April 20/17 12:20 pm - 2017 Ontario Youth Road Development Series

Posted by Editor on 04/20/17
 

The OCA is proud to announce the Youth Road Development Series Calendar for 2017! The Youth Road season is fast approaching and with 7 races, the calendar is as packed as ever with great racing opportunities for youth of all ages and abilities.

2017 Youth Road Development Series

Series Structure
The Youth Cup will be entering its 11th season as the premier road cycling series for youth. Over the course of 11 years, clubs have continued to become more involved in youth programming resulting in a series with strong and consistent participation numbers. The series provides quality racing opportunities for youth ages 9-18 and of all ages and abilities. With larger participation numbers and growing interest in the sport, it was imperative that the structure of the series was reviewed in an effort to both align the series closer with LTAD principles while reiterating the focus of the series.

The Youth Road Series has been revamped to bring the best possible racing opportunities to our young cyclists. Through consultation with coaches, club presidents, officials and staff, there were some areas that needed focus.

The Youth Road Development Series has been guided by four main principles since day one; Fun, Participation, Sportsmanship & Fair Play and Development. As part of the relaunch of the series, the following four main principles guided us in making the changes.

• Fun - Keep a positive attitude and contribute to a positive atmosphere both in and out of competition
• Sportsmanship and Fair Play - Play honestly and obey the letter and spirit of the rules
• Development - Every young athlete deserves a program appropriate to their individual stage of development
• Participation - Ensure everyone has a place to compete

The Youth Road Development Series will consist of a road race as the core event and one additional event. The additional event may be a sprint challenge, team or individual time trial, skill session, hill climb, or a grasstrack race.

Categories
The Youth Road Development Series will be an ability based series. Participants will be able to choose from one of five categories depending on both their ability and comfort levels. Participants must be between the ages of 9 and 18 as of December 31st, 2017. Second year Cadets with upgrades and Juniors can do both the Youth and Ontario Cup Series. Participants should consult their club & coaching staff first before choosing a category.

Categories will consist of A Grade through to E Grade. The upper tier grades are for athletes with more experience or a higher comfort level and the lower tier grades are for those newer to the sport. For a detailed breakdown on categories please see the 2017 Youth Road Series Guidelines.

Distances
The following are the suggested distances for each grade. Distances will vary depending on each race venue. These distances through consultation were deemed appropriate for each category.

A Grade - 40-50 KM
B Grade - 30-40 KM
C Grade - 25-30 KM
D Grade - 15-20 KM
E Grade - 10-15 KM

Equipment
The wearing of a CSA approved helmet is mandatory, however Aero helmets are not permitted. Cycling gloves are strongly recommended. The participants are encouraged to ride on a road-racing bicycle however other suitable bicycles may be utilized. All equipment must be in good repair, have adequate tires and operating brakes. Disc wheels are not permitted. Maximum wheel rim depth is 40mm. The use of Disc brakes in road races is not currently permitted under the rules of our sport. At this point in time we do not anticipate any changes being made to this rule in 2017 however we are actively monitoring the situation.

• Aero helmets are not permitted
• Disc brakes are not permitted.
• No bar ends or aero bars permitted.
• Disc wheels are not permitted.
• Maximum wheel rim depth is 40 mm.

Licence Requirements
All participants in the Youth Road Development Series must be a licenced member of the OCA. Licencing is as follows.

Licences must be purchased two weeks in advance of the first event in order to allow for processing time. Be sure to have your licence in advance of the first race! More information on licences can be found HERE.

For more information and details on the Youth Road Development Series please contact the OCA office (416) 855-1717 or email support@ontariocycling.org.