Domestic Elite Teams

In an effort to better organize the top level of road cycling in the United States, USA Cycling created Domestic Elite Teams which is a category of road teams that sits between a club and a UCI Continental team. Domestic Elite Teams offer a stepping stone to the professional level and better solidify the position of teams competing at the US Pro National Championships, National Road Calendar, American Criterium Cup, and the NCL Race Series. 
 

Applications for Domestic Elite Teams will be accepted December 1 - January 15, 2024. Teams accepted as a DET will be notified as soon as possible around the end of January. 
 

• Includes registration for the team as a USA Cycling Club, a $210 value.
• One UCI Support license for the team manager/director (a $210 value) will be comped.
• Eligible to acquire team points in the American Criterium Cup.
• Eligible for consideration as a team for the NCL Race Series.
• Eligible for entry into the qualification process for select National and International events (Subject to maximum team size and nationality requirements of the event).
  
• Team Manager/Director is eligible to drive a car in the caravan at US Pro National Championships (if selected for entry). The car must be in support of the DET. 
  
• Listing on team contact list for PRT, ACC, NCL, and UCI races.
• Listed online and in materials sent to races and race directors requesting team information from USA Cycling
• Approved Teams may use the USA Cycling Domestic Elite Team logo on team kits for the riders on the DET, website, etc. Logo requirements and image files can be found here.

• Applications for Domestic Elite Teams will be accepted beginning December 1 - January 15, 2024 using the following link: DET Registration Link.
• Please be sure to complete your application prior to submitting it, as you will not be able to go back in and pick up where you left off to complete it. 
• Teams approved as a DET will be notified as soon as possible towards the end of January. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed for inclusion until all requirements are met.
• Teams not registered by the above date may still be considered for DET status but will be required to pay a late fee of $150 in addition to the registration fees.

Teams must consist of a minimum of 4 riders and a maximum of 15 riders per team, per gender. All riders on a roster must meet the required category restrictions (Men: Cat 1, Women: Cat 1/2) at the time the application is received. There is no age restriction for riders on DETs.

50% of the riders on the team roster must be USA citizens with a USA sporting nationality. If a team is registering both a men's and women's team, 50% applies to both genders. Foreign riders listed on the roster must be current in the UCI DataRide system, indicating they hold a current license with their country's federation.

Once applications are received, riders may be added to the roster by completing the Add Rider form. The fee for each occurrence is $25. Riders added after March 1 will not be considered eligible for entry into the US Pro Road National Championships, regardless of whether the team was selected to participate.

Guest riders are not eligible for individual or team points.

Each team must have a designated team manager that meets the following criteria:

• Team Managers must be current on SafeSport training at the time the DET application is received. SafeSport training is required every year. The is no cost for the training. 
• Team Managers must have a current Criminal Background Check through USA Cycling at the time the DET application is received. CBCs are good for two years. The cost varies by state. 
• Team Managers must have a UCI ID. If a UCI ID is not listed on their USAC account, they must provide proof of citizenship (current passport or birth certificate) to complete the requirements for the UCI Support License. Please send proof of citizenship by uploading a copy of your current passport with your DET application.
  

To verify expiration dates of SafeSport and/or the Criminal Background Check, Team Managers should log on to their USA Cycling account and go to the Membership tab (gray bar) where they will find an expiration for each under SafeSport and Background Check. If Safe Sport training is needed, please log into safesporttrained.org and take the required training. If the background check is needed, click on the 'renew' link beginning 30-days from expiration. Please note, the background check will take 5-7 business days to complete.

Foreign UCI Continental or the equivalent of a DET, must register with USA Cycling as a DET to be eligible for National Road Calendar (NRC) individual rankings.