TOUR DE DIRT 2008

2008 Oklahoma State MTB Championship Race Series

Presented By the

The purpose of the Tour de Dirt (TdD) is to provide a series of competitive mountain bike races in (or near) Oklahoma, whereby a point accumulation process will determine series and State Championship awards for racers of various ages and skill levels.

The TdD is the official USA Cycling-MTB State Mountain Bike Championship Series for Oklahoma. The season will be one calendar year.

USA Cycling Requirements

All TdD races will be permitted by USA Cycling and be officiated by a paid USA Cycling official who is current and in good standing with the governing body.

All Pro, Semi-Pro and Expert racers are required to be USA Cycling members and hold a valid USA Cycling license. Racers in all other categories are encouraged (but not required) to become members by purchasing an annual license.
USA Cycling licensed racers are required to show their current USA Cycling license and legal ID during registration.

Annual licenses ($60 adults / $30 juniors) can be purchased at the race site or on-line (best way).

All racers are required to complete and sign a USA Cycling standard athlete’s release at each event. Minors must have a parent or guardian signature as well.

Non-USA Cycling members in sport and beginner categories will pay an additional $5 to race at each event; the fee will be paid at the race site.

Only SPORT and EXPERT racers are required to have a current annual USA Cycling license to accumulate series and State Championship points and to be eligible for series and State Championship awards. USA Cycling sanctioned races completed before you are licensed WILL NOT COUNT.
Beginners are NOT required to have a USA Cycling license to accumulate series points, but shall pay the $5.00 one day fee to the promoters, for each individual race.

A $5.00 TdD membership card will be required to participate in any TdD event in 2008.  These membership cards are available through the Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship, or at any TdD event registration.  Racers must show their current TdD membership card before they will be allowed to register for that event.

There will be two separate series for 2008, a Spring and a Fall series.  The Spring series will consist of 6 races, with the racers best 5 counting towards the Spring Series Awards. The Fall series will consist of 5 races, with all 5 being counted towards the Fall Series Awards.  
A racer’s 8 in-state USA Cycling sanctioned TdD races will count for State Championship awards.
There is no minimum number of races a participant must enter to count for State Championship, or either series, awards.
Should a tie occur at the end of the season, or either series, the tie will be broken in the following manner:

 1. Total number of first place finishes.

 2. Total number of second place finishes, and so on, until the tie is broken.

All events are required to follow the guidelines established by USA Cycling for License and Classification, Equipment Requirements and Racing Regulations (refer to the USA Cycling-MTB Rule Book).

Competitors are classified according to their age as of December 31st of the current calendar year.

Competitors are also categorized according to ability and racing proficiency:

Beginner: casual, local competitor, first timer, clydesdale*.

Sport: intermediate, regional competitor.

Expert: advanced, national/regional competitor.

P/S/E racers will race with the Senior Expert Men and 19-39 Expert Women.

*Clydesdale category is for male racers weighing a minimum of 200 pounds. Clydesdales must weigh in (shirt, shorts and socks only) at each race they attend. Failure to weigh in or make weight will result in the racer being placed in the appropriate age category with non-Clydesdale riders.

Upgrading to a more difficult category will be permitted and encouraged following the guidelines established by USA Cycling. The presiding USA Cycling official at an event may upgrade a competitor’s license. It is the racer’s responsibility to ensure that the USA Cycling official is aware you wish to upgrade to initiate the process.

A racer may also upgrade online.  Rules regarding mandatory upgrading will be enforced (See NORBA rule book).

The TdD Director reserves the right to force upgrades based on performance throughout the series and based on past performance. 
 
Downgrading to a less difficult category will be permitted following the guidelines established by USA Cycling only. Any competitor who feels they have advanced too quickly may petition USA Cycling in writing for a category downgrade. Refer to the USA Cycling Rule Book for proper procedures. Competitors who downgrade during the series will not be allowed to carry over their accumulated points into a less difficult category.

NOTE: Regardless of what your license indicates, once you race in a more difficult category you may not race in a less difficult category in the future (unless you follow USA Cycling guidelines to downgrade). Doing so will disqualify you from that event and the TDD series.

* Single Speed is an “open” category racing the Sport distance.

 ** Clydesdale category is for male racers weighing a minimum of 200 pounds. Clydesdales must weigh in (shirt, shorts and socks only) at each race they attend. Failure to weigh in or make weight will result in the racer being placed in the appropriate age category with non-Clydesdale riders.

Individual promoters may, at their own discretion, combine classes to allow for more competitive racing. However, points will be applied to each category for the TdD series per the above USA Cycling classifications

Points will be awarded according to USA Cycling standards at each event and will be tallied as follows:

All categories: 1st-60, 2nd-54, 3rd-48, 4th-42, 5th-38, 6th-34, 7th-30, 8th-26, 9th-24, 10th- 22, 11th-20, 12th-18, 13th-16, 14th-14, 15th-12, 16th-10, 17th-8, 18th-6, 19th-4, 20th-2, 21st-0

All race promoters will receive 40 points to compensate for their work at their event and not being allowed to race their own event. 

Each team will consist of a team captain and limited to 25 members. If more members are present, then an A and B team will be created with a team captain for each team.  Fees will be the same for each team. Each captain must register their team and members before the first sanctioned race of the 2008 season. 

Adding of members will be allowed, up to the 25 member limit (only for A team), throughout the season. Team additions after the first race will be $20 per member.  

Team members must also hold an annual USA Cycling license, with the exception of the beginner racers. Registration is $5 per team member and $5 for the team manager. The top 5 finishers of each team in an event will add their race points together. All the series races count (all 11 races, in and out-of-state). The State Championship Team Cup will be given out at the Fall Series awards ceremony. The winning team will have the cup on display, at a local bicycle shop selected by the team captain.

The trophy has to be returned to the TdD director 2 weeks prior to the last race in order to prepare it for the next season. Click here for the Team Sign Up Form (MS XLS)

There will be a Paydirt Program for the Spring and Fall series (not for State Championship).  By completing 12 hours (maximum of 4 hours per day) of trailwork on ANY TRAIL in the state, you will earn a maximum of 40 points to be used for that series.  A racer can earn up to 40 points per series.  

Paydirt points can be put towards just one race in the series.  The Paydirt points will be applied towards your lowest points race of the series, up to a maximum of 60 points. 

For example, if you raced all 5 races in the Spring and your points were as follows, 48, 60, 54, 38, 60; the 40 points would be applied to the lowest points race, the 38, bumping it up to 60. 

The 40 Paydirt points can also be applied to any race you missed.  Trailwork must be completed and the forms must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the final race of that series. 

Forms must be signed by the land manager, park official or club representative and must be accompanied by a roster of who worked along with sign-in and sign-out times.    Download Paydirt Form: PDF or WORD DOC

The Tour de Dirt is the "Official USA Cycling-MTB State Championship Series". The Tour de Dirt works with bicycle clubs, organizations and event promoters to assist in the overall coordination of the state racing series. It assumes no liability for any individual event or the results thereof. Please take the time to thank the race promoters and volunteers when you race their events. Also, visit our sponsor's store, and websites to show your appreciation! It is because of them that we have this series.

Questions or comments about the Tour De Dirt (e.g. race results, series points) can be e-mailed to the TdD director Mark Orton or Christian Combs.

The official TdD mailing address is:
 Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship
 Attn: Tour de Dirt
 P.O. Box 2320
 Oklahoma City, OK 73101-2320

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