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I wrench for a NICA team when the racing season is on, and we’ve got a couple of consistent podium finishers who are interested in racing National Champs in 2024. They are Varsity racers in the NICA league, and due to birthdate their racing age will be 19, putting them in the U23 class. From what I found there are no point minimums or specific results needed to race at Nattys in that age group. Is this true? I can’t find any concrete answers and the USAC website is about as clear as mud.
I appreciate the help!
I can’t say for XC or recently, but back when I raced DH you were required to have placed in a decent position at sanctioned races to qualify for nats in age categories. In Pro all that was required is a UCI license.I went through the USAC rule book (horrendously organized by the way) and found this in Chapter 7 page 116-117:
7B8. Mountain Bike Qualification: Qualification standards for cross country and downhill national championships will be published 6 months before the National Championships in each discipline.
7B9. Mountain Bike Qualification Guidelines
(a) Riders shall compete in the highest ability category for each respective discipline in which they have qualified for the USAC National MTB Championships.
Masters riders who qualify in a younger age-group in the same ability category are qualified, but will compete in their official racing age-group at the USAC MTB National Championships.
(b) The qualification period opens the first Saturday after the National Championship in the respective discipline. The qualification deadline is the last Sunday before each respective National Championship.
It would appear you’ll have to wait until 6 months prior to National Champs to learn what qualifies you for it and if XC is anything like DH you’ll have a time time finding a race to do that’s sanctioned.
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