Aspen Cycling Club

We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to encouraging participation in bicycling at all levels. The Club sponsors weekly races, both on and off road. We also work with local governments and bike shops in self-regulating the use of our local trails and roads for responsible bike usage.

Rules

2017 RACE RULES

The Aspen Cycling Club generally follows USCF rules. See http://usacycling.org/usa-cycling-rule-book.htm for complete rules.

  • ACC numbers must be visible during ACC competitions.
  • Road Race numbers are to be vertically affixed to the right upper torso.
  • ACC Race numbers may not be altered.
  • All competitors must keep to the right of the yellow center line throughout a race including at the finish line. In the event that there is no center line indicated on the road, riders must stay to the right half of the road.
  • Racers starting at different times/start waves are not allowed to draft, pace or help nor interfere with racers from other start times.
  • If you finish in a pack, check in with volunteer marshals to verify finish position.
  • For Time Trials, competitors must arrive at the start queue no later than 30 seconds before their start and start from a full stop.

CATEGORIES

Anyone, regardless of age (except for Kids age racers), may race in the A, B, and C categories.  Masters may also choose to race in a younger masters category. You may race in different categories for the mountain and road series (but this will disqualify you from combined standings). You may change categories during a season; however, your points and race times will not follow you to the new category. Please note that Middle School Racers are eligible to participate in all Mountain Bike Races and Road Time Trials only. Middle School Racers are ineligible for Mass-start Road Races.
See full category descriptions.

BIKE TYPES

Any type of bike (excluding time trial handlebars and/or forward pointing bar ends in mass start road races) can be ridden in any discipline. Points will be awarded if you ride a bike that is specific to or considered a disadvantage to ride in that discipline (i.e. a MTB in a road race or Cyclocross race).

ETIQUETTE

  • All competitors should behave in a respectful manner towards other racers, race officials, volunteer marshals and spectators. The use of foul or abusive language, poor conduct, interfering with the progress of another rider and riding dangerously are prohibited. Short-cutting of a racecourse, drafting or working with riders that started at a different time is not allowed. At the discretion of the Race Director or Board of Directors, racers may be issued warnings or be disqualified from a race, the entire race series, or the ACC for poor sportsmanship and/or rules violations.
  • Please stay completely off the pavement with your bike when stopped before and after road races.
  • Courteously alert other riders and racers when overtaking them. Do not impede the progress of a passing rider. This is especially important in mountain bike races when riders from different classes frequently overtake one another.
  • Point out upcoming hazards such as potholes or debris to other riders.
  • Take the time to learn cycling etiquette, tactics, and how to ride in a pace line. If you are uncertain of how or why you should do something, ask an experienced racer.
  • Ride fast, have fun and be safe!

MARSHALING

NEW MARSHAL CHANGES FOR 2017: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.  ACC is a non-profit and we rely on the help of our members and community. As you know, ACC has consistently struggled to get enough marshals to put on our races.  To address this problem we have made the following changes for 2017 season.

  1. EVERY MEMBER OF ACC IS EXPECTED TO HELP THE CLUB BY MARSHALING AT LEAST ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT FULFILL THAT REQUIREMENT YOU WILL NOT  QUALIFY FOR END OF SEASON RANKINGS.
  2. PROXY MARSHALS —  Do you have friends and family that can help fulfill your marshal requirement?   If they come and marshal, they will count for your ACC marshal requirement.  Simply have them sign-up online at 2017 Marshal Sign-up .  The online signup will have a question that designates who they are fulfilling the marshal requirement for.
  3. NO MORE POINTS FOR MARSHALING. We need you (or your proxy) to marshal because without volunteer marshals the race series cannot be successful.  ACC feels that we would have better competition if we leave out marshaling points and let the race series be decided by how you finish.
  4. If a race is canceled marshal points will only be awarded if you completed your duties prior to the cancellation (ie. you helped mark the course). Sorry – showing up on a rainy day and offering to help doesn’t count anymore.
  5. If we do not have enough marshals, ACC will cancel the race at the start (unless some racers volunteer on the spot to fill the positions needed and the race can proceed).
  6. Marshals will be entered into a year-end raffle and receive one entry for each time marshaling. The raffle will only be for marshals. Marshals that volunteer more than three times will be provided complimentary entry to the year-end banquet.

Cancellation policy: PLEASE DO NOT PHONE OR TEXT THE RACE DIRECTOR FOR RACE CANCELLATION INFORMATION. In the event of inclement weather on race day, the Aspen Cycling Club Board of Directors will communicate with the Race Director to determine the Club’s ability to operate a race that is reasonably safe for competitors, and, for mountain bike races, preserves the integrity of local trails. All racers should assume that a final decision will be made at the start line by the race director. However, when possible, the Board of Directors will alert racers of a race cancellation prior to the start by emailing the Club email group, and posting on the website and the ACC Facebook page by 5pm.

PROTESTS

The Race Director will consider corrections to race results until the end of the day following a race. Race results will be final 24 hours after the initial posting of each race’s results. Please wait until after an event is over before talking to finish line officials.

TRAILS DAY

New for 2017: Trail day participation will be awarded 30 points for the mountain series and 30 points for the road series.  Awarding 30 points to road series encourages our road bikers to help with trails day too. ACC will host Trails Day on a Wednesday night to encourage giving back to our trails system.   If you CANNOT make Trails Day you can still contribute and receive your 60 points by volunteering with Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers.  Please see the Trails Day page for details.  You may only receive Trails Day points once for the season (volunteering for additional Alternative Trails Days does not result in additional points). Trails day participation does not count towards your marshal requirement.

MEMBERSHIP AND POINTS

Only racers who hold a current ACC membership at the time of the race will be eligible for points. All competitors will be listed in the race results but only ACC members will receive ACC points. The first ACC member will receive first place points; the second member will receive second place points and so on. Non-members will be removed from point calculations. If you choose to join the ACC once the season is underway, you will only earn points going forward. Points will not be awarded retroactively.

POINTS BREAKDOWN

Points are awarded to registered ACC Members only.

Winner: 30 points, 2nd: 28, 3rd: 26, 4th: 24, 5th: 22, 6th: 20, 7th: 18, 8th: 16, 9th: 14, 10th: 12, 11th: 10, 12th: 8, 13th: 6, 14th: 4, 15th and lower: 3 points. Ties will skip placing, i.e. tie for 1st: 30, 3rd next placing = 26.

TEAM POINTS

The top three race finishers for each team in each category earn points for their respective teams. The marshal requirement does not apply to Team point scoring. There are no limits on how many members can be on a team. Riders may only race for one team in a season. We encourage everyone to join a team and teams to actively recruit members.

FINAL STANDINGS

To be considered in the final standings you must race marshal at least once. Combined standings are the sum of your season totals from each discipline. You must compete in at least four races in a discipline to be eligible for the championship in that discipline. High School and Middle School categories are exempt from minimum requirements. Two races will be dropped from the total number of road and mountain bike races HELD; the sum of the remaining races will be your season total in that discipline. Lowest point results are dropped. If you do not compete in all the races held in a discipline, your season total will be the total of all races entered up to the maximum number scored.

Final Points  for Road- Example 1
Road Points End of Season Total=Highest (R-2) scores +Trails Day Points
Where R=The total number of Road Bike races put on for the season.

Final Points for MTN- Example 2
Mountain Points End of Season Total=Highest (M-2) scores +Trails Day Points
Where M=The total number of Mountain Bike races put on for the season.
If there were 9 Mountain Bike races for the season we would take the highest 7 scores.
So if you raced all 9 mountain bike race and won and came to the trails day your score would be [(30*7)+30]=240

COMBINED STANDINGS

To be considered in the combined standings you must race marshal at least once. Combined standings are the sum of your season totals from each discipline. You must compete in at least four races in a discipline to be eligible for the championship in that discipline and four in each discipline to be eligible for the overall. High School and Middle School categories are exempt from minimum requirements.