Pro MTB Cross-Country Tour (Pro XCT) Requirements and Procedures

  
  


Welcome to the USA Cycling Professional Mountain Bike Cross-Country Tour (Pro XCT) — a collection of the top cross-country mountain bike races in the United States. The Pro XCT includes all of the UCI cross-country races in the U.S. The goal is to create more consistency in the highest level of mountain bike racing in the United States.

The following is a summary of rules and procedures applicable to Pro XCT races:

Race Director Summit

All Pro XCT events MUST send a representative to the yearly race director summit. Please contact Tara McCarthy at tmccarthy@usacycling.org for more details and hotel reservations.

Events Allowed

  1. UCI Single day cross-country races — Traditional races with either a single lap, multi-lap, or point-to-point format. For multi-lap races, laps must be a minimum of 12 minutes for the top pro riders. Races must be under 60 kilometers.
  2. UCI Mountain bike stage races — Maximum four concurrent days. Scoring is based on accumulated time or points collected in each race and added together to create an overall omnium standing. Each stage can be a different mountain bike event, and more than one event will be allowed per day. Cross-country stages cannot exceed 60 kilometers.

Prize Lists

Prize lists must meet the UCI minimum. 

Selection of Riders and Teams

All UCI Elite Mountain Bike Teams, USA Cycling Pro Mountain Bike Teams and USA Cycling Pro Mountain Bike license holders are allowed entry into the pro category of the Pro XCT. Category 1 riders must race in their respective category or age class race.

Team Scoring

  1. Team rankings will be based on the top two riders. If a team is a registered mixed gender team, then points will be based on the top two placing riders, regardless of gender. For example, a team races two men and one woman. The men place second and fifth and the woman places third. Points would be taken from the men’s second place and the woman’s third.
  2. The total team points for a given race will be the sum of the individual points for the top two 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 Pro XCT rankings.
  4. Only teams officially registered with USA Cycling or the UCI may compete for Pro XCT team rankings. International pro riders on UCI registered teams will also be recognized in the standings.

Officials

USA Cycling must approve the officials crew prior to the final assignment of officials, which will be made according to the system currently in place. The USA Cycling Technical Director will work with the race director to oversee this process.

Technical Services

  1. All Pro XCT races must use electronic timing 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 must 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. All events on the Pro XCT should have neutral technical support on site.
  3. All finish lines should have a truss for signage over the road to mark the finish line.
  4. All finish areas should have a minimum of 100 meters of fencing before the start/finish truss and 50 meters of fencing after the truss to adhere to UCI standards.
  5. For all USA Cycling Pro XCT events, riders must be called up in order of current UCI ranking per UCI rules. After UCI ranking, riders with no UCI points should be called up by Pro XCT ranking. All remaining riders will be called up by random draw. This protocol will be discussed with each chief referee by USA Cycling before the event so there is no misunderstanding.

Marketing

  1. The USA Cycling Pro XCT logo must be included on collateral materials used to promote the event. All USA Cycling guidelines and standards must be adhered to.
  2. The USA Cycling Pro XCT logo must be represented on fence signage and awards area for all Pro XCT events.
  3. USA Cycling will supply banners for the start/finish line.
  4. The USA Cycling Pro XCT logo must be included on event website and must include a link to USA Cycling’s website with the Pro XCT calendar: www.usacycling.org/proxct
  5. Announcements must be made on-site over the PA declaring your event’s participation in the USA Cycling Pro XCT Calendar.

Results and Rankings

Results must be submitted to USA Cycling in the USAC standard electronic format for each day of competition. Results from all Pro XCT races are due in their entirety no later than midnight the day of the race. For questions regarding result submission please contact the USA Cycling technical manager at tmahoney@usacycling.org.

Media

  1. Photos: At least one photo (and photo credit) 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 or post-event press release. This information will be used in a press release updating the Pro XCT rankings and recap the weekend of racing.
  2. If the event distributes a pre-event press release previewing the race, include USA Cycling in that distribution and it will be posted to the USA Cycling website. That link will be promoted on USA Cycling’s social media.
  3. TV/Broadcast Info: Submit any television/web broadcast info as soon as it is confirmed so USA Cycling can distribute that information to media outlets and potential spectators.
  4. Social Media: Submit social media info including Twitter handle and Facebook page, link to USA Cycling, and participate in social media.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/usacycling  
Twitter: @usacycling, #ProXCT

For more information on the USA Cycling Pro XCT, please contact USA Cycling Senior National Events Manager Tara McCarthy at tmccarthy@usacycling.org. For questions regarding photo submission or media relations, please contact Peloton Sports Jackie Tyson at jbt@pelotonsports.net.