USCF Upgrade

My request for upgrade for my USCF License from Cat V to Cat IV has been approved.

I am still very concerned with crashing. It seems that every race that I have watched or participated in has had crashes. This is very scary to me. Yes cycling is a dangerous sport to begin with it. I would like to think that I can control my destiny by riding smart and towards the front of the pack. But I have been reading reports of crashes happening even in the first 10 wheels. In the thousands of miles I have ridden in Ultras I have come close only a handful of times BUT I have never crashed. The one time I did crash in a double century I was alone and fell asleep and ran off the road. Granted the intensity is less but we still have pacelines and we are in them for hours upon hours. I like the adrenaline rush of USCF racing but I am terrified of inexperienced riders or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My next goal is to upgrade to Cat III.

Here is the upgrade criteria straight from USA Cycling.

"4-3: 20 points in any 12-month period; or experience in 25 races with a minimum of 10 top ten finishes with fields of 30 riders or more, or 20 pack finishes with fields over 50. 30 points in 12 months is an automatic upgrade"

For Criteriums and Road Races
Number of Starters


Placing 5-10 11-20 21-50 50+
1........3.....4.....5......7
2........2.....3.....4......5
3........1.....2.....3......4
4..............1.....2......3
5....................1......2
6...........................1

For Road Races

Points awarded for Road Races
Number of Starters

Placing 5-10 11-20 21-50 50+
1........3.....7.....8.....10
2........2.....5.....6......8
3........1.....4.....5......7
4..............3.....4......6
5..............2.....3......5
6..............1.....2......4
7....................1......3
8...........................2
9...........................1






See you at the races.