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

NEW FOR 2020
Everyone must pre-register online for each race.
There will be no race day / on-site registration and race entry.
Pre-registration will close at 8:00 PM the night before each race.
No friends, family, parents, or specators are allowed this season due to gathering-size limitations.
* See Important 2020 Season Changes for more information *

Race Rules

The Aspen Cycling Club generally follows USA Cycling rules. See the complete USAC rulebook here.

GENERAL RULES

  • ACC numbers must be visible during ACC competitions.
  • Race numbers for all races are to be vertically affixed to the right upper torso as shown:
  • ACC Race numbers may not be cut, folded, or altered (doing so makes it very difficult to correctly spot numbers in a tight finish).
  • All competitors must keep to the right of the yellow center line throughout a race including the finish line. If there is no center line on the road riders must stay to the right half of the road.
  • Racers are not allowed to ride with racers from a different start wave. Drafting, pacing, riding in the pack, or otherwise helping or hindering racers from a different start wave is prohibited. Racers being overtaken by a pack from a later start wave should coast backwards through the overtaking pack and they may not finish in a sprint with that pack (unless other racers from their wave are also present).
  • 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 with one foot on the ground.
  • Drafting in time trials is prohibited.


CATEGORIES

  • Middle school age racers may compete in their age category, the high school category, or in the A, B, or C categories. Please note that middle school age racers, regardless of their category, are only eligible to participate in mountain bike races, road time trials, and road races on closed courses (ie Woody Creek Crit and Ride for the Pass).
  • High school age racers may compete in their age category or in the A, B, or C categories.
  • Masters may compete in their age category, a younger masters category, or in the A, B, or C categories.
  • You may race in different categories for the mountain and road series (but this will disqualify you from combined standings). If you choose to do this you must request a separate race number for each category – your number ties you to the category. You may not use the same number across different categories; doing so will result in disqualification..
  • You may change categories during a season; however, your points and race times will not follow you to the new category. In order to change categories you must request a new number – your number ties you to the category. You may not use the same number across different categories; doing so will result in disqualification.

See category descriptions.

GENDER POLICY

The Aspen Cycling Club follows same the basic principles as described in the USA Cycling Gender Policy for Non-Elite Competition. See the USAC gender policy here.

Specifically: A racer may self-select their gender. In the event that a question should arise about a racer’s eligibility to participate in a manner consistent with their selected gender, any member may file a written grievance with the ACC board. In such a situation, criteria that may be used to determine a racer’s eligibility in a chosen gender include evidence of one or more of the following:

  • Does the racer’s gender in their “everyday life” match their selected racing gender
  • Has the racer obtained civil documents with their racing gender identified (i.e. state I.D., driver’s license, birth certificate)
  • Attestation of gender identity from a medical professional
  • Attestation of gender identity from a certified counselor, public official, school administrator, or other academic advisor

BIKE & EQUIPMENT

  • Helmets are required for all racers.
  • Electric assist bikes of any type are strictly prohibited.
  • Mass Start Road Races:
    • Any type of bike except tandems and recumbent bikes may be ridden. Exceptions will be made for riders with physical disabilities.
    • Time trial handlebars, bars with forward pointing bar ends, and bars with forearm/elbow rests are forbidden.
    • Wide straight bars (ie mtb bars) may not exceed 620cm in width.
    • Disk wheels and deep dish wheels over 410mm are forbidden.
  • Individual Start Time Trial Road Races:
    • Any type of bike except recumbent bikes may be ridden. Exceptions will be made for riders with physical disabilities.
  • Mountain Bike Races (mass and individual start):
    • Mountain bikes must be used – cyclocross and gravel bikes are prohibited.
    • Time trial handlebars, drop (road style) bars, and bars with forearm/elbow rests are forbidden.

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!

PROTESTS

Protests involving issues other than results should be directed to the Race Director immediately following the completion of the race. Please wait until after an event is over before talking to finish line officials.

The Results Coordinator will post results online as soon as possible following a race (usually by 10:30 PM). The results coordinator will consider corrections to the results until 12:00 PM the following day, at which time they will become final.

MARSHALING

ACC is a non-profit and we rely on the help of our members and community to run our races.

  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. 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 credit 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.
  7. MS and HS racers ARE NOT required to marshal.

TRAILS DAY

Trails day participation is required to qualify for end of season points. The ACC will host a scheduled Trails Day on a Wednesday night to encourage giving back to our trails system. If you cannot make the scheduled Trails Day you can still contribute and receive Trails Day credit by volunteering with Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers.  Please see the Trails Day page for details. Trails day participation does not count towards your marshal requirement.  MS and HS racers are expected to participate in trails day.

MEMBERSHIP AND POINTS

All competitors will be listed in the race results but only ACC members who hold a current ACC membership at the time of the race will receive race 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 following places (i.e. tie for first: 1st=30, 1st=30, 3rd =26).

TEAM POINTS

The top three ACC member finishers for each team in each category earn points for their respective teams. The marshal and trails day requirements do 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. Remember, non-members do not score points for themselves or their team.

FINAL STANDINGS

To be considered in the final standings you must race marshal at least once and you must participate in Trails Day (or a substitute trails day). 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 race and marshal requirements but they must still meet the Trails Day requirement.

In each discipline (road and mountain) the maximum number of races scored will be total number of races held minus two (H-2). Your best H-2 races will be scored in each discipline. If you compete in fewer than the maximum number of races scored in a discipline your season points total will be the sum of your all your points in that discipline.

Final Points  for Road- Example 1
Road Points End of Season Total=Highest (R-2) scores
where R=The total number of Road Bike races held during the season.

Final Points for MTN- Example 2
Mountain Points End of Season Total=Highest (M-2) scores
where M=The total number of Mountain Bike races held during 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 your mtb points total would be [(30*7)+30]=240

COMBINED STANDINGS

To be considered in the combined standings you have met the race marshal and trails day requirements. 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 race and marshal requirements but they must still meet the Trails Day requirement.