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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