Category Archives: promoters

For Cyclo-Cross Race Promoters

WNYcx Series Racing

At the first annual Cyclocross Promoters Summit held at Tony Rome’s in January 2013, there was discussion about creating a race series that would connect each of the individual races currently held in Buffalo and Rochester.

Goals for the 2013 series:

  • standardize categories using USAC format between races to permit series scoring.
  • create a points scoring system for series scoring.
  • seek sponsors to provide prizes for the series winner.
  • improve participation at all races by raising awareness through the series and web-site.
  • create a leaders jersey to be worn each week or to be won by the series winner.
  • create a promotional T-shirt with events and sponsors.

However, there are a number of logistic and political challenges that remain to be resolved:

  • get all promoters to adopt USAC permitting.
  • get more racers to purchase annual USA Cycling licenses instead of one-day licenses.
  • find sponsors for the series that don’t conflict with existing independent promoters sponsors.

If you have solutions to these issues, share your opinion on our contact page.

 

Mountain bikes and cyclocross

Mountain bikes are permissible and welcome at cyclocross races, as long as they do not have bar-ends (also called extenders or cow horns) attached to the bars. While there are always a few mountain bikes at every cross race, the majority of riders use either cyclocross specific bikes or modified road bikes.

So we’d like to hear from all of the WNYMBA and GROC mountain bike racers: Would you attend a CX race if there was a separate mountain bike race? Typically, most cyclocross races in WNY have been two-start events, with 11am and 1pm starts. Since mountain bikes run slightly slower than road bikes, they might be more suitable for starting with the womens and single speed events.

Creating a third race start at 9am for women, single speed and mountain bikes (each with their own starting time, 1 minute apart) would relieve the congestion from the larger 11am category 4 race, and would create the opportunity for mountain bikes to have their own race start. For the more ambitious, it also creates the opportunity to double up and enter two different races at the same event.

Visit our FaceBook page “wnycx.com” to participate in the poll we’ve posted about this issue, or use our contact page to send us your opinion.

Cyclo-cross T-shirts

Buffalo cyclocross

My Pit Bike is a Six Pack — Buffalo Cyclocross

2/12/2013: From our North-of-the-border friend ‘Canada’ Mike House:

New idea for Buffalo cyclocross T-shirts. We consider these shirts perfect for starting a two-city rivalry with Rochester!

2/15/2013: T-shirt update

Mike reports discussions with Ethan Johnson (Campus Cycling Collective/Campus Wheel Works) about a revised T-shirt. The new plan may include some sponsors and revised artwork along with the WNYcx.com domain name.

Emedco donates tape to promoters

David Van Horn, a category 3 cyclist and Manufacturing Engineer with Emedco has made available to promoters a number of rolls yellow tape, suitable for marking out cyclo-cross courses.

Recently, a product line of marking tape was targeted to become obsolete. Dave found out about the initiative and was able to procure 33 miles of yellow “ATTENTION” tape–not quite the same as “CAUTION,” but close enough! Emedco is glad to donate this material to the cycling community to support sanctioned events and training sessions for kids and adults alike.

Emedco is a safety company that provides signs, tags, labels, banners, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and specializes in custom applications as well (“your own words, here!”).

USA Cycling: Permits, Licenses and Cyclocross

USAcycling.com is the national governing organization for cyclocross racing. For cyclocross, there are 5 categories. For 2013, new racers start in category 5, while racers that held USAC licenses prior to 2013 will be assigned to category 4. Canadian riders with a UCI license do not need to purchase a 1-day USAC license, but their results do not qualify for USAC points.

Permitting a race through USAcycling provides the benefit to racers of gaining upgrade points for their license. For a promoter, the permit must be issued through a local USAcycling club. Starting in 2014, USAC licensed Race Directors can permit races without a club.

In Buffalo, USAC clubs include: Buffalo51, D’Youville College, Queen City Cyclists, Buffalo Bicycling Club and East Aurora Racing Club. In Rochester, clubs include: GVCC, University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT.)

For a complete list of clubs, visit the USAcycling.com club listing page for New York state.

In addition to issuing a permit, USAcycling can also provide the insurance for an event.