Practice Crits

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 2022 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 $5.05 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 at all times at the race site; infractions will be subject to fines.

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!

  • All Junior (6-18 years old) racing licenses are FREE! So Juniors, please obtain your license on-line directly from USA Cycling before coming to the race. We are no longer able to sell Junior licenses.
  • 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 may purchase a one-day ($10) license on site. You may apply the cost of 1 one-day trial license to the cost of an annual adult membership. Unfortunately we are only able to sell one-day licenses to Novice, non-Junior riders. This is a change from prior years.
  • Cat 1-4 racers must purchase their licenses ($100) on-line from USA Cycling prior to registration for the Practice Crit. There is a one-day option available ($25), but it must also 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 2022 Practice Crit Dates are July 26, August 9, August 23. They are also posted in the Events calendar. All races are on Tuesday evenings. We have a short season this year. Races are generally held rain or shine. If cancellation is necessary, 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)

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.

Please contact the series coordinator Andre Sturm.