October 25/07 8:52 am - UCI Announces Updates to Mountain Bike Rules

Posted by Editor on 10/25/07
 

UCI Announces Updates to Mountain Bike Rules

Last week the UCI Mountain Bike Commission held a meeting in Brussels, Belgium to review the 2007 season, make changes and updates to regulations, and welcome Julien Absalon as Athlete representative (replacing Alison Dunlap). The following are the major changes to regulations:

Calendar

• An event will only be classed "Hors Class" if, in the last edition there were at least 30 riders representing at least 15 different nationalities at the start

• In its first year, a new event can only be classed (category) 2 or 3

UCI Ranking

• The UCI ranking will be established over the period of one year (the ranking becomes continuous again: the points will count for one year) - Editor's Note: The UCI will return to a 'rolling points' system, so that points fall off a rider's total after the date had passed the following year. This is instead of everyone starting at 0 points on January 1st each year.

• For stage races, only the general classification will count for UCI points (not the stages). These points will be taken into account in the XCO ranking

• UCI points will be attributed to all the riders in downhill semi-finals

UCI Mountain Bike Teams

• For cross country, a UCI mountain bike team must include a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 10 riders

• For Downhill and 4X, a UCI mountain bike team must include a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 10 riders

• Registration fee for the UCI mountain bike team: 2,500CHF (Swiss Francs).

World Cup

• A rider must have 20 UCI points in order to compete in XCO, Downhill and 4X (with the exception of UCI mountain bike teams (maximum 10 riders) and riders wearing national colours (maximum 6 riders)). Editor's Note: This is an attempt to reduce field sizes for men in the XC, and encourage the formation of UCI registered teams.

• Late entries: a rider will be called to the start according to his ranking but will receive a higher fine than in the past (300 CHF). Editor's Note: This is to avoid the situation at Mont Ste Anne last year, when Catharine Pendrel and other women were forced to start at the back of the field.

• In Downhill, the first 10 women and the first 20 men in the World Cup individual standings must take the start of the semi-final but will in any case automatically qualify for the final. If they do not finish in the 10 and 20 best times in the semi-final, they will start the final just before the10 and 20 best riders from the semi-final.

World Championships

• Team Relay: the UCI points will be awarded to the nation, and not the riders