USA Cycling Series & Calendars Overview

UNITED STATES PRO ROAD RACE EVENTS

The calendar is a compilation of all USA Cycling National Racing Calendar, National Criterium Calendar, Professional Road National Championship and UCI road races scheduled in the United States in 2012. These United States professional road race events represent the best of the best in American professional road cycling.

NATIONAL RACING CALENDAR (NRC)

Currently in its 15th season, the National Racing Calendar (NRC) is the premier season-long domestic road cycling series sanctioned by USA Cycling. With an overall ranking system that determines the best individual male and female cyclists, as well as the best teams in the U.S., the NRC features the nation’s top Pro-Am road race events, boasts a total prize purse of more than one million dollars, is comprised of 29 events, and is open to both professional and amateur cyclists.

NATIONAL CRITERIUM CALENDAR  (NCC)

Created in 2012 to showcase the country's top criterium-only events, the National Criterium Calendar (NCC) recognizes the best crit racers on American soil by employing a season-long rankings system that identifies overall men's and women's individual and team series leaders.

LANCE ARMSTRONG JUNIOR RACE SERIES (LAJRS)

The USA Cycling Junior Road Race Series, which began in 1992, has provided opportunities for aspiring junior riders across the United States. Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has agreed to add his name to the race series, now called the Lance Armstrong Junior Race Series (LAJRS). Thanks to his generosity and to the cooperation and hard work of event organizers and their staffs, the LAJRS program has evolved into a nationally recognized junior and espoir-aged race series. The number of designated events has increased each year since 1993, from only 12 events in 10 states in 1993 to nearly 100 events nationally.

PRO MOUNTAIN BIKE CROSS-COUNTRY TOUR (PRO XCT)

The Pro MTB Cross-Country Tour (Pro XCT) offers cross-country Olympic-style (XCO) and short-track cross-country (STXC) racing. All six Pro XCT events in 2011 are UCI-sanctioned, allowing Elite (pro) riders the opportunity to earn valuable UCI ranking points. Pro teams registered as USA Cycling Domestic Pro MTB teams are also eligible for professional team rankings.

PRO MOUNTAIN BIKE GRAVITY TOUR (PRO GRT)

The Pro MTB Gravity Tour (Pro GRT) offers downhill (DH) racing. Individual rider rankings will be offered for the Pro category. The gated events, such as dual slalom and four-cross (4X), may also be offered at some of the five stops on the 2011 Pro GRT.

PRO MOUNTAIN BIKE ULTRA-ENDURANCE TOUR PRO (UET)

Through its five-stop calendar, the Pro MTB Ultra-Endurance Tour (Pro UET) will offer various disciplines of racing for endurance athletes. Individual rider rankings will be offered for the Pro/Solo category in 6-hour, 24-hour, marathon, and ultra-marathon events around the country. The top-10 ranked riders in the Pro/Solo category for both males and females will have the bragging rights to a top-10 number plate at each event.

AMERICAN MOUNTAIN BIKE CHALLENGE  (AMBC)

The American Mountain Bike Challenge (AMBC) series was created in 1996 to recognize, support, and provide top-level regional racing opportunities for racers of all abilities. AMBC competitions are excellent places for riders to try the racing scene for the first time or seasoned athletes to test their skills against their fellow racers. All AMBC events offer cross-country racing, with some events also including downhill, dual slalom, four cross, short-track cross-country, and/or observed trials competitions. The AMBC has also expanded in the past few seasons with a competitive 50-miler and two stage races.

ALISON DUNLAP JUNIOR RACE SERIES (ADJRS)

For more than a decade the Alison Dunlap Junior Race Series (ADJRS) has provided racing opportunities for junior mountain bike athletes across the country. In 2003, world and national champion Alison Dunlap endorsed the program and has since helped the series reach new levels. As part of USA Cycling’s athlete development pipeline, the ADJRS gives riders aged 15 to 18 the opportunity to enhance their athletic growth by earning invitations to USA Cycling Regional Development Camps. In addition, the top 10 riders in both genders and all categories and age groups in the ADJRS qualify to compete at their respective national championships (cross-country or gravity).

NATIONAL TRACK CALENDAR (NTC)

Created in 2012 to feature the country's preeminent velodromes, the USA Cycling National Track Calendar (NTC) recognizes the best track cyclists in the U.S. The calendar employs a season-long rankings system where points are awarded to the top ten finishers in four sprint events (match sprint, keirin, team sprint, and time trial) and five endurance events (points race, scratch race, individual pursuit, team pursuit, and Madison). At the end of the calendar, a male and female winner will be named for both the sprint and endurance categories.

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL CYCLO-CROSS CALENDAR (USICX)

The United States International Cyclo-cross Calendar (USICX) features the premier cyclo-cross events in America and uses an overall ranking system to determine the best individual male and female ‘cross racers over the course of the season. The USICX includes all of the UCI-inscripted category 1 and 2 races in the country and concludes with the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships.

CYCLO-CROSS NATIONAL CALENDAR (CXNC)

The purpose of USA Cycling's Cyclo-cross National Calendar (CXNC) is to recognize top domestic events and provide them with the opportunity to achieve UCI recognition. Those races that seek UCI inscription and inclusion on the United States International Cyclo-cross Calendar (USICX) must first be part of the CXNC for at least one year.