Officials' Categories & Advancement

Category C

In order to become an official, you must take an Officiating 101 class (or C Clinic) in your local area or complete the online version of the class. At the completion of either of these options, you then become a level C official. The class will give you exposure to bike racing vocabulary, the format of the types of bike races that are available for you to work in your area, and some of the skills that you will be learning and practicing at those races. In some areas you may also be required to shadow at a race or two before your first real assignment as an official. 

As a level C official, you may be assigned to the following positions at a local race: 

  • Chief Judge (with enough experience)
  • Assistant Referee
  • Assistant Judge

Pathway to Road, Track and Mountain Bike Upgrading

Road Modules

To upgrade to Level B for Road, you must complete the following modules with a 70% assessment or better and take the Chief Referee Workshop:

RB Module 1 – Customer Service (PDF)

RB Module 2 – Assistant Judge (PDF)

RB Module 3– Assistant Referee — Criterium (PDF)

RB Module 4 – Assistant Referee — Road Race (PDF)

RB Module 5 – Assistant Referee — Time Trial (PDF)

RB Module 6 – Assistant Referee — Cyclocross (PDF)

Track Modules

To upgrade to Level B for Track, you must successfully complete the 7 required modules and the Excel exercises:

Module 0 - Customer Service (PDF)

Module 1 - General Track Principles (PDF)

Module 2 - Chief Referee (PDF)

Module 3 - Time Trials (PDF)

Module 4 - 200 m TT & Match Sprints (PDF)

Module 5 - Mass Start Events (PDF)

Module 6 - Keirin Racing (PDF)

Module 7 - Madison Racing (PDF)

Exercises - All track module exercises (Excel 2010)

Mountain Bike Modules

To upgrade to Level A for Mountain, you must successfully complete the online Mountain Bike - Category A course through USA Cycling's Learning Management System (LMS). The course is online in a self-paced environment and uses an automated grading system. To access LMS, follow these instructions. USA Cycling's membership data is not fully imported into the LMS, so you may need to create a profile in the LMS system. For help, contact us at Officials@usacycling.org.

The original modules may still be completed and are listed below for convenience.

Module 1 - Customer Service (PDF)

Module 2 - Assistant Judge (PDF)

Module 3 - Assistant Timer (PDF)

Module 4 - Race Secretary & Registrar (PDF)

Module 5 - Endurance Events (PDF)

Module 6 - Downhill & Time Trial (PDF)

Module 7 - Chief Referee (PDF)

Module 8 - Post Event (PDF)

Exercises - All mountain bike module exercises (Excel 2010)

Road Modules

To upgrade to Level B for Road, you must complete the following modules with a 70% assessment or better and take the Chief Referee Workshop:

RB Module 1 – Customer Service (PDF)

RB Module 2 – Assistant Judge (PDF)

RB Module 3– Assistant Referee — Criterium (PDF)

RB Module 4 – Assistant Referee — Road Race (PDF)

RB Module 5 – Assistant Referee — Time Trial (PDF)

RB Module 6 – Assistant Referee — Cyclocross (PDF)

Track Modules

To upgrade to Level B for Track, you must successfully complete the 7 required modules and the Excel exercises:

Module 0 - Customer Service (PDF)

Module 1 - General Track Principles (PDF)

Module 2 - Chief Referee (PDF)

Module 3 - Time Trials (PDF)

Module 4 - 200 m TT & Match Sprints (PDF)

Module 5 - Mass Start Events (PDF)

Module 6 - Keirin Racing (PDF)

Module 7 - Madison Racing (PDF)

Exercises - All track module exercises (Excel 2010)

Mountain Bike Modules

To upgrade to Level A for Mountain, you must successfully complete the online Mountain Bike - Category A course through USA Cycling's Learning Management System (LMS). The course is online in a self-paced environment and uses an automated grading system. To access LMS, follow these instructions. USA Cycling's membership data is not fully imported into the LMS, so you may need to create a profile in the LMS system. For help, contact us at Officials@usacycling.org.

The original modules may still be completed and are listed below for convenience.

Module 1 - Customer Service (PDF)

Module 2 - Assistant Judge (PDF)

Module 3 - Assistant Timer (PDF)

Module 4 - Race Secretary & Registrar (PDF)

Module 5 - Endurance Events (PDF)

Module 6 - Downhill & Time Trial (PDF)

Module 7 - Chief Referee (PDF)

Module 8 - Post Event (PDF)

Exercises - All mountain bike module exercises (Excel 2010)

Format of the Modules

Each module comes with several parts:

  • Introductory material that explains the goals of the module and any prerequisites, including required reading
  • A module pre-test that you will complete and then check your own answers in the back.
  • The observed practical tasks of the material that you perform to pass the module
  • A check-off sheet where the tasks can be documented by the Chief Referee of the race(s) where you complete the module

Some modules are longer than others. Some could easily be done in one race. Others specifically require working multiple races. Some require tasks you might not see at every race, so you might have to work several before the situation presents itself. Some modules have more theory and less practical than others too.

How to get started

To get started, contact us at Officials@usacycling.org. USA Cycling will assign a National Technical Commission member to help manage the level B road or track upgrade process. They will help you through the process and be available for questions.

Pathway to Motor Referee Advancement

Motor Referee upgrade information can be found here.