

M_S

if that level of off topic bugs you, you might as well give up on the internet now

myclem

UPGRADE




from chasing120.com

RacerOne

^^ "But cat3 guys have lots of tattoos." There's something about a little cartoon bear thing telling me to HTFU and upgrade.. That's it, I'm catting up.

myclem

Do it!

See. That was easy.

DFL is DFL. At least I'll get to sleep in.

Scott_CX

As a first season Cat 4, I can see both sides of this. As a beginner I don't feel Category 4 is a true beginner's field. Lots of guys "sand bagging" it as you often see talented road racers in CAT 4. I'm not even sure why you'd stick around in Cat 4, there's hardly ever any prizes and the race times are awful.

Hmm I only have 8 races on my belt and I've had a lot of mediocre finishes. Maybe I'll come into next season strong and Cat up. My friends done 21 races as a Cat 4 and says he doesn't want to cat up till he's on the podium. Perhaps, I'll convince him to cat up with me next season.

Rutnick

I already requested my upgrade and got it. 21 freaking races as a 4? How are his results? I did 11 with my last 6 in the top 10 and 3 of those top 5-6 and finished 9th in my series. The guys in front of me were cat 2-4 roadies and several are already racing in the 3s in X.

I'm racing elite 1-3 this weekend. Racing another 10-15 races as a 4 to get a podium is wack.

flargle

DECEMBER IS CYCLOCROSS CATEGORY UPGRADE AWARENESS MONTH!
https://www.chasing120.com/2010/11/it...-december.html

Sourpuss Magee

I was embarrassed for the guy who won the cat 4 nbx race last Saturday. Awards or not, no business in cat 4. Grow up.