2006 OBRA rule changes

mike.m-@obra.org

2006-01-22



UCI went to the "points for laps" rule because they figure that spectators

are too stupid to figure out the laps/points thing. Personally I don't like

the rule because I think even stupid people can figure out this basic

concept. After all, they are able to comprehend the rules of football,

hockey and basketball which are a whole lot more arcane. Generally the

results will be the same under both methods but if there is a difference it

will be in a bad way (to my mind) under the UCI rule. For example, this

year at the Worlds if the women that ended up winning the Points Race had

not placed in the last sprint and if the one that finished second had won

the last sprint then the second women would have won despite being a lap

down on the winner who took a lap solo. I don't think anyone should ever be

a lap up and lose (or conversely a lap down and win).



On the other hand, this has been the UCI and USCF rule for several years and

one could make the argument that we should comply if only so riders don't

need to remember a different rule only in Oregon.



Mike Murray

-----Original Message-----

From: Gregory Leblanc [mailto:gleb-@linuxweasel.com]

Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 19:26 PM

To: mike.m-@obra.org

Cc: 'OBRA Remailer'

Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] 2006 OBRA rule changes





On Sun, 2006-01-22 at 18:34 -0800, mike.m-@obra.org wrote:



Below are the rule changes that I am going to propose at the annual meeting

on February 5. Most of these are to keep OBRA rules in line with USCF

rules. Please comment as you see fit.





[snip]



Special consideration

Change:



19.3.10 - POINTS RACE

.For standard points races this is usually every five laps, or every 2 km.

For standard Points races in each sprint, the first four riders shall

normally be awarded points in order of finish as follows: 5 points, 3

points, 2 points, 1 point. The number of points may be doubled on the final

sprint or on intermediate sprints as designated by the official. Any rider

who gains a lap on the main field will receive 20 points. Any rider who

loses a lap to the main field will lose 20 points. .



Finish.

.

(b) Laps gained shall take precedence over points in determining final

placings. Points determine the final placings of riders who are equal on

laps. When riders are tied on both laps and points,"





I know UCI is using this rule, and I'm guessing that USCF is as well, based

on the first line of this message. I'm not personally very big on this

change, though I certainly don't take laps in points races, which should

mean it gives me a better chance against the folks that do. Anybody know

why UCI et. al went to this rule?

    Greg



Gregory Leblanc

2006-01-22

On Sun, 2006-01-22 at 18:34 -0800, mike.m-@obra.org wrote:



 Below are the rule changes that I am going to propose at the annual

meeting on February 5. Most of these are to keep OBRA rules in line

with USCF rules. Please comment as you see fit.



[snip]



          Special consideration

         Change:

         

         19.3.10 - POINTS RACE

         ?For standard points races this is usually every five laps, or

         every 2 km. For standard Points races in each sprint, the

         first four riders shall normally be awarded points in order of

         finish as follows: 5 points, 3 points, 2 points, 1 point. The

         number of points may be doubled on the final sprint or on

         intermediate sprints as designated by the official. Any rider

         who gains a lap on the main field will receive 20 points. Any

         rider who loses a lap to the main field will lose 20 points.

         ?

         

         Finish.

         ?

         (b) Laps gained shall take precedence over points in

         determining final placings. Points determine the final

         placings of riders who are equal on laps. When riders are tied

         on both laps and points,?





I know UCI is using this rule, and I'm guessing that USCF is as well,

based on the first line of this message. I'm not personally very big on

this change, though I certainly don't take laps in points races, which

should mean it gives me a better chance against the folks that do.

Anybody know why UCI et. al went to this rule?

    Greg



mike.m-@obra.org

2006-01-22

Below are the rule changes that I am going to propose at the annual meeting

on February 5. Most of these are to keep OBRA rules in line with USCF

rules. Please comment as you see fit.



If anyone else has rule changes it is important to recognize that proposed

rule changes need to be presented in writing, preferably in the actual

wording. These will be voted on by member club representatives. Generally

that means whoever is in the room who is a member of a dues paid club. If

your club wants a more formal process for designating the representative

then it is up to you to figure that one out. If you want to make sure your

club has a vote make sure that annual dues are paid and that someone shows

up.





Mike Murray



Change 6.2 to:

?6.2 Entry forms/Race announcements must be approved by the OBRA Executive

Director prior to publication. The Entry forms/Race announcements will, at a

minimum, be published on the OBRA web page (www.obra.org) or in a location

that can be linked from that site and also distributed to the OBRA listserv.

This should occur at least 30 days before the event. Any conflicts between

different publications of the Entry forms/Race announcement will be resolved

based on the information posted to the web site. Any changes to the

information on the Entry forms/Race announcements must be approved by the

OBRA Executive Director or Chief Referee. Unless there are extenuating

circumstances. Information regarding categories, start times, entry fees,

prizes or entry restrictions will not be changed except to add categories or

increase prizes. Statements that allow for changes in categories, start

times, entry fees, prizes and/or entry restrictions will not be permitted.?



Change:

?17.6.16 A rider who has a mishap in the last 3 kilometers of a road

stage or after the end of free laps in a criterium stage will be given the

same finish time as the riders he was with at the time of the mishap. The

rider shall be given his actual place across the finish line , or last in

the stage if he is unable to cross the line. he would have obviously

received. If he was in a group he will be placed last in that group. ?





Change 5.1 to:

?5.1 - Unless otherwise stated in the entry form:

- the minimum field size is 5.

- maximum field limit will be 100 riders.

- maximum field limit for category 5 is 50 riders.

- maximum field limit for a field containing category 5 riders is 75

riders.?



Change 14.5 to:



?14.5 Any protest about the order of finish must be lodged within 15 minutes

of posting. There is no fee required for a protest about the results. In

stage races or series races results may be protested until the end of sign

in start of the following stage or the next race in the series. For the

final race in stage races or the last race in series events and for all

other races, if there are no protest within 15 minutes of posting the

results will be considered final.?



Change 19.3.1 to:



?19.3.1 - SCRATCH RACE

A scratch race is one in which all riders start from the same point at the

same time. The race shall be run over a specified number of laps and the

riders classified according to the order in which they cross the line on the

final lap. If permitted by the Chief Referee, free laps up to a distance of

1300 meters may be taken in a case of a mishap. However, free laps may not

be taken in the final kilometer of the race. Riders taking free laps may not

return to the track in the final kilometer. Riders who suffer a mishap and

do not return to the track will not be placed.?



Change 19.3.3:

?19.3.3 - SPRINT

?

Distance. Sprints are run over two laps on a track of 333.33 meters

or greater, or over three laps on a smaller track or as designated by the

officials.

The starting position of each rider shall be decided by the drawing

of lots. The rider drawing the inside position is obligated to lead at the

start. Following the start, the leader may not perform a standstill for more

than 30 seconds. If he or she does, the official shall require the rider

initiating the standstill to continue the race. If the rider fails to

continue, the starter shall stop the race, after a warning, and declare the

other rider the winner of the heat In a three or four-up race, the race

shall be immediately rerun as a two or three-up race, without the relegated

rider . A maximum of two standstills shall be permitted for each race. A

rider may initiate any number of standstills during a heat. The rider on

the inside of the track, unless overtaken, shall lead until reaching the

pursuit line on the opposite side of the track or another point on the track

as designated by the official before the start of the race.?



Change 19.3.5:



?19.3.5 - KEIRIN

?

      (c) In the case of a mishap in the first 30 meters, a false

start shall be declared half lap, the race shall be stopped (immediate

restart);

      (d) If the leading edge of the front wheel of any rider's

bicycle draws even with the pacer's chainset axle back edge of the pacer?s

rear wheel while the pacer is still on the track, the rider shall be

disqualified.

     (e ) The race will be stopped in the event of illegal behavior

by one or more riders while behind the pacer. The race shall be rerun

without the rider(s) at fault.

     (f) Any other restarts are at the discretion of the Chief

Referee.?



Change 19.3.9:



?19.3.9 - TEAM SPRINT

Team Sprint is a race run over three laps of a track by two teams of

three riders, each of whom shall lead for one lap. The number of riders per

team (and total laps) shall be specified; generally it will be three for men

and two for women. The event may be organized into qualifying heats leading

to a final. The qualifying heats select the four best teams on the basis of

their times. In the finals, the teams with the two best times ride off for

first and second and the others ride off for third and fourth. In three lap

events there may be four riders entered for each team but a racing team of

no more than three of those riders may compete in a given session.

Starts

(a) In the finals, the team with the best time shall start in the

home straight.

(b) The composition of a team may be modified from one round to

another but an incomplete team (less than three one riders per lap) may not

start.

(c) If any member of a team starts before the pistol shot a false

start shall be called.

Successive Pulls

(a) The leading rider shall move toward the outside of the track

after one lap and then drop back and leave the track without hindering the

other team.

(b) The next rider that was in second position shall lead the

following lap and then shall drop out in the same manner.

(c) The third last rider shall complete the last lap alone.?



Change:

19.3.10 - POINTS RACE

?

Free Laps

(a) In case of mishap, the rider involved shall be given one or more

free laps totaling nearest to 1300 meters per mishap.

(b) Free laps may not be taken in the final 2000 meters 5 laps of

the race. Riders taking a free lap may not return to the track in the final

kilometer.

(c) To be eligible to score points in a sprint following a rider?s

mishap, the rider must have rejoined the group they were previously a part

of before they start the sprint lap.

Finish.

(a) A points race ends when the leader completes the required

distance or the designated time has elapsed. All other riders will finish on

the same lap as the leader. Riders who have mishaps in the last 2000 meters

and who are prevented from returning to the track in the last kilometer

shall retain the points and laps that they had at the time of the mishap

relative to the main group. Other riders who fail to complete the race shall

not be placed.

(b) Laps gained shall take precedence over points in determining

final placings. Points determine the final placings of riders who are equal

on laps. When riders are tied on both laps and points, the order of finish

in the final sprint shall be used to break the tie. Tied riders who cannot

be placed in the final sprint are placed according to the number of first

places in sprints shall be used to break the tie. If still tied, then the

number of second places in sprints shall decide. If still tied, then the

order of finish in the final sprint shall be used?.



Change:

?19.3.11 - MADISON

?

Mishaps.

Should one of the riders suffer a mishap, his teammate shall

immediately take the team position and continue to race without relief until

his teammate returns. If both riders suffer mishaps, the team shall be

entitled to free laps equal to the number of laps nearest 2000 1000 meters.

On returning to the race, a member of the team shall resume the position the

team occupied before the mishap. Teams taking free laps may not return to

the track in the final kilometer. There shall be no free laps taken in the

final 2000 meters of the race; a team entitled to free laps at that point or

prevented from returning to the track in the final kilometer shall be placed

according to the laps and points held at the time of the mishap.?





Special consideration

Change:



19.3.10 - POINTS RACE

?For standard points races this is usually every five laps, or every

2 km. For standard Points races in each sprint, the first four riders shall

normally be awarded points in order of finish as follows: 5 points, 3

points, 2 points, 1 point. The number of points may be doubled on the final

sprint or on intermediate sprints as designated by the official. Any rider

who gains a lap on the main field will receive 20 points. Any rider who

loses a lap to the main field will lose 20 points. ?

Finish.

?

(b) Laps gained shall take precedence over points in determining

final placings. Points determine the final placings of riders who are equal

on laps. When riders are tied on both laps and points,?