Who's moving up?

jbogner

NYCMTB: President
JORBA.ORG
I thought once you go up a class you can't go back down.

USA Cycling is in the process of making the requirements for getting and keeping a pro license more stringent. There's a working group of pro riders and race promoters working on exactly what the mtb pro class should look like right now.

Keep in mind that to get a "pro" license on the road side, you actually have to show proof of a signed contract with a licensed pro team. Pro does not mean the same thing on the mtb side, but that is going to change. There's a strong intention on the part of USA Cycling to make the mtb pro class truly professional- paid, sponsored, contracted- and not just "the class higher than Cat 1".

So it's fairly likely that we'll see some of the folks who're jumping up to Pro this year back in Cat 1 at some point in the future.
 
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pixychick

JORBA: Ringwood
JORBA.ORG
Thanks for the update Jamie. Art already has his pro license, and I'm sure he would be cool to downgrade a couple years down the line if forced. I just hope that those in charge will be realistic enough as not to discriminate against any poor, fast, young un-sponsored guys. Sponsor money just does not exist the way it does on road, and then there is the current economy.

Back on subject: It's great to see classes of riders change each year. From my experience, you never know what the next year will bring. People age in and out, upgrades, downgrades, fast guys taking the winter off and the not so fast guys training their butts off and showing up to kill, and even then, people burn out and crash out. I try to enter the season with an open mind, and as always, looking forward to meeting new racers.
 

tonyride

Don't piss off the red guy
USA Cycling is in the process of making the requirements for getting and keeping a pro license more stringent. There's a working group of pro riders and race promoters working on exactly what the mtb pro class should look like right now.

Keep in mind that to get a "pro" license on the road side, you actually have to show proof of a signed contract with a licensed pro team. Pro does not mean the same thing on the mtb side, but that is going to change. There's a strong intention on the part of USA Cycling to make the mtb pro class truly professional- paid, sponsored, contracted- and not just "the class higher than Cat 1".

So it's fairly likely that we'll see some of the folks who're jumping up to Pro this year back in Cat 1 at some point in the future.
If they're going to do that then maybe they should create another category for the unsponsored/non-contracted "pro" racers. If not then there'll be a lot of forced sand baggers in cat 1 I would imagine. Not that I would ever have to worry about that as I'll never get up to that category.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
If they're going to do that then maybe they should create another category for the unsponsored/non-contracted "pro" racers. If not then there'll be a lot of forced sand baggers in cat 1 I would imagine. Not that I would ever have to worry about that as I'll never get up to that category.

I suspect this idea will get modified when they realize the local pro fields will go from 10 racers to 0. Or the rules of "contracted rider" will be so loose that a piece of paper, a signature, and a $10 yearly paycheck will do it.
 

jbogner

NYCMTB: President
JORBA.ORG
Thanks for the update Jamie. Art already has his pro license, and I'm sure he would be cool to downgrade a couple years down the line if forced. I just hope that those in charge will be realistic enough as not to discriminate against any poor, fast, young un-sponsored guys. Sponsor money just does not exist the way it does on road, and then there is the current economy.

I hear you, and one of the reasons for making the pro class more elite is to elevate the level of competition in the pro class and help develop spectator and sponsor-friendly, pro-only events (such as the pro races that occur on the road side). And with the new ranking system USAC is rolling out, it should help identify those young and fast folks more quickly. There will likely always be some privateers in the pro mtb ranks, but pro will become something that you have to fight to get into, then fight to stay in.

Back on subject: It's great to see classes of riders change each year. From my experience, you never know what the next year will bring.

Yep. This cat change is shaking things up a bit, and it'll be fun to see different competitive groups develop. With larger fields in the Pro/Open Cat 1 class (we could see 30-40 guys racing at the top this year), people moving up in age groups, new blood in new classes... it definitely won't be the "same old same old." No matter what, the competition will be good, the courses will be great, and my god- there are now so many races that we're all spoiled with so much choice!
 

jbogner

NYCMTB: President
JORBA.ORG
If not then there'll be a lot of forced sand baggers in cat 1 I would imagine.

There's the misconception. There are virtually no "sandbaggers" in Cat 1. Cat 1 is a terminal class- the top level of amateur competition. It is impossible to sandbag in that class unless you're paid to race for a pro team.
 
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tonyride

Don't piss off the red guy
I'm gonna post this ONE more time. I posted this the last time you asked about downgrading:confused:

Email Paula Grill here...

p.grill@verizon.net

And ask her for a downgrade!!!!!!!!!!

Never mention downgrading again:mad:

-Jim.

OK, after a couple of rounds of emails where we confused each other, I found out that Paula Grill only handles road races, not mountaing bike races.:mad:
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
I'm moving "back" in a way ... Sport /Cat 2 XC and DH... I haven't had an active license since 2003... nor do I have/remember my old license number... so my plan is just re-register as a new racer...

While I did race Expert DH for 4 years, I've only done a hand-full of lift rided once a year or so... Plus, I have since sold my race bike and don't want to subject my current bike to the stresses that I would expect to see on a Pro/Cat 1 course. Nor do I have any expectations of doing more than one or two DH races a year...

I never finished well enough in Sport XC to ever dream of moving up... :rolleyes:
 

RNG1

Well-Known Member
Just FYI, if you were curious to keep your expired info intact and renew you can even without that info. Last year was my first year back in 12 years and I was amazed that I was still in the system. I also didn't remember my log in or anything but searched my name and then put in a request for the user name and password and they emailed it to me. It was actually kind of cool to see some of the info listed from back then.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
If they're going to do that then maybe they should create another category for the unsponsored/non-contracted "pro" racers. If not then there'll be a lot of forced sand baggers in cat 1 I would imagine. Not that I would ever have to worry about that as I'll never get up to that category.

Oooh oooh then they can call that category Semi-Pro...lol.
 

Panhead

Well-Known Member
OK, after a couple of rounds of emails where we confused each other, I found out that Paula Grill only handles road races, not mountaing bike races.:mad:

Then pick a name out of the phone book until you can resume your true id. I'm using Paul Newman;).
 
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