Practice Crits

Crit race
Photo by Chris Kline
A Race starting line-up
Photo by Chris Kline

GMBC holds a practice criterium (crit) race series that is sanctioned by USA Cycling. The crit series runs from late spring to mid-August, on Tuesday evenings. For 2023 all races will be on Water Tower Hill, Colchester, Vermont.

There are three races (A, B and C) and your USAC racing category will determine which race you can enter. The A and B race entry fee is $10 per race. The C race, Junior and full-time student entries are $5 per race. Race fees include the $5.30/rider/day USA Cycling insurance surcharge. USA Cycling entry forms are used. Forms may be printed, completed and handed in at registration or filled out at sign-in. All Junior racers MUST have the signature of their parent or legal guardian on their race form. The C race is an introductory race for riders looking to get a taste of what it is like to race in a criterium. Experienced racers ride the C race with new riders and give racing tips and encouragement!
Helmets must be worn whenever you are on your bike at the race site; infractions will be subject to fines as per USAC rules.

Your USA Cycling license must be shown at registration. You may show your license with a smartphone or a printout. Licenses are no longer mailed. USA Cycling has changed their membership, license fees and procedures recently and this has forced us to change our race sign-in procedures. Please note the changes below so you are ready on race day! The license options may be confusing so please refer to the links below to get the most correct and up-to-date information.

  • All Junior (6-18 years old) racing licenses are $40 (free Junior licenses are now a thing of the past, sorry). A one-day beginner license may be purchased for $15 if you want to try first.
  • Novice or Cat 5 racers may purchase a year membership for $50 directly from USA Cycling which includes a license to race in Novice or Cat 5 races like our C race. Novice racers, including first time Juniors may purchase a one-day ($15) license on site or on-line prior to the event. You may apply the cost of 1 one-day trial license to the cost of an annual adult membership.
  • Cat 1-4 racers must purchase their licenses ($110/year or one-day $35) on-line from USA Cycling prior to registration for the Practice Crit. Please note that even the one-day option ($35), but must be purchased on-line prior to Practice Crit registration. You may have to contact USA Cycling to complete the purchase of a 1-day license, so please start the process before race day because there are still some problems with the USA Cycling website.
  • Riders who compete during the season will be asked to help marshal intersections — all will have to help out so we can have a race series!
  • All USA Cycling rules of racing apply.

The six 2023 Practice Crit Dates are May 9, May 23, July 11, July 25, August 8 and August 22. These are all Tuesdays. Race dates are also posted in the Events calendar. Races are generally held rain or shine. If cancellation is necessary due to predicted thunderstorms or other bad weather events, we attempt to notify riders using the GMBC list serve by 4:30 on race day.

The race is held at Water Tower Circle, Colchester, VT. The course has one corner, is sloping, and is about 500 yards long.

Registration: Begins at 5:30 and closes 10 min prior to your race, no advance registration. Please keep your numbers and reuse in subsequent races.
Starts: C race 6:05; B race 6:30; A race 7:05
Categories and entry fees: All juniors ($5) race in their USAC category. Fields may be combined to form a minimum field at the discretion of the race director and chief referee. Please see information above regarding the purchase of a USAC license–in most cases required PRIOR to arriving for registration.

C includes Cat 5 men and women, all one-day racers ($5 entry fee)
B includes Cat 4 men and women and Cat 3 women ($10 entry fee)
A includes Cats 1-3 men and women ($10 entry fee)

Fields may be combined at the discretion of the promoter and chief referee.

USAC cycling rules apply including penalties for infractions. Entry fee includes the USAC insurance surcharge.

Warm up: Be courteous to traffic, remember that it is rush hour and they all want to go home. No warming up on the course during races unless given permission by the Chief Referee.

Cancelations: Races will be cancelled if conditions (i.e. weather) do not permit safe riding. We will post cancellations on the GMBC email list by 4:30 pm race day when possible.

2023: May 9

2021: July 27, Aug 10, Aug 24

2018: June 12, July 10, July 24, August 7

2015: May 17, June 21, July 5, July 19

Please contact the series coordinator Andre Sturm.