racing license?

What is a "racing license," do I need one, and how do I get it?

USA Cycling (USAC) is the governing body of amateur and professional cycling in the United States. Most races (but not all) are sanctioned by USAC. This hasbenefits for promoters, like a set of standardized rules, access to trained professional referees to manage the race and enforce rules, and event insurance through USAC. USAC sanctioned events generally attract more riders too, because only by riding USAC sanctioned events can riders earn upgrade points. All collegiate racing is USAC sanctioned. (Cycling is not a NCAA sport.)To race in USAC sanctioned events you have to have a USAC license. And for this there are several options. One option is to buy a collegiate license only. This will allow you to race collegiate events (road, mountain, cross, and track), but will NOT get you into any non-collegiate events. This costs $30. (Be sure to choose "Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania" as your club affiliation.) But if you're going to race collegiate events, you'll probably want to race non-collegiate events as well. There are two types of non-collegiate licenses, based on discipline. If you're already buying a collegiate license, a road license add-on, which allows you to race road, cyclocross, and track, is $30. A mountain add-on, which allows you to race mountain and cyclocross events, is also $30. If you're going to race everything, it costs $90. (Note that most of the mountain bike racing in the mid-Atlantic area is NOT USAC sanctioned, like all the races in the Mid-Atlantic Super Series and Michaux Endurance Series. So even if you're a big mountain biker, I'd hold off on the mountain license unless you're sure you're racing some USAC sanctioned events.)