Tuesday Night Criteriums

As you can see from the 2012 Race Calendar, the popular Tuesday night criteriums are back with a combination of two racing formats.

The Tuesday Night Criterium Series and the Stoney Mountain Criterium will be full UCI/CCA level races; and the Training Criterium Races will be governed by MCA rules. A total of 10 races will be offered on Tuesday nights.

Although there has been a lot of discussion about the training crit format, I would like to take a moment to outline some of the details:

• All licensed racers are invited to participate in the Training Criterium Races. There will be no reduction in the number of races available to masters athletes.

• The racing experience will be the same as it was 2 years ago when coaches were allowed, informally, to ride alongside their athletes. Everything you know, love or hate about criterium racing will happen: hard core workout; racing tactics; teams; allegiances and rivalries; primes; officials; controlled course; emergency medical person; puke buckets…etc.

• There are slight changes in the rules to make the racing better for novice riders of any age. These changes will have little or no effect on the higher categories.

• Training Crits will be governed by MCA rules as set out in the race bible. UCI rules govern except to the extent that they are modified by the CCA Companion Guide and MCA rules (as approved by the Board and published in the race bible).
• Those rule changes will be as follows:
• coaches from clubs or the provincial team will be allowed to ride alongside their athletes to provide real-time tips, cues and strategies (but they can’t compete later for themselves);
• coaches must be:
1) NCCP Certified:
• Old System – Level 1 ROAD CERTIFIED or higher; or
• New System – Introduction to Competition Coaching Stream – Trained or Certified.
2) Meet the requirements of MCA Coaching Standards Policy.

• a team of Commissaires will oversee the Training Criteriums in order to gain experience

• results will be recorded for Commissaire training purposes only; they will not be posted on the website.
• Everything else remains the same!

This race format has been used with great success in other provinces (and to the disadvantage of developing MB racers). Our insurance company, Marsh Canada Ltd., is on side and will provide insurance coverage for MCA members. The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) has provided their blessing, and Sport Manitoba is fully supportive of the initiative since it complies with LTAD and Sport for Life concepts.

The Tuesday Night Criteriums will be a win-win experience for everyone. Hard core riders will continue to get the best competition our road community can muster. Developing racers of any age will get real-time coaching. Coaches will get an opportunity to make a difference in their athletes’ performance and gain valuable practical coaching experience in a competitive setting. Clubs and stores will gain exposure. Finally commissaires will get an opportunity to grow and develop their expertise as they march up the officials hierarchy.

Further questions can be directed to a member of the Board or to this email address: cycling.ed@sportmanitoba.ca