The Best Arkansas Rider and Best Arkansas Team (BAR / BAT) is a yearly competition for USA Cycling sanctioned road events for Arkansas resident USA Cycling licensed riders.

BAR / BAT Competition:

• The BAR / BAT series will provide individual and team rankings for all USA Cycling sanctioned road-only disciplines. Current rider and club results and standings will be maintained on a database and made available on the Arkansas Bicycle Coalition web site.

• Detailed rules and points schedules for the BAR / BAT are outlined below.

• Only USCF-licensed Arkansas residents will be eligible for BAR / BAT points. One-day license holders will not be eligible for BAR / BAT points since tracking will be done by license number.

• Unattached racers who meet the above requirement are eligible for BAR points and awards, but their points will not be calculated in the BAT points. 
  

• Men 5 riders are not eligible for BAR/BAT awards and points earned and will not be included in the totals.
  

• State championships in all disciplines will award BAR / BAT points with a 1.5x multiplier to the points schedule under Division “A”. BAR / BAT points will only be awarded in approved Arkansas Bicycle Coalition categories. Non-championship races held in conjunction with championship events will not receive the championship multiplier and will award points on the standard schedule.  Each individual racing in the State Team Time Trials (if applicable) will be awarded BAR / BAT points on the standard schedule with no championship multiplier.

• Clubs will receive points for all member riders who receive individual BAR / BAT points. Clubs with the largest number of racers will stand the best chance of winning the overall BAT. In addition, there will also be a BAT competition per category. See schedule below.
  

• Individual points that are earned in a specific category will remain in that category even if a rider upgrades. A rider cannot transfer his or her points when they upgrade.

• All club points earned by a racer will be awarded to and stay with the club to which the rider is officially attached at the time of the event.  In the event that a racer changes clubs mid-season, he or she will retain all of his or her individual points. The BAR / BAT administrator must be notified immediately of upgrades and club changes.

• BAR / BAT points can overlap a local points series; that is, a race can be both part of a local series and an approved BAR / BAT race.

ELIGIBILITY:

Races that are not eligible are events such as a series (ex. spring criterium series) that do not offer prize money for each event.

An event is eligible to be a BAR / BAT series event if:

• The road event is sanctioned by USA Cycling.
• The club and promoter are in good standing with Arkansas Bicycle Coalition (ABC).
• The promoter agrees to the following:
• Submit the race application, flyer and event permit fee to USA Cycling in the timeframe specified in Race Requirements.
• Submit the race results to BAR / BAT administrator within 48 hours of event completion in a format specified by Arkansas Bicycle Coalition.
• Meet all division-specific race requirements specified in Race Requirements.

 

COMMUNICATION:

Arkansas Bicycle Coalition will utilize a web site for communicating with the cycling public. The site will contain:
 

• current race calendar.
• Race results.
• The current BAR / BAT standings.
• A list of member clubs, including web links if available.
• The BAR / BAT rules.

 

COSTS AND FUNDING:

Promoters of USA Cycling sanctioned road events are required to submit a per-rider surcharge of $1.00 to the Arkansas Bicycle Coalition treasurer after the conclusion of their race.

• For events that are a series (crit series, etc.) the individual race with the most # of participants will be the amount owed.  For example: a four-crit series that has 50 for the first event, 35 for the second, 60 for the third and 75 for the fourth.  The series would owe $75 to the coalition. 
• For "regular" events, the $1 surcharge is assessed to each paid entry.

 

Arkansas Bicycle Coalition will use funds to:

• Fund its operating costs and expand its function.
• Fund the purchase of equipment that can be used by Arkansas Bicycle Coalition members to help promote their events.

 

RACE REQUIREMENTS:

 

		ROAD
Division		A	B	C	D
Core Categories		Men P/1/2 Men 3 Men 4 Men 5	Men P/1/2/3 Men 3 Men 4 Men 5	Men P1/2/3 Men 3/4 Men 4/5 Wm Open	Men P1/2/3 Men 3/4 Men 4/5 Wm Open
Minimum Number Of Flex Categories	Women	2	1	2 Total	1 Total
	Master	2	2
	Junior	1	0
Optional Categories		Promoter’s Discretion
Minimum Scoring Places (One-day)		18	15	12	10
Stage Races Allowed		Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Minimum Cash Purse	1-Day	$3,500	$2,500	$1,500	$500
	Stage Race	$5,500	$3,500	$2,500	N/A
Scheduling Deadline (Days)		60	60	60	60
Camera Official		Required	Required	Required	Optional
Rider Surcharge	All Events	$1.00	$1.00	$1.00	$1.00

 

 

The following are all acceptable Flex categories:
Women	Master	Junior
Women Open Women 1/2/3 Women 1/2 Women 3 Women 3/4 Women 4	30+ 35+ 40+ 45+ 50+ 55+ 35+ Category 4	Junior Open Men 10 – 14 Men 15 - 18 Women 10 - 18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Championships are Division A by default and are not subject to the Core, Flex category and Prize List requirements, but will follow the Arkansas Bicycle Coalition required State Championship Criteria.