racing [in A3 races with an A4 license]

ted9308

Can someone on an a4 license compete in an a3 race even if there is already an a4 race on?The secretary in my club is rather confused about the whole new license system and seems to have got me the wrong license..(If i wanted a new a3 license could i just reapply for free seeing that i had already paid??)your help would be greatly appreciated..

ba

not sure to be honest, i used to sign onto B races last year even tho' i was only a C (extra miles) and nobody said anything to me. however should you keep doing it i believe cyclingireland will automatically change your license.

generally there's nothing to say you were dropped from an A4 race and hung in with the A3 bunch.... plausible? but sure its probably just as easy to get a new license...

blorg

You can upgrade yourself if you like and it doesn't cost anything AFAIK. Doesn't seem to if you are upgraded on points anyway, presume it is the same if you upgrade yourself.

For what it's worth I was signing on and racing A3 with an A4 license until the A3 one arrived and no-one said anything.

Any particular reason you want to move up to A3? It seems a lot more crash-tastic than A4 and your change of placing/winning in a race is lower. Since you mention "even if there is already an A4 race on" I am presuming it is not to compete in a particular race.

ted9308

I don't meen to seem snobby but i think that i'm better than a4..I have already rode 2 a3 races this year and have come close to places in both.i also have been fairly active in both i.e not just rolling around at the back all day waiting for a sprint.a4 is not the place to be if you want to contest for junior teams(national and provincial) if most juniors are performing in a category higher..and 2 juniors in 2 categories higher.

Lumen

ted9308 wrote: »

I don't meen to seem snobby but i think that i'm better than a4

(devils advocate)

Then just win a couple of A4 races and you'll get promoted on merit. Should only take a week or two, surely?

Home:Ballyhoura

ted9308 wrote: »

..and 2 juniors in 2 categories higher.

Do you know who these two are by any chance?

EDIT: Is it Gavin Keane and Jack Wilson?

TPMAC

HI,

In response to your original question...

As I understand it, everyone has the option to race one grade above their license grade:

A4 can sign on for A3
A3 can sign on for A2
A2 can sign on for A1

but you cannot sign on for a race more than one level above your grade.

No-one can sign on for a race lower than their grade (probably stating the obvious here!).

Each time you sign on for a grade above your licensed grade you are automatically attributed 2 points by CI on top of any placement points you acquire in that race. This is not an issue as long as you sign the A3 sheet as an A4 rider.

Do 10 races as an A3, never get placed and you'll be upgraded regardless!

If any of the details entered above are incorrect I'd appreciate being corrected.

Cheers

hynesie

TPMAC wrote: »

Each time you sign on for a grade above your licensed grade you are automatically attributed 2 points by CI on top of any placement points you acquire in that race. This is not an issue as long as you sign the A3 sheet as an A4 rider.

Do 10 races as an A3, never get placed and you'll be upgraded regardless!

Does this actually happen in reality though?
I know a couple of guys who've done A3 races on their A4 licenses and I don't see them listed in the latest cycling ireland rankings: http://www.cyclingireland.ie/Home/News/Rider-Rankings-Update.aspx

TPMAC

That's the theory anyway...but its possible CI aren't really looking for lower grade riders and therefore not awarding them the 2pts.

Either way my preference would be to ride the races to which I'm licensed...removes any ambiguity.

However, next time I (A3) show up for a handicapped race and there are 150+ A3's on the start line and only 40+ A2's, I'll be scrambling for a pen to put my name on the A2 sheet. See pics from Bohermeen if your wondering what I'm on about.

Be safe