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After seeing the article on Pinkbike and reading the rules, I don't agree with their interpretation of the new "Injury Status" rule, 4.9.038, plus they missed on reporting another important rule change.
The Rulebook can be found here with changes shown in red letters.
The new rule in question for which I will only be talking about it's impact in downhill:
Rule 4.9.038
"If due to injury a rider took part in less than three rounds of the UCI World Cup in a season, the National Federation or the Team may apply for recognition of injury status. An application must be received in writing no later than October 30th of the disrupted season. A rider with injury status shall be integrated in the ranking that is used to determine the start list, with the number of points determined according to following calculation: the average points gained per round in which the rider took part multiplied by the number of
rounds of the UCI World Cup season during which the rider was absent due to injury. Such benefit shall be limited to the first round of the UCI World Cup in which the rider takes part during the following season. This applies for the XCO start order according to article 4.9.015, or DHI start order as per articles 4.9.021 and 4.9.023.
(article introduced on 1.01.22)"
The other two places the rule is referenced:
Rule 4.9.021:
"The start order for the qualifying round or seeding run (women juniors) and the race numbers are determined as follows:
A. men elite, women elite:
1. riders ranked in the top 60 men and the top 15 women of the most recently
published world cup standings (for the first event, as per the final world cup
standings of the previous year), starting in reverse order.
2. as per the most recently published UCI DHI individual ranking.
3. unclassified riders: random.
Riders with injury status shall be integrated in the start order in accordance with article
4.9.038"
*Should also be noted it allows juniors to be under the injured rider status too
Rule 4.9.023
"The organiser must ensure that the following minimum training program is provided. Three days before the final an on foot downhill course inspection period must be provided for the riders. The course must be fully marked and cordoned off. No bikes are allowed on the course during the on foot downhill course inspection.
Two days before the final a training period will be provided plus a timed training session exclusively for the following riders:
1. Men elite ranked in the top 60 of the last world cup standings,
2. Women elite ranked in the top 15 of the last world cup standings,
3. Men junior ranked in the top 10 of the last world cup standings,
4. Women junior ranked in the top 3 of the last world cup standings,
5. Plus any protected riders as per article 4.9.031 not included in points 1 to 4 above.
Riders with injury status shall be integrated in the start order in accordance with article
4.9.038.
For the first world cup round of the season, the timed training session will also be open to men junior ranked in the top 10 and women junior ranked in the top 3 of the final world cup standing of the previous season irrespective of whether they are currently men elite or 2nd year junior, as well as the previous year’s junior
world champions (men and women).
One day before the final a training period will be provided.
A training period that is reserved only for the riders qualified for the finals must be provided, on the day of the final. This training period must last for at least 60 minutes.
(text modified on 1.07.12; 1.11.13; 4.04.14; 1.01.17; 1.01.18; 1.01.19; 1.01.20; 1.01.22)"
Pinkbike said "the UCI has added a clause for riders who spent most of the previous season injured to allow them to retain protected status at the first race of the following season." They are wrong on a couple fronts.
1. It's the rider's first race back of the following season
2. The rider is NOT given "protected rider" status as defined in rule 4.9.031 (no reference to the new injured rider rule is seen in this rule), they are only given a ranking in the start order which could see them qualify for A practice and/or timed training plus not having to start qualifying with the triple digit crowd.
Am I misreading the rulebook here or did Pinkbike not read close enough? I think this is a decent rule which could benefit everyone that's super fast, not just the big teams.
Another rule change is in the protected rider rule 4.9.031 Section 5:
"If a rider is announced as retired, he is not eligible anymore as protected rider. The announcement of the retired status shall be done in writing to the UCI before 31 December of the previous year."
Seems a bit silly to have to make the rule as I don't see why anyone would formally write in their retirement at the end of the year; they might just get the racing itch some point in the next season and want to show up to a race with protected status.
The Rulebook can be found here with changes shown in red letters.
The new rule in question for which I will only be talking about it's impact in downhill:
Rule 4.9.038
"If due to injury a rider took part in less than three rounds of the UCI World Cup in a season, the National Federation or the Team may apply for recognition of injury status. An application must be received in writing no later than October 30th of the disrupted season. A rider with injury status shall be integrated in the ranking that is used to determine the start list, with the number of points determined according to following calculation: the average points gained per round in which the rider took part multiplied by the number of
rounds of the UCI World Cup season during which the rider was absent due to injury. Such benefit shall be limited to the first round of the UCI World Cup in which the rider takes part during the following season. This applies for the XCO start order according to article 4.9.015, or DHI start order as per articles 4.9.021 and 4.9.023.
(article introduced on 1.01.22)"
The other two places the rule is referenced:
Rule 4.9.021:
"The start order for the qualifying round or seeding run (women juniors) and the race numbers are determined as follows:
A. men elite, women elite:
1. riders ranked in the top 60 men and the top 15 women of the most recently
published world cup standings (for the first event, as per the final world cup
standings of the previous year), starting in reverse order.
2. as per the most recently published UCI DHI individual ranking.
3. unclassified riders: random.
Riders with injury status shall be integrated in the start order in accordance with article
4.9.038"
*Should also be noted it allows juniors to be under the injured rider status too
Rule 4.9.023
"The organiser must ensure that the following minimum training program is provided. Three days before the final an on foot downhill course inspection period must be provided for the riders. The course must be fully marked and cordoned off. No bikes are allowed on the course during the on foot downhill course inspection.
Two days before the final a training period will be provided plus a timed training session exclusively for the following riders:
1. Men elite ranked in the top 60 of the last world cup standings,
2. Women elite ranked in the top 15 of the last world cup standings,
3. Men junior ranked in the top 10 of the last world cup standings,
4. Women junior ranked in the top 3 of the last world cup standings,
5. Plus any protected riders as per article 4.9.031 not included in points 1 to 4 above.
Riders with injury status shall be integrated in the start order in accordance with article
4.9.038.
For the first world cup round of the season, the timed training session will also be open to men junior ranked in the top 10 and women junior ranked in the top 3 of the final world cup standing of the previous season irrespective of whether they are currently men elite or 2nd year junior, as well as the previous year’s junior
world champions (men and women).
One day before the final a training period will be provided.
A training period that is reserved only for the riders qualified for the finals must be provided, on the day of the final. This training period must last for at least 60 minutes.
(text modified on 1.07.12; 1.11.13; 4.04.14; 1.01.17; 1.01.18; 1.01.19; 1.01.20; 1.01.22)"
Pinkbike said "the UCI has added a clause for riders who spent most of the previous season injured to allow them to retain protected status at the first race of the following season." They are wrong on a couple fronts.
1. It's the rider's first race back of the following season
2. The rider is NOT given "protected rider" status as defined in rule 4.9.031 (no reference to the new injured rider rule is seen in this rule), they are only given a ranking in the start order which could see them qualify for A practice and/or timed training plus not having to start qualifying with the triple digit crowd.
Am I misreading the rulebook here or did Pinkbike not read close enough? I think this is a decent rule which could benefit everyone that's super fast, not just the big teams.
Another rule change is in the protected rider rule 4.9.031 Section 5:
"If a rider is announced as retired, he is not eligible anymore as protected rider. The announcement of the retired status shall be done in writing to the UCI before 31 December of the previous year."
Seems a bit silly to have to make the rule as I don't see why anyone would formally write in their retirement at the end of the year; they might just get the racing itch some point in the next season and want to show up to a race with protected status.
Rule 4.9.003
"1. Having obtained at least 40 UCI points in the UCI
DHI individual reference ranking (*).
2. The national federations may enter a maximum of 3
supplementary riders per category. These riders
must wear national team clothing.
3. Riders belonging to a UCI elite MTB Team or a UCI
MTB Team"
Part 3 used to be the rule and that's how Decline Team America came about, however after several years of this "loophole" the UCI changed the rules to make becoming a UCI team harder and then further down the road cut out the provision for eligibility by simply being on a UCI team. This change could allow for more privateer call-ups to factory teams like when Kona brought Josh Button on for an incredible 5th at Cairns 2016.
Rule 4.14.001bis and 4.13.002 explain the requirements for being eligible for applying for UCI team status. The minimum you would need is having a single rider with one of the following in the previous season's overall OR World Championship:
Elite Men top 60 finish
Elite Women top 25 finish
Junior Men top 25 finish
Junior Women top 10 finish
This is still pretty strict (not so strict as 40 UCI points though) but I'd venture to say a group of young 20-somethings could crowd fund the fastest Junior Woman and/or Man from the Pro GRT (or whatever the new name is) to race worlds one year to a top 10/25 finish, then be on a team with her/him while their parents hold some form of staff function on the team. They would get 30 square meters of pit space at every race on top of plenty of other benefits, none being more important than automatic eligibility to sign up for world cups that season. Might require some very mature Elite racing dudes and VERY cool junior parents, but it sure would be an awesome time racing every world cup with gucci UCI team status.
The only hiccup is that in all the rules I did not see anything guaranteeing UCI Team status being approved, just that if you meet all the qualifications "you can apply" for UCI Team status, I don't know how much the approval depends on the UCI official's feelings the day you are considered.
I just hope that some USA DH girls and guys take advantage of this rule change (and one of their very fast friends) to be able to race more world cups than they otherwise would have.
But...IF the UCI is going to treat MTN in the same ways as they tread roadies - it is a frat. More than what you can do or how you can perform, it is who you know. Does your potential team have the throw to get into an event (or add a person).
I was looking at TUE for changes to the new ruleset, of course, there were none...for some reason (on the road) UCI is more concerned about a minimum bike weight and the retail availability of a bike than a TUE...???? Really????
We all want to see more folks compete, or at least have the opportunity to compete. It is just a shame they seemingly need to be like-minded and subservient to the powers that be...or, on a whim they are not allowed to compete based on an unknown criteria.
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