Advancing Through the Ranks: Athlete Category Upgrades
From grassroots efforts to elite programs, the cycling community is united in its commitment to advancing the sport and motivating future champions.
Understanding Cycling Categories
Cycling categories are similar to levels and exist across most cycling disciplines. Advancement occurs in reverse chronological order, with Category 1 representing the highest level in amateur racing. Learn more about racing categories and the upgrade process here.
The Journey of Progression
Category upgrades ensure safe and fair competition while providing athletes with a consistent and reliable framework to track their progress and move up the ranks. Racers accumulate points based on finishing position and field size, eventually stacking up enough points to move up to the next level.
Athlete Recognition
For many cyclists, a category upgrade is a significant milestone in their racing journey. It serves as a testament to their hard work, determination, and skill set. Each month, USA Cycling publishes an upgrade roster, publicly honoring and recognizing recent upgrade recipients.
