Riders may advance as quickly as they wish up to Sport. However, once a rider has upgraded, he or she will not be permitted to downgrade to a less difficult category without making a formal request to USA Cycling. The upgrading of categories will be noted on the racing license by USA Cycling. The USA Cycling Official at the event may record the upgrade of a rider to Sport or to Expert. The official will then contact the Mountain Biking Region Manager to record the change. A rider may also contact USA Cycling or the Mountain Biking Region Manager by email, in writing, or online to change categories.
Beginner racers must move to the appropriate Sport category after placing in the top five in five races. Failure to do so may result in license suspension.
Sport riders may move up to the expert category after two top five finishes by presenting an upgrade request and a resume to a USA Cycling official or to USA Cycling. Sport riders must advance to the appropriate Expert category after placing in the top five in five races. Failure to do so may result in license suspension.
For mandatory upgrading purposes, classes must consist of the following competitors:
Class Men Women
Senior 20 15
Master age 30-39 20 15
Master age 40-49 15 10
Master age 50+ 5 5
In those classes that require a minimum of ten competitors, the top three in the class are counted for upgrading. In those classes that require five, the top finisher will be counted for upgrading. Upgrades will be based on a rider's placings in his category over a calendar year.
Expert men riders may be eligible to be upgraded to Semi-Pro after a combination of achieving these minimum race results: two top-five finishes at USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) events; three top-three finishes in American Mountain Bike Challenge (AMBC) events; four top-three finishes at a State or Regional Championship event. Overall finish times are factored into upgrade requests. Riders must submit their upgrade requests either online or to the Mountain Biking Region Manager for their state.
A Semi-pro rider placing in two top-three or three top-five finishes at USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) events may be eligible to be upgraded to Pro. AMBC, National, and International events may also be considered (i.e. Sea Otter, UCI events). Overall finish times will be factored into upgrade requests. Riders must submit their upgrade requests through their USA Cycling online membership account or send it to the NORBA Region Manager for their state.”
An expert female rider placing in two top-three or three top-five finishes in the expert open/19+ class at NORBA National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) events may be eligible to be upgraded to Pro. AMBC, National, and International events may also be considered (i.e. Sea Otter, UCI events). Overall finish times will be factored into upgrade requests. Riders must submit their upgrade requests through their USA Cycling online membership account or send it to the Mountain Biking Region Manager for their state.
No rider will be permitted to race Pro or Semi-Pro unless his or her license indicates the Pro or Semi-Pro category.
USA Cycling reserves the right to upgrade Experts or Semi-Pros at any time.
USA Cycling also reserves the right to downgrade riders from the Pro or Semi-Pro category at any time.
A rider who feels he/she has advanced too quickly or is otherwise no longer competitive in his or her category may ask for reclassification by submitting a written request to NORBA identifying his/her results and reasoning. Such a request must be directed to the rider’s Mountain Biking Region Manager and include the current license and a $15 re-issue fee.
When a rider who is participating in a state or regional series has met the upgrading requirements in their current category, (s)he may petition the USA Cycling office for a written waiver to this policy allowing him or her to finish the series for a title. A rider must also have written permission from the series director to receive such a waiver.
