Below is a summary of the 8 proposals to be discussed at the January 25th Governance Meeting in Lancaster. In order for team/club to vote on a proposal the team must have registered for the 2015 PA Road BAR series. If your team has not signed on for 2015 you can do so at https://www.bikereg.com/2015-pa-bar-registration-drive
2015 Proposals – Summary
PA Road BAR
- Establish a Men’s 2 PA Road BAR competition and award points to each specific category for mixed events (i.e. M3-4)
PACX Series
- Align PA State Cross Championships distances and medals for 9-12 year olds with USAC National Championship standards
- Restructure PACX JR categories to match MAC Series categories
- Waive or set a maximum price of race entry fees for JR’s
- Restructure the payouts of the PACX Series
- Implement chip timing for all PACX races
- Add a M60+ category in the PACX series as is in place in the MAC
PA Track BAR
- Following proposals refer to the PA Track BAR master’s category:
- Align Masters category with USAC by changing from 30+ to 35+
- To encourage older masters riders to race consider pulling out 50+ or 55+ results and score for new PA Track BAR category
- Consider reinstating the 90″ gear restriction for all or at least the Cat 1 & 2 men
PCA Governance
- Include a $1 per rider surcharge in PA Road BAR races to provide funds to support USADA drug testing at selected races
2015 Proposals – Detailed
Proposal #1
Author: David Butterworth
Brief Description: Establish a Men’s 2 PA Road BAR competition and awards points to each specific category for mixed events (i.e. M3-4)
Rationale: With many events offering a Pro/1 and 2/3 categories perhaps the BAR could better recognize the Cat 2 riders by giving them their own category and championship. The same divisions within the women’s categories seem appropriate too at least for the Cat 3 women (W3 PA BAR Category in place).
It would also be good if BAR points could be earned for each category represented in a combined category. In a 2/3 race both categories would score points in their respective categories in order of placement. The same would apply for Cat 4/5, Cat 3/4 (Men & Women) and Cat 1/2 race.
Proposal #2
Author: Craig Cozza
Brief Description: Align PA State Cross Championships distances and medals for 9-12 year olds with USAC National Championship standards
Long Description: U15 riders who contest the PA State Cross Championships race for 40 minutes. USAC National Championship standard for U15 men and women is 20 minutes. PA State Cross events should match US National medals categories and length of race.
Rationale: To attract and keep young juniors interested in cross it would be beneficial to align age groups (medals) and race distances with US National standards. Per the 2014 USAC rulebook U15 riders’ race for 20 minutes at Nationals while the current distance at PA State CX Championships is currently 40 minutes.
Proposal #3
Author: Mark Featherman
Brief Description: Restructure PACX JR categories to match MAC Series categories
Rationale: The MAC series manages JR categories better than the PACX. The MAC JR categories are U19 (4-5) and U19 Elite. The U19 (4-5) start after the W3-4 and W45+. The U19 Elite riders start after the M45+. The PACX has only one U19 category.
What makes sense is to run the JR’s all together. There may not be enough U19 Elites to justify having them race separately but why not lump them all together and start them behind the W3-4 and W45+ fields then run the Elite women as a separate category.
Proposal #4
Author: Sabina Olenchock
Brief Description: Waive or set a maximum price of race entry fees for JR’s
Rationale: To help promote more JR CX racing encourage promoters to waive their entry fee or set a maximum price for race entry fee for juniors of $5 (so the race promoters can cover the cost of USAC insurance). Based on the 2014 PACX series there were more JR’s who tried out cross racing where their entry fee was waived (e.g. Stoudts).
Parents still have a cost for getting a USAC license and for those with a few kids or who want to attend several races the costs can add up.
Proposal #5
Author: Mike Festa
Brief Description: Restructure the payouts of the PACX Series
Current:
Tier 1 Races – 250+ starters
Tier 2 Races – 249 or fewer starters
| Category | Tier One | Tier Two |
| Elite Men | $300/5 places | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Elite Women | $200/5 places | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Men 3/4 | $200/5 places | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Master Men 35+ | $200/5 | places 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Master Men 45+ | $200/5 | places 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Other | 5 places | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
Proposed:
Tier 1 Races – 250+ starters
Tier 2 Races – 249 or fewer starters
| Category | Tier One | Tier Two |
| Elite Men | $350/7 places | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Elite Women | $350/7 places | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Men 3/4 | $150/5 | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Master Men 35+ | $150/5 | places 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Master Men 45+ | $150/5 | places 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
| Other | 5 places | 50% or less of the Tier 1 prize list |
Rules
- Net increase of $50 in total payouts.
- No option for promoter to reduce payout based on registration of a single category. Promoters have used the single elite field must equal x stipulation to cut the elite payouts this year. From a business perspective it is insulting to the customers that actually showed up and bought your product. This should be specifically called ruled out. Fiscally, races with over 250 riders are profitable and can afford the payouts without cutting them.
- No non elite payout should surpass the elite race payouts. This year promoters have made non elite race purses higher than the elite race. The argument is that that field is “fuller”. Following that logic we should be paying the C race, as it sells out nearly every race.
Rationale:
The intent is to reestablish the elite races as the peak race of the event.
- Paying the 3/4 B’s and both master categories the same purse as the Elite Women devalues the Women’s Elite race.
- Paying the 3/4 B’s promotes sandbagging as it discourages riders from racing up in the PACX to gain experience racing the hour distance. Traditionally, strong B’s use the PACX races for such a purpose, as say I did in 2010 prior to upgrading to elite.
- Proposed plan would discourage Cat 1 or very strong masters from racing the 35+/45+ Categories. There are plenty of riders over 35 that can reach the payout in the Elite races, we should encourage them do so by making the purse more attractive.
Proposal #6
Author: David Borden
Brief Description: Implement chip timing for all PACX races
Rationale: Author noted that chip timing was implemented at all MABRA CX races in 2014 and has been working with John Miller at Mid Atlantic Timing to compile information that can be presented at the PCA Governance meeting.
Local riders I’ve surveyed have unanimously agreed that it’s now time to bring this into cross locally (as we’ve been using chip timing for MASS / MTB racing for years now), and are willing to pay the additional cost for registration to cover the promoter’s additional outlay (proposed as a $ 5.00 increase per registration, not including Juniors, who ideally would be racing their CX for free).
Proposal #7
Author: Jim Mueller
Brief Description: Add a M60+ category in the PACX series as is in place in the MAC
Rationale: To implement a M60+ point’s class like in Mid Atlantic Cyclocross there’s neither separate start nor podium. It’s just a separate point calculation. When I discovered MAC’s 60+ class and realized I had a chance for the podium if I race in all their races, I thought “wouldn’t it be great if PACX had 60+”. I’d much rather attend all the PACX races than the MAC races.
Proposal #8
Author: Brian Evans
Brief Description: Three proposed changes to the Masters 30+ PA Track BAR category for the Masters & Rookies Series on Saturday’s
Rationale:
- Align the masters PA Track BAR category with USA Cycling and the PA Road bar so it starts at age 35 instead of the current 30+.
- Consider adding a 50+ or 55+ category to encourage participation by the more experienced riders. I observed a lot of frustration from a number of the elder statesmen during this year’s (2014) PA Track BAR races. This was especially evident when there were numerous Friday night riders competing for BAR events lapping the rest of the field on a few occasions.
- Consider reinstating the 90″ gear restriction for all or at least the Cat 1 & 2 Men. This might help level out the playing field a little. I know during the early season and non-bar event several of us (John Levkulic, Eric Workowski, Andrew Kuklis and myself) rode small (82-86″) gears with the masters for training and were still very competitive.
Proposal #9
Author: PCA Board
Brief Description: Include a $1 per rider surcharge in PA Road BAR races to provide funds to support the USAC/USADA Race Clean program that the PCA participated in last year (2014).
Rationale:
The PCA entered into a contract with USAC on 12/16/2013 to take part in the Race Clean program. The Race Clean program provides PED testing through USADA for one or two race events in a calendar year.
USAC split the cost ($3500) with the PCA to have USADA test two events (Smoketown and Race Avenue criteriums). The testing of additional events would be paid for exclusively by the PCA via a separate agreement with USADA. The Florida Bicycle Race Association leads the USAC LA’s in that area with the Florida Ride Clean Fund (http://floridacleanridefund.org/).
The PCA board members realize the value and importance of testing but the cost is a significant factor in continuation of this initiative.
This proposal is to fund testing beyond the scope of the Race Clean Program by adding a $1 rider surcharge per PA Road BAR race. The surcharge could potentially provide funding for one test every five (5) or six (6) race days.
Race directors who want to participate in this program must opt in by March 15th for the PCA testing program to take place. The PCA board would require a minimum five (5) races to be part of the program and if that minimum is not met this initiative will be cancelled for 2015.