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PRESS RELEASE: USA Cycling revamps MTB calendar

By USA Cycling
Published: Oct. 31, 2006

Colorado Springs, Colo. (October 31, 2006)--Beginning with the 2007competitive cycling season, USA Cycling is introducing a new mountain bikecalendar designed to recognize and support top-level regional, nationaland international events through a season-long calendar similar to theNational Racing Calendar model that is currently utilized in road cycling. The new USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Calendar is specifically designedto provide a more open access opportunity for those top-level events thathave, for one reason or another, not participated in the traditional “NORBANational Series” model.  The new calendar will be compatible witha variety of event models, while still providing professional and elite-levelriders across all disciplines of off-road cycling regular and consistentracing opportunities in the United States.
 
In recognition of the diversity and growth of the different disciplinesof mountain bike racing, the new USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Calendarwill feature three distinct categories – endurance, gravity and ultra-endurance. USA Cycling believes the new calendar will allow USA Cycling to embracethe full spectrum of American mountain bike racing and better serve therespective mountain bike racing communities.
 
Endurance will consist of cross country, short track cross country,time trials and stage races.  Gravity is defined as downhill, dualslalom, 4-cross and super downhill.  Ultra-endurance will consistof marathon, ultra-marathon and 12- and 24-hour races.  The goal ofthis calendar is to provide professional and elite-level riders and teamsa season-long series in which to compete and earn prize money, as wellas to recognize the best off-road athletes in the country through a collectivepoints and ranking system.
 
All events added to the calendar must meet pro prize purse requirementsspecific to each calendar tier set by either the UCI or USA Cycling. The endurance calendar will be broken down into four separate tiers basedon the amount of prize money and/or UCI points available at each event. Gravity events will fall into one of two tiers, while Ultra-endurance eventswill all be classified the same.
 
Please note that the “National Mountain Bike Series” (NMBS), whichhas not been a property of USA Cycling for three years, will continue tooperate under the independent ownership and organization of Team Big Bearand Blue Wolf Productions and fit within the framework of the USA CyclingNational Mountain Bike Calendar.
 
USA Cycling will release the bid document to all USA Cycling mountainbike promoters Thursday, November 2.  This document will explain ingreater detail the requirements and process for solidifying a spot on thecalendar, prize money requirements, event guidelines, rights and responsibilities,and application procedures.
 
“The new USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Calendar represents a profoundchange from the past mountain bike race calendars,” explained Steve Johnson,USA Cycling chief executive officer.  “It is an exciting opportunityfor all of us to work together to build a true national event ladder thatwill ultimately support and sustain the continued development of Americanmountain bike racing in all of its forms.”