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Upgrading is the process by which a rider moves into a higher racing category. In order to upgrade riders must meet certain requirements as listed below. Only mass start road races that meet the Min field size and distance requirements count towards upgrading. Time Trials, Mountan Bike races, club training rides, and Cyclocross races don't count towards road race upgrades.
How to Properly Format a Résumé for an Upgrade Request
When requesting an upgrade, please use the following format for posting your résumé with your upgrade request:
| Date | Race Name | Category | Place | Field Size | Upgrade Points |
| 4/24/09 | Wente RR | Elite 3 | 1 | 55 | 10 |
How to upgrade up to Cat 4, Cat 3, Cat 2 or Cat 1 on the Road or Cross
All upgrade requests are processed using the on-line system at http://www.usacycling.org Please do not email your upgrade request to anyone at the NCNCA. Go to your account page on the USAC web site and click on the upgrade/downgrade link near the bottom of the page across from your license Info. Be sure to include all relevant information in the section where you enter your resume Info (race name, date and year, category, placing, and field size).
Requirements for Road Upgrades
| Cat 5 to Cat 4: | (Note: Upgrades are based on a rider's pack racing experience and their demonstrated ability to be safe in racing packs. Upgrading is not based on how strong a rider is.) Experience in 10 mass start races that meet the requirements below or a combination of mass start races and approved skills clinics. Clinic points may count for no more than 4 points toward your CAT5 to CAT4 upgrade. Contact the clinic provider for # of points available for a specific clinic. Completion of the NCNCA Early Bird Clinics will count for the following: 1 clinic = 0 points, 2 clinics = 0.5 points, 3 clinics = 1.0 points, 4 clinics = 1.5 points, 5 clinics = 2.0 points.
| | Cat 4 to Cat 3: | Need 20 points in any 12 month period. NOTE THAT CAT 4s EARNING 30 UPGRADE POINTS IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD GET A MANDATORY UPGRADE TO CAT 3.
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| Cat 3 to Cat 2: | Need 25 points in any 12 month period. NOTE CAT 3s WHO EARN 40 UPGRADE POINTS IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD GET A MANDATORY UPGRADE TO CAT 2.
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| Cat 2 to Cat 1: | Need 30 points in any 12 month period.
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Qualifying Distances for each category
To qualify for upgrading points, races must meet distance standards. Races shorter than the minimum distance do not qualify for upgrading. However, if a road race is less than the road race minimum but above the criterium minimum, it will count for upgrading but will use the criterium points schedule.
Qualifying Road Races for Each Category
| Category |
Class |
Road Race Min distance |
Criterium Min distance |
Min Experience needed |
| 5 to 4 |
Men |
15 miles |
10 miles |
10 races |
| 4 to 3 |
Men |
25 miles |
20 miles |
25 Cat 4 races |
|
Women |
25 miles |
15 miles |
25 Cat 4 races |
|
Juniors |
25 miles |
15 miles |
25 Cat 4 races |
| 3 to 2 |
Men |
50 miles |
20 miles |
|
|
Women |
40 miles |
15 miles |
|
| 2 to 1 |
Men |
80 miles |
35 miles |
|
|
Women |
50 miles |
20 miles |
Points Awarded for Criteriums and Circuit races
|
|
Number of |
Starters |
| Placing |
5-10 |
11-20 |
21-50 |
50+ |
| 1 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
| 2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| 3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 4 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| 6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
NOTE: For the table above and those that follow, note that if the field contains mixed categories (i.e. cat 3-4), then the number of starters is the number of riders that are the same category (or higher) as the person requesting the upgrade (e.g. In a cat 3-4 combined field, all riders count as starters for a 4 to 3 upgrade, but only the threes count for a 3 to 2 upgrade).
Points Awarded for Road races
|
|
Number of |
Starters |
| Placing |
5-10 |
11-20 |
21-50 |
50+ |
| 1 |
3 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
| 2 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
| 3 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
| 4 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
| 5 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
| 6 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
| 7 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
| 8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| 9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Points Awarded for Stage Race GC placings for 3 to 2 and 2 to 1 upgrades only in Timed Stage races
|
|
Number of |
Starters |
| Placing |
10-19 |
20-35 |
36-49 |
50+ |
| 1 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
20 |
| 2 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
18 |
| 3 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
16 |
| 4 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
14 |
| 5 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
12 |
| 6 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
10 |
| 7 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
9 |
| 8 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
| 9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
| 10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
| 11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
| 12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| 13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| 14 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| 15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
For points earned in stage races, GC and stage places both count for points, but only up to a maximum of 20 points for a cat 1 upgrade or 15 points for a cat 2 upgrade from a single stage race.
In addition to the guidelines above:
- Masters may earn points in Masters events which meet the distance requirements. Note only elite races can count towards a Cat 1 upgrade.
- Once you upgrade your slate is wiped clean and you start from zero towards your next upgrade. Races ridden as a Cat 5 don't count towards a Cat 3 upgrade and races ridden as a Cat 4 don't count towards a Cat 2 upgrade.
- Notes Regarding Club Races: Club races can only count for 1/2 of the race experience for the 5 to 4 upgrade. Club races don't count towards any other upgrades.
Requirements for Cross Upgrades
| Cat 4 to Cat 3: | Need experience in 5 races or earn 7 points in 12 months.
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| Cat 3 to Cat 2: | 10 points in 12 months. Note 2 wins is an automatic upgrade but riders will not be forced to upgrade in the middle of a series event.
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| Cat 2 to Cat 1: | Need 20 points in 12 months. 2 wins is an automatic upgrade.
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Points awarded for Cyclocross races
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# of Starters |
| Placing |
5-10 |
11-20 |
21-50 |
51+ |
| 1 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
| 2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| 3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 4 |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 5 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
| 6 |
|
|
|
1 |
Track Upgrades
All upgrade requests are processed using the on-line system at usacycling.org. Please do not email your upgrade request to anyone at the NCNCA. Go to your account page on the USAC web site and click on the upgrade/downgrade link near the bottom of the page across from your license Info. Be sure to include all relevant information in the section where you enter your resume Info (race name, date and year, category, placing, and field size). For a detailed explanation on how to earn a track upgrade please refer to the NCVA Web Site: ridethetrack.com/upgrade.html.
Downgrades Riders who feel they are no longer competitive at their current category may ask to be downgraded. Once a rider has downgraded the only way they can upgrade again is by meeting the upgrade requirements just like any other rider. Your racing category is suppose to reflect your current racing ability. Riders who have been away from the sport for several years will be downgraded to either Cat 3 or 4 and will have to earn any upgrade to a higher category. A downgrade request can be made on the USA Cycling website.
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