Sunday, April 26, 2015

Practice Crit Reminders

First practice crit is a little over a week away, Tuesday, May 5 - keep your fingers crossed for good weather!

We can always use some help setting up the road closure barricades - to help, arrive around 5:45 pm.

Everyone is expected to corner guard at some point (or bring a non-racer friend to serve in your place); we will be keeping track!

Help streamline the registration process:
  •  complete and print the USAC release form at home and bring it to the practice crit (see the April 20 posts for the release form)
  •  if you do not have a USAC license, apply for an annual license or 1-day license on-line rather than at the practice crit (available here: http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=579)
  •  bring exact change to register ($5 entry fee); checks and credit cards will not be accepted



Thursday, April 23, 2015

Smart Motors stepping up again this Season!

We have Smart Motors to thank again this season for loaning us a truck for use in setting up and breaking down the crit course.

Need a new car - stop by Smart Motors! :)



Monday, April 20, 2015

USA Cycling Release Form

The release form below only needs to be completed once for the series. Please download and bring with you to your first practice crit.



2015 Practice Crits Details & Rules

Practice criteriums will take place on Tuesday evenings in May and June, and may be extended this season into July and August (more details to come). The crits are a great opportunity for new racers to learn crit racing skills and for experienced racers to work on their skills.

The B race (typically Cat 4/5, women, juniors, beginners) starts at 6:30 pm for about 30 minutes, and the A race (typically Cat 1/2/3) starts at 7:10 pm for about 50 minutes.

Note: During the B race, experienced racers will be available to “shadow” B race riders (for those who are interested) and provide in-race “instruction.”

Course:
The course is located at the UW Research Park on Madison’s west side, and is approximately a 0.9 mile loop consisting of S Rosa Rd - Charmany Dr - Research Park Blvd.

Registration:
Registration is located near the intersection of S Rosa Rd and Research Park Blvd, and opens at 6 pm and closes at 7 pm. All riders must fill out a USA Cycling release form (available here Release Form) the first time (only need to complete the form once), bring their USA Cycling license (annual and 1-day licenses are available on-site), and pay the $5 entry fee (bring exact change - no checks or credit cards accepted).

Note: The entry fee is waived for those riders doing the B race if you corner guard for the A race.

Volunteers:
- helping set up the barricades (arrive around 5:45 pm)
- corner guards for B race
- corner guards for A race
- breaking down the course after the A race

In past years, it has been a struggle to get all racers to serve as corner guards, so again this year we are going to hold everyone accountable for volunteering by maintaining a record of who has and who has not volunteered (among everyone who signs up to race). If you have not served as a corner guard by the June 2 race, you will not be allowed to race until you do. Might sound harsh, but without the corner guards we cannot hold the races, and everyone who races should do their part!

Note: Bring a friend to corner guard and it can “count” for you.

Rules:
1.    All riders must wear a USA Cycling legal/approved bicycle helmet.
2.    Wear your assigned bib number (received when you register for the first time); same number will be used for the entire series, so don’t lose it.
3.    Course is open to traffic, so be aware while riding.
4.    No clip-on or other triathlon/time trial bars. USA Cycling legal road bikes only.
5.    You may drop out and re-enter the race at any time except during the final two laps. Re-enter the race safely and on the straight sections of the course only.
6.    Use the port-potties located behind the building near the corner of Charmany Dr and Research Park Blvd.
7.    Dangerous riders will be pulled at the official’s discretion.
8.    Check the Madison Practice Crits web site (you are on it now!) for cancellations due to inclement weather. Will try to update the page by 4:30 pm on race days.
9.    All USA Cycling rules are in effect (with the exception of the free lap rule, see #5).
10. Be on your best behavior - we are guests and want to be able to continue to use the area for the practice crits in the future.
11. Volunteer to corner guard and help out with course set-up and take-down. The races do not happen without the help of everyone.



Thursday, April 2, 2015

2015 Flyer is Posted!

All the permits are in and we are ready to kick off the annual practice crits starting on May 5. We are tentatively planning to hold races even longer this year - into July and August - and are discussing an interesting mix of practice races for the final two months (stay tuned, more to follow!).