2023 ACA Wednesday Criterium Series

Intermediate(3/4)/Advanced(1/2/3) Racers

Bud Harris Cycling Park

Sponsored by the Allegheny Cycling Association
Sanctioned by USA Cycling (USAC)
USA Cycling Race Permit 7257
0.5 mile banked oval

Note: We have eliminated the ACA A,B,C,M,W Class designations in favor of the standard USAC Categories (e.g. 1/2/3).

Series Schedule

  • Every Wednesday beginning April 12 through August 23, 2023
  • Preregistration only online at BikeReg. No at race registration.
  • All Participants must e-sign the following releases online every week when registering at BikeReg:
    • Standard USACycling Release Form
    • 2023 City of Pittsburgh Release Form
  • Races begin at 6:15pm. Race order:
    1. Men USAC Cat 3/4 (Women Cat 2/3/4 eligible to enter)
    2. Men USAC Cat 1/2/3 (Women Cat 1/2/3 eligible to enter)
  • !!NEW!! Annual Picnic !!NEW!!
    • July 5, 2023
    • Everyone welcome
    • Normal Oval course - Prize money + Plenty of primes
    • Racing for all
    • Race Order:
      1. Men USAC Cat 3/4 (Women Cat 2/3/4 eligible to enter)
      2. Men USAC Cat 1/2/3 (Women Cat 1/2/3 eligible to enter)
      3. Masters Men 40+ USAC Cat 2/3/4 and Women USAC Cat 1/2/3 (women scored separately)
      4. Women USAC Cat 3/4/5
      5. Men USAC Cat 4/5 (Women Cat 3/4/5 eligible to enter)

Race Format

  • !!NEW!! April 26 - All races - Chicane course
  • 1st Wednesday of the month (5/2, 6/6, 8/2) - Open USAC Cat 3, 4 - Bullet course
  • 1st Wednesday of the month (5/2, 6/6, 8/2) - Open USAC Cat 1, 2, 3 - Bullet course
  • 3rd Wednesday of the month (5/16, 6/20, 7/19, 8/16) - Open USAC Cat 3, 4 - P course course
  • 3rd Wednesday of the month (5/16, 6/20, 7/19, 8/16) - Open USAC Cat 1, 2, 3 - P course course
  • Rainouts or cancellations of Bullet or P course will NOT be rescheduled to the following week
  • All other Wednesdays - All races - Normal Oval course

Entry Fees

  • !!NEW!! ACA members $13 via $5 coupon code provided with ACA membership.
    A non-member use of a members coupon code will result in a season-long ban from competing in ACA events for both the non-member who used the code and the member who provided it.
  • !!NEW!! non-ACA members $18
  • Fee includes USAC insurance and City of Pittsburgh surcharge
  • First race number is free, replacement fee is $5
    (Numbers from previous years can be used if readable and in good condition)

Categories

  • Men USAC Cat 3/4 (Women Cat 2/3/4 eligible to enter)
  • Men USAC Cat 1/2/3 (Women Cat 1/2/3 eligible to enter)
  • Categories are strictly enforced
  • Distances depend on weather and light conditions and field sizes
  • Field sizes of 40 (Cat 3/4), 45 (Cat 1/2/3) are strictly enforced

Results

  • Results will not be announced at the race
  • Results will be promptly posted at www.acaracing.com
    (normally within 24 hours)
  • There will be no challenges of race results at the race. Challenges may be made to info1@acaracing.com within 24 hours of the posting of the results.

Series Points and Awards

  • !!NEW!! Eleven Race Points Series !!NEW!!
    • Series points begin on June 7, 2023
    • Series points end on August 23, 2023
    • Races on July 5 are non-points races
  • !!NEW!! Points awarded to top eight in each race - 10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1.
  • !!NEW!! Team points for each race awarded to top eight finishers on registered teams - 10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1 (max three team members can score points per event)
  • If a non-ACA member places in the top 8 places, those points are discarded, they are not passed down to the next ACA member.
  • 1 prime worth 1 individual series point each evening in each race*
  • Series Most Aggressive Rider (MAR)
    • Winner of each lap in each race is recorded
    • Racer with most laps at the end of the race is awarded 3 series MAR points for that class**
    • Racer with second most laps is awarded 2 series MAR points for that class**
    • Racer with third most laps is awarded 1 series MAR point for that class**
  • MAR points do NOT count toward regular series points
  • !!NEW!! Ten of the eleven individual races count toward final points total (lowest score is dropped)
  • Racers who score a total of 15 points in the normal race or 5 MAR points in a higher category will have their points frozen in all lower categories.
  • Trophies and prize money to top 3 at annual ACA Awards Banquet.
  • Only currently-paidup 2023 ACA members may accumulate points. (No retroactive points!)
  • You must register as an ACA member through BikeReg BEFORE the race in which you participate in order to score points and in order to get the ACA member race discount (You will NOT be able to join the ACA at the race! All membership registration is online through BikeReg.)
  • Awards -- To be determined later

* Prime series points are individual only. They do not count in the team competitions.
** Tiebreaker is the rider's place in the final sprint.

Prize Money

  • Payouts per Race -- All Categories
    • 1st Place-$15
    • 2nd Place-$10
    • 3rd Place-$5
    • MAR-$10
  • There will be NO on-site cash awards. Prize money dispursement will be managed through PayPal. The ACA will contact prize money winners for their PayPal information.

Directions
The Bud Harris Cycling Park is located at 1401 Washington Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

If you're coming across the Highland Park Bridge toward the zoo, skip the zoo exit off the bridge and take the next exit onto Allegheny River Blvd (Rt 8 south). At the first light, make a right and proceed 1/2 mile on Washington Blvd to the next light. Make a right into the Pittsburgh Police parking lot. You'll be able to see the course from Washington Blvd.

If you're coming from Oakland, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill area, follow Fifth Avenue until it becomes Washington Blvd. Continue on Wash Blvd past the Pgh Fire Fighters Training School. At the next light, make a left into the Pittsburgh Police parking lot and park in the lot to the right of the building.

Rules and Regulations

  • All USACycling Rules apply
  • Standard USACycling Athletes Release, City of Pittsburgh Release and COVID-19 waiver must be e-signed online when registering
  • Please be on your best behavior!!! Abusive or Foul language WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!
  • This is a Pittsburgh City Park. ACA does not own or have exclusive use of this facility.
  • The ACA does have a permit from the city to use this course on Wednesday evenings. However, please be courteous to other citizens who may be using the course when you arrive.
  • There are restroom and vending facilities in the police building adjacent to the course which we are permitted to use. So, please use the toilets there instead of the woods. Wash. Blvd is busy and there will be persons and police coming and going from the parking lot, so please no public urination. You will be DQ'd for this violation.

Do NOT use the parking lot for warmups or cooldowns. The police complain (and enforce this) every week about this, so either warmup in the infield, use the roads or bring trainers or rollers. If you use the infield, please warmup in a clockwise direction (opposite of the race direction).

Do NOT park in the lot reserved for the police. The Oval parking is separated from the police parking.

Weather Conditions

  • Event is held rain or shine, except in downpour/dangerous weather situations
  • Promoters reserve the right to combine classes in inclement conditions
  • Check the web site and social media sites for cancellations at 5:00pm
  • The ACA mail list will also be used to announce cancellations or changes
  • Please see our Flood Policy document for further information

 

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