Cycling Ireland has warned riders intending to enter the National Cyclocross Championships next weekend that they need to have new 2014 racing licences in place to be eligible for the events.
Entries close at midnight tomorrow, Sunday January 5th. The field for the women's race remains small and those female riders still deciding whether they will start are asked to enter immediately so the quota will be reached to make the race a championship event.
Cycling Ireland has said the licence application process must be fully completed by the riders before the title races next Sunday, January 12th, in Lady Dixon Park, Belfast.
A notice released by the board of the federation added: “The category that is listed on a rider’s 2014 licence is the category that they must enter in the championships.
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“This is of significant importance to those riders in age restricted categories, like junior or veteran. Riders will only be able to compete in the category that is listed on their 2014 licence.”
It effectively means riders who raced as juniors in cyclocross races in recent months but are due to progress to U23 level next year must ride the U23 title race.
On the opposite end of the age scale, some riders who were not quite eligible to ride as veterans in the cyclocross races in recent months will now find themselves eligible now that the New Year has started.
The Championships are promoted by Phoenix CC, and promise to be a great showdown across all categories after another bumper winter campaign for the ever-growing cyclocross scene.
The Ulster Cyclocross Series and the Dublin and Wicklow-based Fixx Coffeehouse Series have been great successes, with events split into A and B races, such has been the size of the entries.
The inaugural Muddy Cup has been run this season in Cashel, Co Tipperary and the new three-race North Dublin Cyclocross (NDCX) league has also been run.
With one of the biggest and most decorated clubs in the country in the shape of Phoenix CC promoting this year’s championships, a packed timetable of championship and non-championship races are planned.
We’ll have more on the championships a little closer to the time. In the meantime, have a look at the full event details below.
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Full Championship details, supplied by Phoenix CC
Registration is now open and will remain open until midnight on Sunday, January 5th
Signup via entry central here: http://www.entrycentral.com/index.php?festivalID=436
- Pre-registration only – there will be no exceptions.
- A 2014 License is required.
The club will be running a full programme of championship and non-championship races on the day from elite women and women to U15 riders.
Championship race categories include:
- Elite Men
- U23 Men
- Women
- Junior Men
- Veteran Men
Conditions for title races
- Award of National titles in all races are subject to minimum entry requirements as determined by the UCI & subject to agreement / ratification by Cycling Ireland.
- 15 and 16 year olds are those born in 1998 or 1999.
- Juniors are those born in 1996 or 1997.
- U23 are those born between 1991 and 1995.
- Veterans are those born in or before 1974 and have taken out a veterans licence for 2014.
- Club colours must be worn for Championship races.
- Club colours must be worn at medal ceremony.
- UCI code must be supplied at sign-on.
- A valid 2014 license must be presented at sign-on.
- Riders in championship races must have at the least a restricted competition licence.
- Day licences will NOT be issued for any races.
- Cyclocross specific bikes ONLY will be allowed.
The full Cycling Ireland rules may be downloaded from: http://www.cyclingireland.ie/downloads/Technical-Rules-2013(1).pdf
Race timetable on the day
11:00am – Non Championship race – (for senior men & 15-16 year old boys & girls)
12.15pm – Veteran men, junior men & women’s championship races
1.45pm – Elite men and U23 men championship race
3.00pm – Medal ceremony
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NOTE 1 – Veteran men, junior men & women’s championship races will be set off at 1min intervals.
NOTE 2 – All riders are required to be at that start line 10 minutes before their respective race times to permit gridding. Failure to be present when names are called will result in a rider not being gridded.
Sign-on
Sign on will open at 9.30am and closes at:-
10.30am for Non-championship race
11:00am for ALL Championship races
Commissaries
Paul Watson (Chief); Jack Watson (Asst); Aidan Higgins (Asst)
Non-championship race
This race is to facilitate senior men who may feel they don’t want to do the championship race but would still like to race on the day. We are also opening this to 15-16 year old boys & girls. The race will be the full course, and prizes will be awarded to the first 3 over the line in the Senior men and to the first 15-16 year old finishers depending on numbers.
Gridding
Gridding will be published on Friday 10th January
The course
The course will be the same as that used in Round 2 of the 2013 Ulster Cyclocross series, with a few small changes. Videos of the 2013 Ulster Round 2 Cyclocross series may be viewed below:
Entry fees
Seniors – £17.00
Juniors, U16 – £11.00
UCI Points
National Championships carry UCI points for Elite Men & Women, U23 and Junior men ONLY
Chip timing
Chip timing will be provided for all races by Elite Timing Ireland.
Practice
Saturday 11th January 2014 between 1.30pm – 4.30pm – the course will be open for practice
Sunday 12th January 2014 – practice can take place from 9.30am – 10.45am– there will be STRICTLY NO practice on the course whilst other races are taking place.
Please note that this is a public park, and as such, will remain open to the members of the public both during practice and the actual races themselves, so ALL riders & spectators are responsible for their own actions and we would ask that they please be aware of this, take care and watch out for all other park users – be they human or animal etc.
Outside of the above times, we would respectfully ask that riders stay off from the course. It is a privilege to have the use of this park and it is the great working relationship that has taken the Club many years to build up with Stephen Quinn (Park Manager) and Belfast City Council Parks Dept., which has facilitated this. Our aim is to provide a fantastic course, in fantastic condition, in a fantastic setting…and your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Catering
Food – The Club will be providing hot food, to be served after the Senior mens race finishes. This is for the riders only.
Tea & Coffee will be provided by the club FOC during the day. There will be a collecting bucket for the Children’s Heartbeat Trust (Cody’ Challenge) and any donations will be gratefully received. Please note, The Stables coffee shop, located adjacent to lower car park is open from 10am to 4pm daily.
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