It is expected that it will take a number of months to iron out the creases for which the Road Commission would ask for patience on everyones behalf.
 
The categories sheet club secretaries would have received and what was published on Cyclingireland.ie and irishcycling.com was and still should be treated as a recommended category for each rider. If the category is deemed unsuitable for the rider, ie that the rider should belong in a higher category than what is published then there is no obligation for the rider to remain with the category assigned and should apply for the higher category.
In the case of a rider applying for a category below what is recommended, the rider should make a representation to Cycling Ireland via the e mail on which a decision will be made by the grading officers.
 
All feedback on the new system would also be appreciated at the above e mail address as we will be looking to stabilise the new system as early in the season as possible.

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New licence categories and a revised grading system take effect for the 2010 season. It has become apparent that some race organisers are unsure of which categories they wish to cater for at their event during the 2010 season. The following guidelines may aid in the preparation of events. The new categories are as follows:  

• A+        All riders who are members of a UCI registered team.

• A1        All current S1 riders will be graded as A1.

• A2        All current S2 riders who had scored points within the last 2 years and those juniors and women that the High Performance team have indicated as being of a suitable standard will be graded as A2.  Some veteran riders will be graded as A2 by agreement between the National Grading Officer and the Provincial Grading Officers.

• A3        All  S3 riders who scored points in the last 2 years will be included in this category as well as the remaining veteran, women and junior riders. Any rider who held an S2 license in 2009 may apply to the National Grading Officer to be downgraded to this category.

• A4        A new category for S3 riders who had not scored any points in the last 2 years and beginners wishing to try racing for the first time. 

 A4 Grade Restrictions 

A4 riders are restricted to a maximum distance of 80km (with the exception of permitted stage races and the National B Championship – see below) and prizes will only be given for the first six finishers in A4 only races.

A4 riders may compete with other senior categories in handicap races where the distance will not exceed 80km.

A4 riders are allowed to race with U16 riders as they are governed by the same maximum race distance. 

Junior riders irrespective of their ability category will be limited to the max. junior gear restriction.Irrespective of A4 senior riders riding in youth U16 events the youth riders will be limited to the max.U16 gear restriction 

For stage races A4 riders will not be allowed to compete with A1 or A+ riders. 

For stage races which do not cater for A1/A+ ( e.g., Gorey 3 Day, Corkman 3 Day, Rás Dun na nGall etc.) race organiser’s may apply to the Road Commission for exemption to allow A4 riders compete over the restricted 80km. 

   Time Trials  

A4 riders are entitled to compete in Time Trials irrespective of distance as this event is based on individual effort. 

National Championships 

Seniors within the A4 category will be allowed to compete in the following championships:  

• National B Championships;
• Time Trial Championships;
• Hill Climb Championships;

 All veterans, juniors and women, irrespective of their ability category will be eligible to compete in their respective category championships. 

Please note that:        ” Riders can only ride one National Championship for any given discipline in that year, with the exception of A2,A3 Senior Men who can ride both the Senior Men and B Road Race Championship.

This Championship may only be in the Category that appears on their licence, except where otherwise allowed within these regulations. (reference Technical Regulation T.10.Art.1.32).  

For example: Riders of 40 years of age in the current year or over who takes the option of a Veteran licence can only ride the Veteran's Championships. Similarly a rider of 40 years in the current year or over who takes the option of a Senior licence may ride both the Senior Road Race Championship and the "B" Championship. 

The National B Road Racing Championships is open to all A2/A3/A4 riders who satisfy Technical Regulation T10:A1:27.     One-day licences are not valid for Cycling Ireland Championships. 

Grading

Riders must be aware that the category proposed for them is only a guideline - proposed grading can be viewed at http://www.cyclingireland.ie/Home/Road/Documents.aspx.

If a rider feels they are capable of competing in a category above what is stated they can simply apply for that category.

If they wish to compete below what is stated representation must be made to the National Grading Officer/ Provincial Grading Officers. An e mail to will suffice.

A guide to the allocation of points can be found below (Attached as appendix 1) 

Calendar 

If an organiser does not want members of UCI registered teams at their race they must ensure they do not include A+ on their event application. 

If an organiser does not want to promote a beginners race they must ensure they do not include A4 on their event application. 

In the light of the Clarification Document some clubs may now wish to change the categories they wish to cater for at their events and if so they should contact the staff at Kelly / Roche House as a matter of urgency. The categories originally requested may still appear in the printed handbook but can be rectified on the online calendar.   

    Provinces and A4 Race Promotion 

Provinces are asked to encourage their clubs to promote as many A4 only races (or combined races with U16s in conjunction with the Youth Commission) as possible throughout the season. This may easily be the case with the largest numbers anticipated in this category. (See table below based on 2009 with some variation expected in 2010).    

One-day Licences 

One-day licences at all events will now become the responsibility of the race organiser. See Cycling Ireland procedure CI-PROCEDURE002 (attached as appendix 2).                  

Appendix 1 

CHAPTER T3 - UPGRADING 

1.         Points will be awarded on all open and league races in Ireland as follows: -             

(a)        In road races, up 60km, points to be awarded 3-2-1            

(b)        In road races over 60km and up to 100km, points to be awarded: 6-5-4-3-2-1            

 (c)        In road races over 100km, points to be awarded, 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1            

(d)        National League road events points will be awarded 12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3            

(e)        In any race with 20 riders or less, points to be awarded 3-2-1            

 (f)        National Senior Road Race Championship - Double points as detailed in (d) above.            

(g)        National Veterans & National ‘B’ Road Race Championship 12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3.            

 (h)        National Time Trial Championship 6-5-4-3-2-1. For all disciplines.            

 (i)         National Hill Climb Championship 6-5-4-3-2-1.            

 (j)         National Criterium Championship 12-10-8-6-4-2.            

(k)        International Calendar single day events – Double points awarded as (d) above.            

(l)         Stage races – per stage as (a), (b), (c) above in respect of road stages and time trial stages 3-2-1, final general classification - points to be awarded: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.             

(m)      International Calendar stage races – per stage as (f) and (h) above, final general classification points to be awarded 34-32-30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6.            

 (n)       In Time Trial Leagues comprising six (6) or more events, points to be awarded 3-2-1 for the first 3 overall in the League.

 2.      

 (a)          Category A2’s on amassing 25 points in a calendar year will be upgraded to A1s            

(b)        A2’s with less than 25 points at year-end carry 50% of total obtained, rounded down, to next year.            

 (c)        A1’s on the first full year following their upgrade, and each year thereafter, must obtain 10 points, or revert back to A2 with the points obtained in their last year as an A1 rider.3.       (a)          Category A3’s on amassing  20 points in a calendar year will be upgraded to A2s             (b)        A3’s with less than 25 points at year-end carry 50% of total obtained, rounded down, to next year..4.         (a)        Newcomers to the sport and persons who have been out of competition for a minimum of 3 years may apply for a A4 licence subject to the approval of the National Grading Officer             (b)        A4s on amassing 10 points will be upgraded to A3s.             (c)        A4s will be limited to a maximum daily distance of  80km .             (d)        An event promoter may apply to the appropriate Cycling Ireland authority to waive rule T3.4.(c) above.             5.         Upon reaching the necessary points for upgrading, the riders will submit their licence and number to Cycling Ireland for re-issue with their new category. 6.         Commissaires have the power to withdraw a rider's licence if his points total is in excess of that required for upgrading and to submit it in accordance with rule T3.5 above. 7.         When a rider reaches the appropriate points total for re-grading the rider will be deemed to be regraded from that point in time. 

8.         When a grading dispute arises, this may be submitted to the National Grading Officer for resolution.

 9.         Former International riders will normally be issued with a A1 licence.  However on representation to the National Grading Officer he may be re-graded as A2 or A3. 10.       Riders may apply for re-grading to the Provincial Grading Officer.  Similarly the Provincial Grading Officer may request, with the riders agreement, that they be re-graded.  However all decisions are subject to the final approval of the National Grading Officer.  Riders upgraded under this rule will be subject to the same conditions as a rider who has been regarded in accordance with rules T3.2, T3.3 and T3.4 above.  Consideration should be given to replacing the “B” championship with a championship open to riders without contract i.e. excluding A1+ (this is common practice with a number of other national federations) or simply leave the “B” championship as open to categories A2, A3 and A4. Separate championship for A2/A3 riders with the exception of Veterans, Juniors and Women who will continue to have their own championship. There will be no A4 championship. Consideration to be given to awarding 1 point to any A3 or A4 rider who finishes in the 6-20 place of a multi-day stage race     

          Appendix 2 – CI-PROCEDURE002, Competition One-day Licence Process 

1.       Background and Objectives 1.1     Following the 2009 AGM a working party was established to review the competition one-day licence process so as to: ·         reduce the administration burden currently placed on both commissaires and the office; ·         ensure that there is accurate recording of one-day licence money; ·         ensure that there is accurate recording of points awarded to one-day licence holders (resulting in them being upgraded if applicable); ·         that no undue obstacles are placed in the way of a person wishing to try a race, training camp, leisure spin on a "one-off" basis; ·         Have a revised system in place for 2010 season. 1.2     It should be noted that:·         A rider taking out a one-day licence is only eligible for the overall prize-fund, i.e., is excluded from category prizes;·         A rider cannot ride National Championships on a one-day licence.  To ride a National Championship riders must be the holder of either a full or restricted competition licence.  The discipline of the restricted licence will govern which championship can be ridden;·         There is no regulation requiring Commissaires to issue one-day licences. 

2.       Agreed Proposal 2.1    Responsibility for the sign-on desk (including confirmation that riders possess the correct licence for the event they are entering) and issuing of one-day licences is placed with the Race Organisers.  Competitors with the appropriate current competition licence sign-on using the normal sign-on sheet.       

3.       Process for Competition One-day Licences 3.1    Cycling Ireland Office maintain a stock of sequentially numbered A3 One-day Licence Sheets (in duplicate).3.2    Race Organisers request from the Cycling Ireland Office at least two weeks in advance of their event the requisite number of One-day Licence Sheets (there are 25 lines per sheet).3.3    The Commissaire provides the Race Organiser with back numbers (back numbers are issued to Commissaires by the Regional Technical Officers) for use by one-day licence holders.3.4    The Race Organiser returns, to the Cycling Ireland Office, the original copy of the One-day Licence Sheet along with the appropriate fee - within one week.  Failure to return One-day Licence Sheets will result in the full club affiliation fee been charged the following year regardless of when the club affiliates.  The One-day Licence Sheet is to be returned even if no one-day licences are issued.3.5    The duplicate One-day Licence Sheet is returned by the Commissaire along with the Commissaire’s report and Sign-on Sheet.3.6    The Cycling Ireland Office logs and tracks the issue and return of One-day Licence Sheets and records points obtained by riders competing under one-day licences to facilitate grading of the rider if they subsequently take out an annual licence.