Jimmy Mac, friend and editor of Mountain Bike Action, called me last week and asked me what I thought about the “new” rule Rule 1.2.019 which pretty much states that if you have a UCI license and race a non sanctioned bicycle race, such as Leadville 100, Mount Washington Hill Climb, Chequamengon, Whisky 50, Berryman Epic, etc., you can be fined and/or suspended up to 30 days.

I guess that USAC had asked for clarification of the rule and that after Pat McQuaid, seeming czar of all cycling worldwide, informed USAC of his interpretation of the rule. Then, USAC sent out an email that included Mr. McQuaid’s letter and said that they had no choice but to enforce the UCI directive and stated “Therefore, as a member of the International Federation, USA Cycling will comply with the direction from the UCI.”

First of all I need to state that the rule itself just plain sucks and that USAC are chicken shits and have completely rolled over on this. My view of what the organization, which is called USAC, is supposed to do is to promote and encourage the sport of cycling in the United States. This does exactly the opposite of that.

2nd of all, I doubt that the sanctions are legal. I’m not sure if the rule itself is legal in the United States. It’s like the UCI rule that states that more than 50% of the riders on a Continental Pro team have to be under 27 years old. Someone needs to legally challenge both these rules. Any takers?

This rule has been in place for quite a while. USAC just needs to ignore the enforcement or tell the UCI that it isn’t healthy for the sport here in the US and that they don’t plan on enforcing it. After they do this, they need to come up with a better way to encourage all these unsanctioned events to be join them, no matter how superficially. I know they sent out a plan to try to encourage that, but it needs to be at nearly no cost to the promoter. It doesn’t need to be a win-win situation, it needs to be a we’re giving something for free, win, situation for the unsanctioned races.

These races and many more like it are the back bone of American bike racing, especially on the MTB side. As a athlete, I can’t tolerate an organization that tries to tell me which events I can and can’t participate in. I know they feel like they need to have a monopoly on the sport, but that isn’t how it works here in the US.

I personally, plan to ignore the rule. I’ve been doing Chequamegon, and many other unsanctioned events, nearly forever and don’t plan on stopping because these organizations don’t have the mental capacities to make decisions that would benefit all involved. They’ve, once again, lost focus of what is important in the sport and what isn’t.

Here’s a editorial that JHK wrote for Velonews today that explains the situation better.

I wrote a post a couple days ago about how the USAC is now going to enforce a UCI rule that prohibits any rider with a UCI license from competing in non USAC sanctioned events such as Leadville and Chequamegon. I stated in that post that I had no intention of adhering to that rule. Others jumped me to it.

I’ve listened and read more about trying to figure out a work around for the rule and assumed that the powers at the USAC would do what is right and figure something out.

I believed this to be true because on the podcast, link above, Scott Tedro, the president of Sho-Air, said that he had been talking to Micah Rice at the USAC and that he thought that by this time they would have “fixed” it.

Then yesterday, this article at Velonews that implies these “negotiations” have completely fell apart and there is going to be a show down at the Whiskey 50, where Sho-Air is going to be having all its riders, including Jeremiah Bishop, current overall leader of the PRO XCT series (USAC run), participate.

I wish that I was healthy enough to to do this event and participate in the protest and to show an outright refusal to accept USAC’s stance on this UCI rule.

I assume that Jeremiah, Tinker Juarez and others are going to be fined and then suspended for 30 days. The more riders that they have to suspend, the stupider they look in the eyes of their members. Eventually, there won’t be any licenses riders that can participate in their sanctioned races because they have suspended them all.

I would like my name to be included in the legal challenge the Scott Tedro and others must already be ready to file. Maybe it can be even if I don’t go and get suspended, I don’t know. I would be willing to donate money to help support the legal efforts to eradicate this rule.

It is so wrong on so many levels, that even the powers at USAC must recognize this. I don’t think that they have any idea what can of worms they are opening by not getting on top of this situation before it explodes and gets out of hand.

This is going to be a real divisive issue until it has been properly addressed by USAC. It is a total cop out saying that it is a UCI and take it up with them. The USAC is our voice to the UCI and they are the ones that need to take it up with them. This rule mainly applies to only the United States and isn’t a good thing for our sport. It is that simple.

Here’s a link to the Sho-Air press release addressing the issue.