JeffOYB

I'm new to the sport but it seems like something big happened with the Cats since last year. Like there's more of them. No, maybe it's that the A-B-C structure is gone and now there are actual Cat's, same as Road.

So our little local first-time event in our town has 17 categories.

Now, mostly 3 Cats are grouped for each start. We have 5 starts.

Whew, it's a lot to juggle.

Cat 4's and Singlespeeds start together, for instance.

Well, all good fun. I don't mind getting lapped.

I once ALMOST did a crit in Europe -- they had everyone start together at one start -- from our equivalent of Cat 4's up to Tour de France top dogs. That woulda been a thrill... What, would they have pulled slowpokes as they were going to be lapped? I thought I'd catch another one later. Never did. Anyway...

ljrichar

The only thing that has changed is that they've added a Cat5. That being said, the local promoter can combine races as they see fit as long as they score them separately. For example, they can have Cat5 only, Cat4/5 combined, Cat 3 only, P12, SS/Masters, etc. In fact, our local promoter is combing Cat 4 & 5, defeating the purpose of creating the Cat5 in the first place. A, B, & C groupings are used for non USAC, training races.

ill.clyde

My first year too (if I can talk myself into actually doing it) ... But yes, the Cat 5 is a new addition.

Our first race of the season has us racing with the juniors

Andy_K 

It's all fun and games until you get lapped by a junior. (Actually being lapped by a junior isn't so bad. Some of those kids are fast.)


Cross Crusade has 20 categories and people regularly ask for more.

ill.clyde

HA! ... ours have boys and girls, Juniors 10-14 and 15-18 in it ... I'm sure I'll be passed.

BUT ... I might see if I can get my 12 year old into it

billh

I am guilty of asking a promoter for an extra cat. I just turned 50 so many of the local races have a little niche armchair race for us old dudes in 30 minute 50+ masters, which is nice because it excludes the uber-fast 40-49 racers, which can still clean up in P12 races. There are fewer 50+ masters who can clean up in P12 races, although still some, but fewer. So this one race gave me the following choice: 40+ masters 60 minute race that started with the P12 open race . . . too long and too fast. or the Cat 4/5 40 minute race with the 20-something beginners. Not excited about racing with beginners. He turned me down based on burden to the officials. Really, the 50+ group is very popular when offered, all us old fit dudes in tights. So I opted for the 4/5 race and finished 5/27, a hollow victory, though some other 50+ made the same choice, but others raced the faster 3/4 race, and one raced with the 40+.

jfmckenna

The Cat system went into place a few years ago now. It took a while to iron it out a bit. There were cat 1/2 road racers and expert mountain bike racers that didn't know where to start and there were a gazillion cat 4's. so they added the cat 5 this year. That is for USAC races. Most grass routs events still use an ABC system.

grolby

As a Cat 4, you ARE a beginner, age notwithstanding. I don't see the issue here. Seems like you had a good race.

The A/B/C system is already basically dead in New England (where 'cross is Serious Business and very popular) and in the Southeast (where there's not enough of a history with 'cross for the old category system to stick around). The switch to standard USAC categories was a good idea, and less confusing now that there are upgrade rules for high-cat riders coming over from other disciplines. Though Cat 3 is still so enormous around here that it often fills up.

billh

yeah, I been a beginner for 10 years! I'm hoping in the 50+ races, age will be the great leveler and somehow I will get faster relative to my age group peers . . . . I'm just unmotivated to race against first-timers, feel guilty beating them. I don't want to discourage the 20-somethings, having some old geezer lapping them.

jfmckenna

I am in the south east mid Atlantic and some races still use a/b/c but they are not USAC races. In fact I'll be putting one on this year. The cat 3's are big down hear but it took a few years for the 4's to upgrade. I think it's finally sorted itself out a bit. IT got really popular and so it was a good idea to use the cat system. When I started racing you could do the C race and then enter the A race. No one really cared as long as you got out of the way. The A race might have had 6 people in it on a good day so they welcomed more bodies. As a cat 2 now my races pretty much start with about 20-30 and that's because since they started the cat system a lot of 3's have upgraded. So it's nice to have the bigger fields.

The very first cross race I got chicked. Turns out the chic went on to win some impressive races.