# Cat 1 vs. Pro



## Cheezhead (Apr 23, 2002)

What does a cat 1 rider have to do to become a "Pro" rider (USCF categorization). Is it based on results similar to other upgrades, or is it just a different type of license that any cat 1 rider can get to compete in Pro races? Just curious...


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

Cheezhead said:


> What does a cat 1 rider have to do to become a "Pro" rider (USCF categorization). Is it based on results similar to other upgrades, or is it just a different type of license that any cat 1 rider can get to compete in Pro races? Just curious...


I believe the UCI doesn't recognize "Pro" anymore, you're either an "Elite with Contract" or an "Elite without Contract". So what you need to be a "Pro" is a contract from a UCI registered team, but you do not need to be a cat 1 to get this.


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## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

You have to be on a UCI registered "pro" team. 

That's the only distinction.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

If you are a Cat 1 with very good results, you should get hired by a "Pro" team and draw a salery. 
For example, this year our Elite team lost a rider to a "Pro" team. He just moved up the food chain.


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## Eric_H (Feb 5, 2004)

*The UCI and Professionals*



Dwayne Barry said:


> I believe the UCI doesn't recognize "Pro" anymore, you're either an "Elite with Contract" or an "Elite without Contract". So what you need to be a "Pro" is a contract from a UCI registered team, but you do not need to be a cat 1 to get this.


This is true, but for 2005 and forwards it has become even more blurry. It used to be Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 for UCI pro teams. Now in the era of the Pro Tour it is: Pro Tour (roughly equal to div. 1), Continental Pro (~ div. 2), and Continental (~div. 3). With this comes some restrictions for the Contintental teams, they have to have the majority of riders under the age of 28. The UCI's wording on this is loose at best, and ultimately the individual national federations do a lot of the governing about who can and can't be a Continental team and what the rider composition needs to look like. The registration process for Continental is much more relaxed and while the riders are under contract, there is no requirement for salary guarantees and riders cannot be signed to long-term contracts.

Examples in the US: Pro Tour - Discovery is the only Pro Tour team. Continental Pro - Navigators is the only Continental Pro team. Continental - Health Net, Jelly Belly, Colavita, JIttery Joes, Subway, etc, etc. 

The main differences between Continental Pro and Continental is money and eligibility for Pro Tour races. Continental Pro rules are much more clearly defined in terms of sponsor and rider contracts, bank guarantees, and race eligibilities. The only reason for a team to go for Continental Pro is if they wish to be invited into bigger races that are Pro Tour. There is substantially more expense and legalese required to be a Contintental Pro team. I assume Navigators went CP because they were invited to race Gent-Wevelgem and few other Euro Pro Tour races.

Continental teams are often quite different in composition. Some are very "pro" like Health Net, where the riders have a salaries and there is an extensive team management in place. On the other side are teams like Nerac.com and Subway, that are really amateur teams with a Continental licence to get into races like USPro.

All the regulations governing teams can be found at:

http://www.uci.ch/imgArchive/Rules/2road-E.pdf


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