National Criterium Calendar (NCC) Requirements & Procedures

Welcome to the fifth year of the NCC—a collection of the top criteriums in America. The NCC will include one-day criteriums and criterium omniums to feature true American racing. The goal of the NCC is to showcase the top domestic teams and promote their riders and sponsors. The following is a summary of rules and procedures applicable to NCC races in 2016.

Events Allowed

Single-day criteriums must be a stand-alone criterium with a circuit of no longer than 5k.

Criterium omniums must be a multi-day event (maximum four days) with concurrent days (no “off” or “rest” days) that are on the same event permit and run by the same race director or club. Scoring is based on points collected in each race and added together to create an overall omnium standing. Riders do not have to compete in all events to appear in the overall omnium standings. All circuits must be a maximum of 5k.

Must have both men's and women's pro races to be a part of the NCC.

Prize Lists

1. Prize list for the Pro/1 Men’s and/or Cat 1/2 Women’s categories are as follows:
   1. Minimum of $12,000 for single day events for men and women ($12k each). There must be equal prize purses for men and women.
   2. For omniums, minimum increases by $10,000 per additional day equally split between men and women ($5k added for men and $5k added for women).
2. Prize lists for omniums can be distributed as the Race Director sees fit between stage purses and overall omnium purses.
3. If there is a change in prize money totals or structure of your event after your event has been accepted, USA Cycling must be notified immediately. USA Cycling reserves the right to remove events that lower their posted prize list or change their event after being accepted on the NCC.

Riders and Teams

Selection of Riders and Teams

1. NCC races are invitational races by nature. The race director can select the teams and/or riders to be invited assuming they stay within USA Cycling rules. UCI ProTeams, Pro Continental and Continental teams may compete along with category 1 riders in the men’s events. Women’s events can include UCI Women’s teams as well as Category 1 and 2 women. Please note—NCC events DO NOT allow Category 2 men or Category 3 women to compete in the pro race! 
2. All NCC races must invite all USA Cycling-registered UCI Continental and Pro Continental teams in good standing to enter their race. Only in extreme circumstances will USA Cycling allow an NCC event to exclude such a UCI team that registers before the deadline, assuming that the race has not reached the field limit. Please contact USA Cycling if you feel the need to exclude someone.

Team Composition

1. All NCC races are “team limited” races. The team limit is a default maximum of six (6) riders, but a race director may enforce a lower limit. No team or club may enter more than one team in an NCC race. In case of dispute, the determination of whether two teams are separate or not is made by USA Cycling per rule 1H4.
2. USA based UCI teams often have part of their roster designated as their “domestic riders.” These riders do not appear on the UCI rider list, but for the purposes of NCC races, they may race as part of the professional team and wear the UCI team jersey, still respecting the total team limit. These rosters will be listed on the USA Cycling website.
3. A team may have “guest riders” subject to other USA Cycling rules. Note that guest riders score no team points as described below. If a team has entered, none of its riders may guest ride on another team or compete individually.

Team Scoring

1. The top three riders of each team in each event score points for their team.
2. The total team points for a given race will be the sum of the individual points for the top three scoring riders, including stage win bonuses for multiday events. (see Points Table Appendix)
3. Only the officially registered riders of a team may score points for the team NCC rankings. 
4. If a team has a guest rider who would have scored points as one of the top three riders, that rider will score no points, but the next best placed scoring rider will be counted.
5. Only teams officially registered with USA Cycling may compete for NCC team rankings. These teams will comprise:
   1. UCI teams registered through USA Cycling
   2. UCI teams registered through another federation that have also registered with USA Cycling for the purpose of competing in NCC races
   3. USA Cycling Domestic Elite teams that register with USAC for the purpose of competing in NCC races

Officials

1. The Chief Referee(s) for all NCC races will be assigned by USA Cycling, and will be at least a National Commissaire. USA Cycling will cover the fees, per diem and travel expenses of the Chief Referee assigned by USA Cycling. The race organizer will cover housing of the Chief Referee and the fees and expenses of the other officials. Any overtime fees for the Chief Referee that are due to working the non-NCC races on the schedule will be the responsibility of the Race Director.
2. USA Cycling will assign the Chief Judge (CJ) for all Omniums, and this person will be at least a level A official except in unavoidable circumstances. These fees are the responsibility of the race organizer.
3. USA Cycling must approve the rest of the officials’ crew prior to the final assignment of officials, which will be made according to the system in place in the local association of the event. The USA Cycling Technical Director will work with the race organizer to oversee this process. For more information contact mguthart@usacycling.org.
4. Officials assigned by USA Cycling are paid according to the Schedule of Fees for UCI/National Championships. All other officials are paid according to the Schedule of Fees for Top Tier Calendars.
5. USA Cycling will cover airfare and baggage fees of the Chief Referee if (s)he is flying or mileage to and from the event. In the former case, once at the venue airport, local transportation is the responsibility of the Race Director.

Technical Services

1. All NCC races must use a high-quality photo finish camera run by a professional operator. Results should be made available to participants and media within 30 minutes of the last finisher in the race and the race director should have the results posted to USA Cycling’s website that evening in the proper format. All riders who have registered for the event should be scored a place (or a DNF/DNS).
2. Per the USA Cycling rulebook, a neutral support pit area should be at intervals of 1 km around the course.

Road Closures

1. All criteriums must be run on completely closed courses (no coned off lanes). If a course is using a single road for two way traffic, it must be hard fenced in between the two sides of the course.

Marketing

1. The National Criterium Calendar and the USA Cycling logo must be included on all collateral materials used to promote the event. All USA Cycling guidelines and standards must be adhered to.
2. The USA Cycling logo must be represented on the start/finish truss (upper right OR left corners), fence signage (USAC supplied banners on or very near the start/finish line), and awards backdrop for all NCC events (or a large logo on the podium blocks).
3. The USA Cycling NCC logo must be included on all National Criterium Calendar event web pages and must include a link to USA Cycling’s web page: www.usacycling.org.
4. Announcements must be made on-site over the PA declaring your event’s participation in the 2016 USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar.
5. The top five riders in the NCC standings as of the Tuesday before the NCC event must be called to the start line before the remainder of the field is allowed to roll up. If any of the top five riders are not present, the five top-ranked NCC riders who are present at the event may be called to the start line, at the race director’s discretion.

Results and Standings

Media

1. Your event MUST have some level of video broadcasting. This may be a tape-delayed highlight reel that would be broadcast on a cable network or a live webcast of the event with live commentary. USA Cycling is happy to imbed the live stream on our website and push the live stream through our media channels.
2. Photos: One photo that USA Cycling may use MUST be submitted to the USA Cycling Communications Department the evening of the competition’s conclusion, along with race highlights. This information will be used to send a press release to update the NCC rankings and recap the weekend of racing.
3. Pre-event releases/race info: Submit pre-event press release/race information.
4. TV/Broadcast Info: Submit any television/web broadcast info so we can help you advertise.
5. Social Media: Submit social media info including twitter handle and Facebook page link, link to USA Cycling, and participate in social media.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/usacycling
Twitter: @usacycling; Hashtag #NCC

For questions regarding photo submission or media relations, please contact USA Cycling communications manager Kevin Loughery at kloughery@usacycling.org.