Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a British Cycling Licence to enter?
No, you only need to hold a BC licence if you wish to collect points for your race result. If you do have a licence, you will need to present it at race registration to qualify for points.
To become a British Cycling member click here.
Do I need to enter all the rounds?
No, you can enter as many or as few rounds of the series as you wish. Your four best results will be used to calculate your final series standing. We allocate series points to the first 30 finishers in your category.
Do I have to pre-enter?
You can either pre-enter online via the link, or enter on the day paying in cash. If you pre-enter online you save money and time!
How long is a lap?
In general a lap will be around 4 miles long. The expectation is that a regular racer will complete each lap in about 20 minutes.
How old am I?
Most categories have an age restriction on them. These are listed below. Your age for the series is defined as your age on 31st December 2012. For example Jack is 14 years old at the beginning of the 2012 season. He turns 15 on the 1st October 2012, therefore he is classed in the Youth category.
- Under 12’s – For riders who DO NOT become 13 years old during 2012.
- Juvenile – 13 to 14
- Youth – 15 to 16
- Junior – 17 to 18
- Sport – 19 to 39
- Masters – 30 to 39
- Veteran – 40 to 49
- Grand Veteran – 50+
- Open – 17+
- Expert – 19+ British Cycling licence
- Elite – 19+ British Cycling licence
For more info, see British Cycling
Which category should I enter?
If you are new to racing, we would recommend the Open category which for both male and female races lasts approximately 1 hour. For all other categories race durations please read the British Cycling Mountain Biking Rulebook.
Do you have any tips for a first time racer?
Make sure your bike is in tip-top condition when you arrive on race day, don't forget your helmet (helmets must be worn at all times both during practice and the race), water, tools, a pump and spares. Arrive at the race venue with plenty of time so you're not in a rush to get through race registration, which can get busy. Once you’ve signed on you should fix your race number to the front of your bike using the cable ties provided. Ideally do one lap of the course at an easy pace before your race - this will get you warmed up and also give you warning of any difficult sections.
Get to the start line 10 minutes before the scheduled start of your race and follow the commissaires instructions.
Do you offer refunds if I have entered online?
We offer full refunds of online race entries. Should you wish to withdraw your race entry the organiser must be notified by the Monday before the event in question. After this point your race entry can be transferred to another event at no extra cost. To transfer your race entry you must notify the event organiser on the Friday before the event you are no longer able to attend.
Why is entry on the day more expensive?
For us to provide entry on the day we have to employ reliable staff to man registration as there is cash handling involved, there is a cost involved with this along with banking the takings post event. There is also quite extensive manpower required to process all of the information provided on the entry form both on the day (data input for Timelaps) and post event with data collection and auditing. Our plan for the future is to move towards pre-entries only. The option is simple pre-enter and save money!
Sport and Masters what's the difference?
At regional level (MSG) the Sport and Masters categories are the same apart from the age eligible to race in them. The idea being that you can race against your piers and compete for prizes. If you DO NOT have a BC licence and are between 30 – 39 yrs you can choose to race in either. Should you fall between the 19 – 39 age range and have a BC licence you will automatically be a classed as a Sport rider, you have to request a Masters licence from BC. Be warned though if you select to have a Masters licence and intend on racing at National level the standard of competition is much higher than the Sport category.
Can I race the National Series event at Langdon if we do not have a BCF licence?
All entrants to National series races must be full British Cycling licence holders endorsed with the appropriate age or ability category - a provisional licence is not valid for these races. Elite category races are also open to holders of a valid UCI licence issued by another country. You don’t have to have renewed your licence to enter in advance but it must be in place by the day of the event.
Open and Fun category races are open to non-British Cycling members. Subject to availability entry is also available on the day at a small extra cost.
