This past weekend USA Cycling voted on a handful of proposed rules that could impact cyclocross racing here in the States. The topics and short notice of the upcoming vote caused quite a stir, with racers expressing concerns about banning carbon rims and tubular and tubeless tires for juniors, limiting who gets to race singlespeed in Bend, whether helmet-mounted cameras and visors are unsafe and when and where lapped riders should be pulled (see both the comments on our news story and our cowbell forums).
USA Cycling’s technical director Shawn Farrell told Cyclocross Magazine this morning that the emergency singlespeed legislation has passed, meaning that the singlespeed race at the 2010 National Championships in Bend, Oregon, will be a title race for both men and women. Farrell was unclear at the moment whether the restrictions on which categories are allowed to race was passed as part of the legislation. Currently race registration for the event allows Cat 1-3 men to register (previous singlespeed events at Nationals were non-title races and were open to all categories), and Western Regional Representative Tom Simonson told Cyclocross Magazine last week before the vote that the additional category restrictions to limit the event to Cat 1-2 men and Cat 1-3 women were unlikely to be passed because registration was already open. [Update: Tom Simonson has confirmed the singlespeed category will be open for Cat 1-3 Men and Women]
Farrell also said that the proposal to limit Junior wheel and tires was voted down, allowing riders to continue to use any equipment allowed for Elite racers (although gear restrictions still apply). The proposed rule, as written, would have banned not only composite rims but tubular and tubeless tires.
The controversial helmet camera and visor rule was not passed either, as it was withdrawn before a vote was held.
Stay tuned for all the latest USAC cyclocross rule change news from Cyclocross Magazine.
