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Track Season Notes
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Joseph Kopena
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Jun 14, 2008 09:58 PDT
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Hi folks,
Wow---I've already gotten a bunch of questions about our shiny new track
season. Sounds like there's a lot of pent-up anticipation out there for
it! Just to address a couple points:
[[ Events ]]
The following events are held at Collegiate Track Nationals:
- Individuals: Match Sprints, Individual Pursuit, Points Race, TT
- Teams: Collegiate (co-ed), Men's, and Women's Team Pursuits
Our races will try to center around those events and the distances used
at Nats, but will vary somewhat. For example, Kissena will not have
Pursuit events but will have Scratch races.
More than likely there will only be one each of men's and women's
categories held at each weekend. There may be a restriction to
Categories 1--4 to enter the Points Races, possibly with A (1--3) and B
(4--5) races at NEV and VPCC, depending on expected attendance and
scheduling. Another possibility is holding races for one category, but
awarding and tracking season points for A (Cat 1, 2, 3) & B (Cat 4, 5)
categories based on relative performance in those categories.
Points have not been set, but expect the standard road/MTB table to be
used for individual events and the team table for team events.
Rules and descriptions of the particular event types are in Section 2 of
the USAC Road, Track, and Cyclocross Rulebook, available at:
http://www.usacycling.org/forms/RdTrkCx_rulebook.pdf
Collegiate Pursuit is defined in Rule 11.7.11 of the Collegiate
Rulebook, available at:
http://www.usacycling.org/forms/collegiate/collegiate_rulebook.pdf
Readers are forewarned, bring a highlighter and a map, Track is
definitely the most complex form of the sport and the rules have plagued
many a young Joe Kopena on their officiating exams...
[[ Bikes ]]
Rules on bicycles for Track events are described in Section 1J of the
USAC Road, Track, and Cyclocross Rulebook, available at:
http://www.usacycling.org/forms/RdTrkCx_rulebook.pdf
In particular:
- Aerobars are permitted in time trial and individual pursuit events.
- In our season time trials and pursuits (*not* at Nationals),
brakes, freewheels, quick releases, and derailleurs may be used so
long as only one gear is functional.
- For all other events, drop handlebars and a single cog must be
installed, but no derailleurs, freewheels, brakes, or quick
releases.
[[ Nationals ]]
Rules for Collegiate Track Nationals are covered in Section 11.7 of the
Collegiate Rulebook, available here:
http://www.usacycling.org/forms/collegiate/collegiate_rulebook.pdf
To race at Collegiate Track Nationals you must be a Category 4 (track)
rider or above. Note that only Category 3 (track) and higher riders may
enter the Points Race. Track upgrade requirements are fairly stringent
and require a lot of experience (race starts), so newer riders
potentially interested in competing at Nationals or in the Points Race
should work that into their summer plans.
Teams may bring eight men and eight women to Collegiate Track Nationals.
N.B.: It is quite likely that ECCC riders will only be permitted to
compete at Track Nationals if they have competed in at least one weekend
of the ECCC Track Season. Exceptions would generally be granted to
riders not in the region during the season (i.e., at home for summer
term). We will make an official ruling about this soon, but riders
should plan for it to be the case.
[[ Misc ]]
As noted by several riders about the ECCC and its track season:
"Holy crap. We are so badass."
That is a true statement. This particular awesomeness is being brought
to you by Josh Schwartz and MIT Cycling, always on the lookout for more
ways to get their Determined Beaver on (*).
If anyone has any questions, concerns, or ideas for this exciting new
season, Josh (jd-@mit.edu) and I would love to hear them.
Thanks!
(*) In case you've not been at a race recently to hear, the beaver,
specifically a determined one, is the newly annointed official MIT
mascot, replacing Wally the Sliderule.
--
- joseph kopena
right here and now
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