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Every detail.

US Cup 2026 Event protocol.

1: REGISTRATION:

• Event registration for Arkansas and California events is online registration only. No day of, onsite registration will be excepted.

UCI RIDER PACKET PICK UP

• There will be a reserved 60 min period at the opening of onsite packet picket on the first day of each US Cup event for UCI elite team licensed riders or UCI Elite Team Managers to pick up racer packets at registration. If you are not a UCI elite team rider or UCI Team Manager, please wait till the window is closed before going to registration.
• At the conclusion of the 60 min window, registration packet pickup will be open to all UCI and amateur riders to pick up their racer’s packets.

2: Cross-Country Call Ups:

U.C.I. XCO Call Up’s for Elite/U23

• UCI XCO Rankings
• Foreign National Team Riders (at UCI discretion)
• Random

U.C.I. XCO Call Up’s for JR 17-18

• UCI XCO Rankings
• Foreign National Team Riders
• USAC XC Rankings (for US riders without UCI points, replaces random call ups for C1 or C2 events. Random for HC status events)
• JR XCO Series Nation Team Protocol -UCI JR XCO Series national team protocol

3: Amateur Cross-Country

New for 2026, JR 13-14 and 15-16 cross-country USXC Open call up’s will be the following:

• Top 16 riders finishes from that rounds short track race.
• USAC XC Rankings
• Random (We reserve the right to make special provisions for foreign amateur racers who are not USAC ranked)
• For other USAC cross-country categories of more than 30 riders, U.S. Cup events will use USAC cross-country rankings to determine call ups.
• For USAC cross-country categories of less than 30 riders it will be “first come, first serve” to the line.

4: SHORT TRACK CALL UP PROTOCOL

Elite Men and Women STXC

• UCI XCO Rankings
• USAC XC Rankings
• Foreign National Riders

Amateur Short Track (All Age groups, excluding JR 17-18 M/W)

• For all USAC amateur age group short track categories with 30 riders or more, call up’s will be based on the following:
• USAC XC rankings
• Random (We reserve the right to make special provisions for foreign amateur racers who are not USAC ranked)

STXC Qualifying Heat Procedures

• For fields of more than 75 riders, there will be two qualifying heats, with the top 30 riders from each heat going to a 60 rider final.

STXC Heat call up protocol JR 15-16 (if applicable)

• JR 15-16 qualifier heats or any age group category will be as follows:
• 1. USAC XC rankings
• 2. Random (We reserve the right to make special provisions for foreign amateur racers who are not USAC ranked)

STXC Heat call up protocol JR 17-18 (if applicable)

• 1: UCI XCO ranking
• 2. USAC XC rankings
• 3. Foreign National Team Riders

* After all riders with UCI points and the next 10 USA Cycling ranked riders (above), the top 2 riders (as provided by a national representative) from each nation (those not holding a USA Cycling license), will be slotted in. Then, the process continues.

Short Track Finals

• Start position for JR 15-16 and 17-18 STXC final will be as follows:
• Once the top 30 riders from each heat race are established, start positions for the finals will be based on a riders elapsed race time from the heat races. That is to say if Heat #1 has four riders with the fastest times, they will be called up first, even over heat # 2 winner, until the 60 spots are filled.
• Provision for extreme weather or circumstance will be at officials discretion to modify the call up procedure above..
• STXC 17-18 special provisions
• * Any rider with UCI XCO points who does not finish within the top 30 of the qualifying heats will move on to the final race as a protected rider. Not required to finish to be protected. Protected riders will be called up based on their UCI XCO points after the 60 riders who qualified in the top 30 per heat.
• Short Track Non Qualifying riders ranking protocol
• * Riders who do not advance to the final will be inserted in the final rankings for upload to USA Cycling. After ranking all riders who finish the finals, unqualified rides will be ranked according to their qualifying position. Heat 1 will be given preference on all ties.

5: LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

• For the UCI JR 17-18 fields you must have a valid UCI license to participate
• License can be found here: UCI license
• To race UCI JR category, a rider must be 17-18 years of age to compete in the UCI category, no exceptions.
• For USAC categories, you must have a valid USA Cycling annual license or purchase a one- day license for CAT 2 and CAT 3 categories only.
• License info can be found here: Adult Membership
• JR rider license info: JR License

6: RACING AGE

• Your racing age is your age on or before December 31, 2026.
• If you are 14 years old on the race day, WHETHER your birthday is the next day or in 6 months, where you will be 15 for the year of 2026, then you would race the 15-16 category and not the 13-14 category as an example. This concept applies to all age categories.

7: RESULTS PROTEST PERIOD

• Results will be posted electronically and a link to this results page will be emailed to all registered riders. This link will be live and updated regularly throughout the race weekend.
• A hard copy of race results will also be posted over on the results board over at the registration tent.
• Riders will have a 15-minute protest period after the conclusion of their race to lodge a formal protest with the timing team or event official over at the start/finish trailer.
• Results are available online and will be posted on the results board over at registration.
• Once the 15 min period has expired, results will become permanent.

8: Do I have to be a top racer to compete at the US Pro Cup? No, anyone of any skill level can race at the US Cup. We are one of the few events where today’s top world cup cross-country Olympians and amateurs race on the same weekend. We have a dedicated amateur day with dozens of skills and age category options.

9: WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET EVENT INFORMATION?

• Your place for up to the minute announcements will be our social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. We also use the current registration database to send out event

updates and communications. Lastly, we do our best to keep the event website www.uscupmtb.com up to date for you to find the info you are looking for.

• If all else fails, we have a contact page, and you can send us a message and we will get back to you.

10: WHAT DO I NEED TO BE ABLE TO RACE?

• You will need a properly functioning bicycle and a helmet at the very minimum. We suggest gloves, riding shorts and a sturdy pair of shoes as well.
• Water will not be served out on course. Instead we offer “Feed zones” where friends, team or family can hand you a water bottle if you do not take one on your own bike.

11: What Amateur Class should I race at the USXC OPEN Series?

• CAT 3=NOVICE and is an intro into MTB racing. Race target times are 30-45 mins. One day licenses are available for purchase should you not an annual USA Cycling license.
• CAT 2=INTERMEDIATE in terms of skills, fitness and racing experience. Race target times are 40-60 mins. One day licenses are available for purchase should you not have an annual USA Cycling license.
• CAT 1=EXPERT in terms of skills, fitness and racing experience. Race target times are 50-75 mins. Annual USA Cycling license is required.

12: I want to race a higher category, but BikeReg isn’t allowing me to, what do I need to do? You will need to reach out to USA Cycling direct for a category upgrade. Below is their requirements results wise for you to jump up to the next category. US Pro Cup CAN NOT upgrade you onsite, do this before you show up to race.

Mountain bike upgrades

The full chart printed in the 2026 event protocol is reproduced below. Blank cells remain blank; no points have been inferred.

See the original upgrade chart

13: Race Winner Jersey’s

• In order to be eligible for a class winners jersey from Athlosports at the Vail and Fayetteville events, there must be a minimum of 3 riders to start the race to be eligible for a winners jersey. So grab your friends and come racing!