USA Cycling Best Practices for Running Junior Categories at UCI Cyclocross Events

There are notable new UCI Cyclocross regulations coming into effect this season regarding UCI events. USA Cycling staff has worked with the UCI to create as smooth a transition as possible for implementation in the US. The parameters for running this category are wide, and this document will lay out some best practices and suggested methods for running the Junior UCI category. 

September of 2019    Beginning in September of 2019, it will be mandatory for every UCI Calendar cyclocross race (C2 and C1) to include a Junior Men’s UCI category race, complete with a UCI mandated prize list, UCI results submission and podium ceremony. 

• USA Cycling strongly recommends that you also include a Junior Women’s 17-18 category race and provide separate results and a podium ceremony for the Junior Women’s 17-18 category. It is likely that the top-level Junior Women will race the Elite Women’s race in 2019, in order to gain UCI points.  However, with the purpose of encouraging participation by newer junior women, USA Cycling recommends that the Junior Women’s race be held separately or combined with the Women’s Cat 3 and 4 categories to be more accessible for less experienced riders. 
• The UCI Junior Women’s category will be introduced at the 2019 UCI Pan American Championships and will be included in the 2019 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships

February of 2020 - The first Junior Women’s UCI World Championships will be conducted in February of 2020. 

September 2020 - For the 2020-2021 season, the inclusion of a Junior Women’s UCI category will be optional for all UCI Calendar events.  USA Cycling will strongly recommend that every UCI Calendar event holds this category. 

• The prize lists will be equal for the UCI Junior Men’s and UCI Junior Women’s categories. 

September 2021 – For the 2021-2022 season, it will be mandatory to hold both Junior Men’s and Junior Women’s UCI categories at all UCI Calendar races, again, with equal prize money.  

It is mandated to hold a separate Junior Men’s race for UCI events, however, it is understandable that you must have enough starters in the category to make it worthwhile. 

• The UCI Junior Men’s category can be run on the course at the same time as any other category of riders except for Elite Men or Elite Women.
• USA Cycling recommends that you consider riding ability, pace and field size when combining categories.
• UCI Junior Men
• May have their own race during the day,
• May be staged separately and stagger-started with another category (separate whistles)
• The UCI mandates that the Junior Men UCI category must be  staged separately and started in front of whichever other category with which they are run.  

• Hold a separate Junior Men’s UCI race (17-18) with their own time slot in the schedule. The ideal time would be before the Elite Women’s race so that UCI categories are all run consecutively
• Stage Junior Men’s UCI category separately in front of a Masters category or category 3 field. Give each category a unique start time (normally 30 seconds-1 minute apart)
• Stage the Junior Men’s UCI category in front of the Junior Men’s 15-16 category and give each category a unique start time (normally 30 seconds to 1 minute apart)
• Lapped riders. Race promoters are free to choose the method they want for handling lapped riders.  There are four options listed in USA Cycling Cyclocross Regulations (4H1). USA Cycling suggests that you work with the assigned UCI Official and do not apply the 80% rule to junior categories concurrent with the recommendations in our Cyclocross Best Practices Document in order to provide slower junior riders with the best racing experience possible and most time on the course. The 80% rule is only mandatory for World Championships, World Cups and some national championships. 

• Riders must have a UCI License to participate in a UCI Junior category race
• Riders must be staged by individual UCI ranking followed by random drawing (separate whistle start recommended)
• Bicycles must be equipped with drop handlebars
• Maximum tire width is 33mm
• UCI Junior results must be produced separately from any other category they are mixed with
  • Junior riders who do not meet UCI equipment requirements may still race, but they will not be listed in the official UCI results, be eligible to receive UCI points, or be eligible for prize money.

A race promoter may hold both an open (USA Cycling category) Junior Men’s race and a UCI Junior Men’s race on the same day. 

• 1C1 Age-based Classes. The UCI Junior age group is racing age 17-18 defined as the rider’s age on December 31^st of the year that the international Cyclocross season ends. Cyclocross season begins on September 1st of one year and ends on the last day of February of the following year.

• To be eligible for the UCI Junior event (places, prizes and results), riders must have a verified annual UCI/International License from USA Cycling or other National Federation
• To be eligible for the UCI Junior event, all riders must have their date of birth, gender and citizenship/permanent resident status verified. (International Licenses are “verified” licenses)

The UCI published Foreign Exchange Rate as of January 1^st, 2019 is € 1.00 = $1.144

This exchange rate is subject to change annually.