2023 SERIES REGULATIONS
Download full rule PDF.
Highlights
- Teams are limited to 6 riders.
- Men Professional and Category 1
- Women Professional and Category 1 and 2
- U23 Men
- U23 Women
- Men’s Team
- Women’s Team
- $100K Purse split between Men’s and Women’s individual winners, Men’s and Women’s Teams, Men’s and Women’s U23
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 2023 schedule are the only races participating in the 2023 American Criterium Cup. Points are only awarded at these specific events in the Men’s Pro/1 and Women’s Pro/1-2 categories. U23 racers will receive points for the U23 category while participating in these same Men’s Pro/1 and Women’s Pro/1-2 races.
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 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, 2023 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.
- Guest rider needs to have raced in or before race number seven (Intelligentsia Cup) as a member of their final team to be eligible to race in final three races as a member of that team.
- No guest racers may be added after the Intelligentsia Cup (July 29, 2023).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 6, 2023 to make these additions and have that racer eligible for series competition.
- 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 6 racers may change from race to race.
If a UCI or USAC registered Domestic Elite team participating in the American Criterium Cup also operates a development or regional amateur team, both teams will not be permitted to participate in the same event. Additionally, no two teams may participate in the same event if they share a title sponsor or paying agent.
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 (U23 racers points will count towards both competitions). Men must be on a UCI registered team or hold a category 1 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 U23 is open to racers that will not turn 23 until after December 31, 2023. U23 racer’s points will count towards both the Elite and U23 category. U23 racers will have their points counted towards team totals like any other racer.
4.3 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, 12th, 20th, 34th, and DNF, their team points for the event would be calculated by adding together the points of 2nd, 8th, and 12th 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.
4.4 The Sprint competition within the American Criterium Cup is a standalone competition within the series. This competition does not have a separate U23 component, all racers will be scored equally.
Standings and final placement in the Sprint Competition are based solely on points earned at intermediate sprints at each race. Points earned in the final sprint (the race finish) do not count towards a racers Sprint Competition standing.
However, points earned by racers at the intermediate sprints will be added 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 3 recognized sprints are permitted under the series rules.
Intermediate Sprints will be contested by all racers on the same lap. Racers gaining a lap must still contest Intermediate Sprints to earn points.
Article 5. Scoring
Overall – Points Table
|
Placing |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
|
Points |
100 |
90 |
81 |
73 |
65 |
59 |
53 |
48 |
43 |
39 |
34 |
31 |
28 |
25 |
23 |
20 |
18 |
16 |
15 |
13 |
- All finishers beyond 20th place will receive 5 points.
- 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 (both Elite and U23) will be calculated by simply adding the total of points earned in each event (Overall + Sprint).
Sprint Competition – Points Table
|
Place |
Points |
|
|
Sprint |
||
|
7 Laps in |
1st, 2nd, 3rd |
15, 10, 5 |
|
Mid-race |
1st, 2nd, 3rd |
20, 15, 10 |
|
7 Laps to go |
1st, 2nd, 3rd |
15, 10, 5 |
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 leaders 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.
- Best placed racer in the final event of the American Criterium Cup.
- Number of 1st places in American Criterium Cup events.
- 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.
- Number of series event wins in the Elite category by members of each team.
- Best placed racer in the Elite category at the final event of the American Criterium Cup
- 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.
2023 Administrator Peter Discoe- pdiscoe (at) 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.
- First offense: warning and reminder of rules
- Second offense: deduction of Overall points by 20 points
- Any additional violations will result in a deduction of Overall points by 40 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.
- First offense: deduction of Overall points by 20 points
- Second offense: deduction of Overall points by 50 points
- Any additional violations will result in a deduction of Overall points by 100 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 Final awards ceremonies will recognize the following, in order.
- Top 3 in U23 standings (men & women)
- Top 3 in Sprint competition (men & women)
- Top 3 in final Overall standings (men & women)
- Top 5 teams in final Team standings (men & women)
6.4 Start Ceremonies or “call ups” will recognize the following individuals at each event in the American Criterium Cup.
- Top 3 in Overall standings (including all in case of ties)
- Sprint leader and U23 leader
- On a rotating basis, 5 participating teams will be recognized with 1 individual each being called up.
- Individual promotors are free to do additional call ups featuring, but not limited to, past winners, local standouts, etc.
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 promotor in the American Criterium Cup has agreed to a minimum purse of $7500 per gender at their respective races. This minimum purse may be broken down any way a promotor 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.
2022 American Criterium Cup Overall Prize Money
|
Place |
Men/Women Elite |
Men/Women U23 |
Teams (Men & Women) |
Sprints (Men & Women) |
|
1 |
$10,000 |
$1,000 |
$2,000 |
$1,000 |
|
2 |
$7,000 |
$625 |
$1,500 |
$625 |
|
3 |
$5,000 |
$250 |
$1,000 |
$250 |
|
4 |
$3,200 |
$750 $500 |
||
|
5 |
$2,500 |
|||
|
6 |
$1,800 |
|||
|
7 |
$1,200 |
|||
|
8 |
$1,000 |
|||
|
9 |
$900 |
|||
|
10 |
$800 |
|||
|
11 |
$750 |
|||
|
12 |
$700 |
|||
|
13 |
$650 |
|||
|
14 |
$600 |
|||
|
15 |
$550 |
|||
|
16 |
$500 |
|||
|
17 |
$475 |
|||
|
18 |
$450 |
|||
|
19 |
$425 |
|||
|
20 |
$400 |
|||
|
21 |
$375 |
|||
|
22 |
$350 |
|||
|
23 |
$325 |
|||
|
24 |
$300 |
|||
|
25 |
$250 |
|||
|
Totals |
$40,500 |
$1,875 |
$5,750 |
$1,875 |
* 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. Cancelations, 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 promotors 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 promotor 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.