2024 SERIES REGULATIONS

Highlights

  • Teams are limited to 6 riders.
  • Men Professional and Category 1, individual races can allow Category 2 riders at their own discretion.
  • Women Professional and Category 1 and 2
  • Men’s Team
  • Women’s Team
  • $100K Purse split between Men’s and Women’s individual and sprint winners, Men’s and Women’s Teams.

Rules

Article 1. Organization

The American Criterium Cup is owned and operated by the American Criterium Cup, LLC and its Board and is conducted under the regulations and sanction of USA Cycling. All regulations, points tabulations or discrepancies, awards and/or forfeitures will be handled by the ACC Executive Board. Prize money payments and race disciplinary action will be handled by USA Cycling and/or it’s licensed officials.

Article 2. Events

The races listed on the 2024 schedule are the only races participating in the 2024 American Criterium Cup. Points are only awarded at these specific events in the Men’s Pro/1 and Category 2 if allowed by the individual race and Women’s Pro/1-2 categories.

If the event listed is a multi-day race or omnium, American Criterium Cup points will only be awarded for the race on the day listed and only for that specific race, not the individual omnium.

Article 3. Participation

Participation in the American Criterium Cup is limited to men’s and women’s UCI teams and USA Cycling registered Domestic Elite Teams or individuals of Cat. 1 (men)or 2 if allowed by the individual race (men) or Cat. 1 & 2 (women) or their equivalent of a foreign license holder.

3.1 Only UCI teams or USA Cycling registered Domestic Elite Teams will be scored in the Team competition. Official team names and rosters must be finalized with USAC by May 31. Then USAC will submit these rosters to American Criterium Cup administrator no later than June 1, 2024 to have your team scored in the Team competition.

Participants do not have to be US citizens, but foreign citizens may be subject to prize money withholding for UCI or tax purposes.

Foreign elite amateur teams may be eligible for the ACC Team competition, but must register with USAC as an elite team.

3.2 Each team is allowed 3 different guest racers not part of original roster submission, based on these guidelines.

  1. Guest rider needs to have raced in or before race number four (Salt Lake Criterium) as a member of their final team to be eligible to race in final three races as a member of that team.
  2. No guest racers may be added after the Salt Lake Criterium (July 6, 2024).
  3. No racer may be a guest on more than one team per calendar year. If a racer is a guest on a team, they must stay with that team or return to their original team. They may not move on to a third or fourth team.
  4. American Criterium Cup administrators need to be notified of guest racers prior to racing. Guest racers will be required to wear kit matching the team for which they are guest racing.
  5. UCI registered teams adding a trainee (stagiaire) under UCI rules must provide proof of that racer being on their UCI roster. These teams will be given till August 4, 2024 to make these additions and have that racer eligible for series competition.
  6. Points earned in the American Criterium Cup stay with the individual racers if they move teams, but team points stay with the team a racer was part of for each specific event.

3.3 Teams will be limited to 6 racers per event on the American Criterium Cup calendar. The six racers may change from race to race.

All USAC-endorsed teams are invited to compete in the American Criterium Cup (ACC) provided they are: men’s or women’s UCI teams and USA Cycling registered Domestic Elite Teams or individuals of Cat. 1 or 2 if allowed by the individual race (men) or Cat. 1 & 2 (women) or their equivalent of a foreign license holder.

The ACC reserves the right to examine the circumstances of participation and make decisions with the approval of a majority of participating event directors as long as said teams are approved for competition by USA Cycling.

Collusion between teams is forbidden and may result in one or both teams being docked points or prize money (USAC rule 1H4(d))

Article 4. Categories

4.1 Men’s and Women’s Elite is open to all ages, excluding juniors. Men must be on a UCI registered team or hold a category 1 (or 2 if allowed by the individual race) license (or foreign equivalent). Women must be on a UCI registered team or hold a category 1 or 2 license (or foreign equivalent).

4.2 Men’s and Women’s Team competition will be calculated by adding the point totals of each teams top 3 point earners at each event. For example, if a team’s 6 racers finish 2nd, 8th, 10th, 20th, 34th, and DNF, their team points for the event would be calculated by adding together the points of 2nd, 8th, and 10th places. These points would be added to their total from all previous events. The points earners can be different racers at each event. If a team has less than 3 finishers, they will receive points for their top 1 or 2 placed racers

To be scored in the team competition, a team must submit its roster to ACC by the June 1 deadline.

4.3 The Sprint competition within the American Criterium Cup is a stand alone competition within the series. All racers will be scored equally.

Standings and final placement in the Sprint Competition are based solely on points earned at the intermediate ACC Sprint Prime at each race. Points earned in the final sprint (the race finish) do not count towards a racers Sprint Competition standing.

Points earned by racers at the intermediate ACC Sprint Prime sprints do not add to their Overall standings in the American Criterium Cup.

Individual race promotors may further incentivize intermediate sprints by offering cash or prizes along with the points, but are under no obligation to do so. They may not offer additional intermediate series point sprints. Only the single recognized sprint is permitted under the series rules.

The Intermediate ACC Sprint Prime will be contested by all racers on the same lap. Racers gaining a lap must still contest Intermediate Sprints to earn points.

Daily ACC intermediate sprint prizes will be paid out by each individual race. That prizing is as follows:

1st place – $300, 2nd place – $200, 3rd place – $100

Article 5. Scoring

Overall – Points Table

  • Racers pulled for being out of contention are not considered finishers
  • In an extreme circumstance (i.e. Most of field has been pulled or Race is shortened due to weather), ACC administrators have authority to work with USAC officials to modify points distribution.

Individual standings be calculated by simply adding the total of points earned in each event.

Sprint Competition – Points Table

All races count towards your final point total in each competition, there are no throwaway races. Racers will receive no points for races they do not participate in.

5.1 Tie Break Rules:

Ties will be handled differently for mid-series events and for the final standings.

Mid-Series ties will be left to stand with the exception of the Overall leader and Sprint leader, which will be determined by the better finish placing in the latest event. That leader, once determined will be awarded the leader’s jersey on the podium and will be required to wear it at the next event if they attend.

Final individual standing ties will similarly be left to stand with the exception of the overall series winner in each individual category. There ties will be broken by the following criteria in order until separation can be achieved.

  1. Best placed racer in the final event of the American Criterium Cup.
  2. Number of 1st places in American Criterium Cup events.
  3. Number of 2nd places in American Criterium Cup events.

Final individual standing ties for positions beneath the overall series winner will be left standing and prize money will be split. For example, if there is a 3 way tie for 6th place overall, the prize money for 6th, 7th, and 8th will be added together and split 3 ways between the tied racers. The next highest point earner in the final standings would therefore be awarded 9th place prize money.

Final team standing ties will be broken using the following criteria in order until separation can be achieved.

  1. Number of series event wins in the Elite category by members of each team.
  2. Best placed racer in the Elite category at the final event of the American Criterium Cup
  3. Best placed racer in the Elite category of the final series standings.

Team tie breaking calculations will only be done to achieve the top 5 teams. Further ties will be left standing.

5.2 Point questions, inquiries, or protests.

Questions or protests regarding a racer’s placing in a race or sprint need to be directed to USAC officials on race day. Questions or protests regarding points, standings, or tie breaks need to be directed to ACC administrators (or race directors in their absence). They may also be filled on subsequent days with American Criterium Cup administrators, but must be addressed before the start of the next event in the series begins.

Protests or discrepancies that arise and are not covered in current ACC rules will be decided by the American Criterium Cup administrators. Every effort will be made to get input from teams and racers, but final authority rests with ACC administrators.

2024 Points Administrator Andrew Frey– freyat1@gmail.com

Article 6. Ceremonies and Leader’s Jerseys

6.1 At the end of each event in the series, the new or reigning leader in Overall (men & women) and Sprint leader (men & women) are required to attend the leader’s jersey award ceremony and press conference or mix zone if applicable. Failure to meet these obligations will result in forfeiture of points on the following scale.

  1. First offense: warning and reminder of rules
  2. Second offense: deduction of Overall points by 10 points
  3. Any additional violations will result in a deduction of Overall points by 20 point/per offense

Individual race promoters will have award ceremonies 15 minutes after the finish of the final event of the day.

6.2 Pursuant to USAC rule 1J5(h): In stage races, omniums, and race series, the race leader or those leading other categories must wear a special jersey if it is provided by the Race Director, but only for the duration of the race and as long as the leadership lasts. The jersey may bear only the name of the race, the special classification, and the Race Director’s sponsors on the upper two-thirds of the front and back panels of the jersey. The lower third of the front and back panel shall be in a plain background available for the rider’s club or UCI team.

Failure to wear a leader’s jersey will result in forfeiture of points on the following scale.

  1. First offense: deduction of Overall points by 10 points
  2. Second offense: deduction of Overall points by 20 points
  3. Any additional violations will result in a deduction of Overall points by 30 point/per offense

Series administrators will make jerseys available to leaders prior to the start of the next event in the series. Screen printing or heat transferring a team’s logo onto the leader’s jersey is the responsibility of the racer and their team.

6.3 Daily awards ceremonies will recognize the following, in order.

  1. Overall Sprint Leader (men & women)
  2. Top 3 Overall in the points standings (men & women)

6.4 Final awards ceremonies will recognize the following, in order.

  1. Top 3 in Sprint competition (men & women)
  2. Top 3 in final Overall standings (men & women)
  3. Top 5 teams in final Team standings (men & women)

6.5 Start Ceremonies or “call ups” will recognize the following individuals at each event in the American Criterium Cup.

  1. Top 3 in Overall standings (including all in case of ties)
  2. Top 3 in Sprint standings
  3. Individual promoters are free to do additional call ups featuring, but not limited to, past winners, local standouts, etc.

6.6 Riders will receive a maximum of two jerseys for each series that they lead. Riders are responsible for bringing and wearing leaders’ jerseys to each race that they are leading. In the case that a rider is in the lead of both the overall series and sprint series, the next highest placed rider in the sprint series will receive a sprint leader’s jersey to wear in place of the current leader.

Article 7. Disciplinary

If any racer in the American Criterium Cup is suspended from competition by the UCI, USAC, or their home federation, all their points will be immediately forfeited (starting at date of suspension). Further, any points they had earned that counted towards their team total will be removed and replaced with those of the next highest placed finisher on that team.

Article 8. Prize Money

Each promoter in the American Criterium Cup has agreed to a minimum purse of $6000 per gender at their respective races. This minimum purse may be broken down any way a promoter sees fit or split between placings and primes.

Prize money for the final standings will be paid out no sooner than 30 days after the final series event. This is to allow time for any and all protests as well as results from any anti-doping test conducted.

For individual winnings, racers may opt to have those payments made to their team or other prize money entity, but must turn in appropriate tax forms for that entity by the final series event.

For team winnings, teams must turn in proper tax forms for their business or other prize money entity by the final series event.

2024 American Criterium Cup Overall Prize Money

Mid Race Sprint Prime Prize Money

* Prize money not claimed within 90 days of the last event will be returned to the ACC

Article 9. Video and Photography Consent

This is formal notice that any or all images of entrants in American Criterium Cup races or onsite at the race venues may be used by the promoter, ACC management, and its agents for advertising, trade and any other lawful purposes. Riders not wanting to allow the use of their image can do so by not entering the race. By entering a race, each entrant gives consent for use of his/her name and photographic likeness to the promoter and its agents.

Article 10. Cancellations, Restarts, and Force Majeure

The American Criterium Cup is made up of ten individual races with ten unique owners/promotors. The ACC has no say in race day operations of these events, nor decides things like cancellations, refunds, or many other matters inherent to the individual events. Decisions on these issues will be made solely by the individual promoters in consultation with USAC, local agencies, or whatever other resources they deem credible.

10.1 Cancellation- In the event that a race is cancelled, either before or during, no ACC points will be awarded for that round of the series, in that category. This includes Sprint points that may have been won prior to a race being cancelled.

10.2 Restarts- Should a race on the ACC need to be stopped and restarted, every effort will be made to maintain a normal ACC format (3 point sprints, plus finish points). This may result in adjusting the timing of point sprints to avoid having them happen directly after a restart. Decisions on breakaway gaps, staging, or call ups for a restart are at the discretion of the promoter and chief referee.

10.3 Early Finish- Should force majeure dictate that a race be shortened (officially finished, but on an earlier lap). ACC will award finish points as well as sprint points for those sprints that did take place.

10.4 If any ACC race is canceled and the race is part of a series with a race the following day, the race promoter may, at their discretion, move their ACC race to that following day. ACC sprint awarded prior to race being canceled will still count towards points based on table above. If race is canceled and not rescheduled, there will be no individual points awarded for that specific day/event.  If the race is rescheduled for next day, finish points will be scored equally to all other races

The American Criterium Cup Renaissance Financial Junior Series

Participation

Participation in the American Criterium Cup Junior series is limited to boys and girls in the 15/16 and 17/18 age groups as listed on their 2024 race license. Participation is not limited to US citizens, but foreign riders must have permission to race in USA Cycling events. If individual events allow riders under the age of 15 to race in an older category, they can race and will be scored in the category they are registered for.

Riders can compete as individuals or as part of a team. There is no maximum number of riders allowed to participate in any individual event.

Points series

There is an overall points series for each American Criterium Cup event that has junior categories. The points series will apply to each of the following categories.

  • Junior Girls Ages 15-16
  • Junior Girls Ages 17-18
  • Junior Boys Ages 15-16
  • Junior Boys Ages 17-18

Races that have mixed age and gender categories will have separate points scored based on the categories above.

If a race has more than one ability category for a particular age group, only the highest ability race will score points for that race.

Points

Each race in the American Criterium Cup Junior series will have equal points as follows.

All races will count towards the series. There will be no throw out races.

 Tie Break Rules

Final individual standing ties will similarly be left to stand except for the overall series winner in each individual category. These ties will be broken by the following criteria in order until separation can be achieved.

  1. Best placed racer in the final event of the American Criterium Cup.
  2. Number of 1st places in American Criterium Cup events.
  3. Number of 2nd places in American Criterium Cup events.

Junior Schedule

  • June 8th, Saint Francis Tulsa Tough
  • June 22nd, Kwik Trip Tour of America’s Dairyland
  • June 29th, Bailey Glasser Boise Twilight
  • July 7th, LHM I CC Salt Lake City Criterium
  • July 13th, IU Health Momentum Indy Crit
  • July 21st, Chicago Grit
  • August 4th, Audi Denver Littleton Twilight Criterium
  • September 1st, The Bommarito Audi West County Gateway Cup