Q: When is the qualification period?
A: The qualification period for the 2009 MTB National Championships started August 1, 2008 and will end July 13, 2009.
Q: Do Pro riders need to qualify in order to compete?
A: No, riders who are categorized as USAC-MTB Pro riders do not need to qualify in order to compete at the 2008 USAC National MTB Championships. This is a UCI-recognized National Championship and Pro riders will be competing for valuable UCI-ranking points, which will help the United States with their overall UCI-ranking. Both Pro and amateur riders must be United States citizens and have a current annual license in order to compete at the 2009 MTB National Championships.
Q: Can Master riders (30+ years old as of December 31) categorized as Pro, ‘race-down’ to their Category 1 age-group in order to win a Category 1 Master National Champion title?
A: No, Pros riders who are 30+ years old will not be allowed to ‘race-down’ to Category 1 in order to win a title.
Q: Are U23 riders required to be Pro in order to compete in the U23 class or be awarded the U23 National Champion jersey and title?
A: No, U23 riders may be any category, as long as they are between the racing ages of 19-22 years old. The racing distance for U23 is the Pro distance.
Q: When will riders be notified if they have qualified?
A: Riders who have qualified for the 2009 MTB National Championships will be posted to the USA Cycling website (www.usacycling.org) as soon as they are determined. Email notifications will also be sent to riders opting-in to receive emails from USA Cycling (this can be done through a current member’s online account). The qualified riders list is automatically generated from the race results received from qualification event organizers.
Q: Dual Slalom qualify riders for 4X at the 2009 USAC MTB National Championships?
A: Yes, Dual slalom will qualify riders for 4X.
Q: Where can riders find qualification races and/or series?
A: The qualification races for the 2009 USAC National MTB Championships are USAC-MTB State and Regional Championships, American Mountain Bike Challenge (AMBC) events, Alison Dunlap Junior Mountain Bike (ADJ-MTB) events for juniors, USAC-MTB National Calendar events, Collegiate Conference MTB Championships and the USA Cycling Junior Development Mountain Bike Camps. All of these races, series, and camps may be found on the USA Cycling website (www.usacycling.org).
Q: What if I qualify in Category 2 (Sport), the upgrade and qualify in Category 1 (Expert)? Do I have the option of competing in one or the other or both?
A: Riders must compete in the highest category. The higher category qualification will override the lower category qualification. Riders cannot compete in both categories in the same discipline.
Q: What if I qualify in a different age-group than my official racing age?
A: Riders may qualify in a different age-group other than their official racing age (as of December 31 of the current year), but they must compete in their official racing age-group at the MTB National Championships.
