Collegiate cycling teams fall into two main categories: varsity and club. Both types of teams race within the same conferences and compete for national titles, but they differ in how they’re operated.

To be eligible, student-athletes must be enrolled full-time at their college or university, and the team must be registered with USA Cycling. Teams are scored as a whole, encouraging collaboration and school pride. Whether you’re racing for fun or gunning for a stars-and-stripes jersey, collegiate cycling is a pathway to competition, community, and personal growth.
 

• Track (August–September): Features individual and team events, as well as head-to-head racing, with the season concluding at Collegiate Track National Championships.

• Mountain Bike (August–October): Features Cross-Country, Short Track, Downhill, Dual Slalom, and Team Relay events, concluding with the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships.

• Cyclocross (November–December): Collegiate races run alongside the broader cyclocross calendar, with individual collegiate categories and the team relay contested at the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships.

• BMX (January-March): Collegiate races are integrated into the broader USA BMX calendar, with the Collegiate BMX National Championship held during a designated USA BMX event weekend.

• Gravel (March-May): A season of long off-road racing that culminates with the Collegiate Gravel National Championships.

• Road (March-May): Features Road Races, Criteriums, and Individual and Team Time Trials, concluding with the Collegiate Road National Championships at the end of the school year.

Riders and teams qualify for Collegiate Nationals based on points earned during their conference’s regular season races.

Starting October 21, 2025, collegiate cycling will align athlete categories with their license categories. The traditional A–D system will no longer be used.