USA Cycling Creates New Category for Domestic Elite Teams

1/24/11- In an effort to better organize the top level of road cycling in the United States, USA Cycling is creating a new category of road team that is above a club but not yet a UCI registered team. These Domestic Elite Teams will create a stepping stone to the professional level and will better solidify the position of teams competing at the National Racing Calendar level. Both men’s and women’s teams wishing to accrue NRC Team points must either list at this level or as a UCI registered team.
 
“Following discussion at the NRC event organizers summit in November, the need to organize the top tier of domestic road teams more effectively was clear and the incorporation of these Domestic Elite Teams is one way to help us get there,” explained Micah Rice, USA Cycling’s managing director of national events. “We also needed a way to raise the degree of consistency and fairness in the NRC Team points calculation and this will allow us to do that while bringing more value to these top tier teams and events around the U.S.”
 
The new Domestic Elite Team format will add a higher degree of consistency regarding who can score NRC team points and when. Only riders duly registered as part of a UCI or Domestic Elite Team will be able to score team points in 2011. Guest riders will be allowed to ride with a given team at a designated event, with a release from his/her registered club, but will not score any team points. Riders not affiliated with a Domestic Elite Team, or riding as guest riders, can however score individual points.
 
All Domestic Elite Teams must consist of Women’s category 1 or 2 and Men’s category 1 riders only. The deadline for clubs to register for domestic elite status is March 15 at a cost of $250. Guidelines and Application >