Twelve Things You Absolutely Have to Know to Race Bicycles:1. Be on time for races. 2. Check your equipment before the race. 3. Pin your numbers on correctly. 4. Be a good, responsible citizen. 5. Understand the free lap rule. 6. Listen to the starting instructions. 7. Ride so as to make it a safe race for everyone. 8. Know the rules for working with teammates. 9. Know when you finish if you get lapped. 10. Be courteous to the folks you meet on race day. 11. Understand the results process. 12. Enjoy your race! It's supposed to be fun! |
Twelve Things You Absolutely Have to Know to Race Bicycles:
- Come to the line on time, ready to race. This is 100% your responsibility. Plan to arrive at least half an hour before registration closes.
- Be sure your equipment is in safe condition, properly adjusted, and conforms to the USAC rules (no handlebar extensions).
- Pin your numbers on correctly. You must wear all the numbers you are given. You may not fold or cut down your numbers. Ever!!!
- Be a good citizen. Use designated toilet facilities, pick up litter, park legally, obey rules of the road when warming up.
- Understand the free lap rule. Free laps are given by the officials, not taken by the riders!
- Given in case of:
- Crash (You actually crashed)
- Flat tire
- Breakage of an essential part of the bicycle
- No free lap for something loose, misadjusted, worn-out, etc.
- Given in case of:
- Listen to the starting instructions. Ask questions if you don't understand.
- Ride so as to make it a safe race for everyone.
- You may work with teammates to get riders off the front, or to pull up a rider who has been dropped. You may not drop back to help a rider gain a lap.
- Riders who lose a lap in a criterium finish on the same lap as the leader. Riders who lose a lap in a road race must complete the distance unless excused by the officials.
- Be courteous to the folks you meet on race day. Organizers, registrars, officials, corner marshals, other riders; all are doing their best to make this a good race and are volunteering their services to enable you to race. Say thank you to corner marshalls when you are warming up or cooling down. It's a small gesture that you can give to show your apprecation that they gave up a day to help you race.
- Understand the results process. The judges post the results as soon as possible after the end of each race. The results become final 15 minutes later. If you have not checked the results within the 15 minutes, don't ask for any changes to be made!
- Enjoy your race! It's supposed to be fun!
