GSX Answers NBL NationsTour Questions
Since it was announced last August, the NBL’s “NationsTour” has been both a beacon of possibility for Elite BMX racers to cash checks which befit the square footage of those hoisted above their heads, and at the same time a golden opportunity for critics to say “Show Me.”
The Tour, destined to replace the long-standing NBL “Elite” series of 8-10 races per year, would be compressed into three events, plus a final. The payouts for the four races are unlike any seen in BMX racing in a long time, if ever. With a total per-race payout of $48,230.00 ($8,000 to the Elite Mens winner, $4800 to the Elite Womens winner, and $1,800 each to the SuperX and Masters winners). Any logical person would assume that even Elites who had not come near an NBL race in years past would likely make the trip for their chance at such a tasty payday.
Updated, Feb 11: The first of the Tour races was slated for March 4 and 5 in Primm, NV, a pull-manual from the California state line, and about 40 miles South of Las Vegas. However that event was canceled/postponed on February 11 by way of a press release issued by NBL. It was reported that the Primm race would be replaced on the schedule, but no further information was available on that. The remaining three races will be in July and September (see link below for actual schedule).
The NationsTour breaks certain paradigms of traditional NBL BMX, which loyalists would surely regard as “sacred.” For instance, the Tour touches down at the NBL Grands, but Louisville is not where the final lap will be raced in the hunt for the 2011 title. That honor will go to Sarasota, FL, where a beachfront build will be the setting for both a UCI BMX Supercross World Cup (September 16-17) and the NationsTour Finals (September 18). In addition, the current NBL National Number 1 Elites (Maris Strombergs and Dominique Daniels) cannot run their skinny digits at NationsTour Races (well, Maris can…but only because he is UCI Elite W1 as well as NBL Champ).
This would probably be a good time to mention that between August 20, (when BMX News broke the story on the “New NBL” initiative), and the present day, the NBL has assumed responsibility for running the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup Series, via a new division dubbed GSX Events. GSX is now captained by Johan Lindstrom, the driving force behind the UCI Supercross series, and a key delegate to running BMX operations for the Olympic Games. Tom Ritzenthaler, once an NBL staffer, and most recently the resident master track builder for the UCI, makes his return to the Buckeye state as chief clay cruncher for GSX. In addition to Johan and Ritz also comes other key staff who supported the UCI BMX Supercross program, now wearing GSX polos. Hence the marriage of a UCI World Cup and the NationsTour Finals sharing the same real estate in September.
Still, with all the talk of megabuck payouts (at least as BMX purses go), 2011 dawned with nary an official whisper of how the races would be run, whether the tracks would be true BMX Supercross caliber, or “Supercross lite,” using which rulebook, and all the other “filling-in-the-broad-strokes” detail that makes a clever sketch a masterpiece.
That took a leap forward on January 22, as the NBL posted a page on their site outlining many of the details for the NationsTour. It made official the exact payouts for each class, the specific classes that would be run at each NationsTour event, and the schedule of events once riders hit town, among other finer points.
For many, the release opened as many questions as it answered, and the forums lit up with “what about…” and “what if…” queries, as well as a heaping helping of speculation on what it all meant.
To try and shed some light on the community’s questions (and our own), BMX News assembled a list of questions in the hopes of clarifying certain points expressed in the release (the original list was 25 deep, but some turned out to be solved by the same answer).
These questions were answered by Johan Lindstrom, CEO of GSX Events (which has responsibility for running both the NationsTour and the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup events). Below, you will find our questions, and their respective answers from Johan.
NOTE: It would help you understand how these questions fit into the context of the release if you first read the NBL release in its entirety, and maybe kept that window open next to this one.
Click here to open the release in a new window.
In some questions, we quote the pertinent part of the NBL press release, then ask our question, followed by Johan’s answer. Other times, no release quotation is necessary and we state only our question, and Johan’s response. There are a handful of questions which were not answered, and those are listed at the bottom.
NBL Press Release: The 2011 NBL U.S. BMX Supercross NationsTour (NationsTour) events are open to all eligible riders with an NBL license, as well as international riders with a international license issued by a national federation (Elite Men, Elite Women Class only).
BMX News Asks: Does this mean “The 2011 NBL U.S. BMX Supercross NationsTour (NationsTour) events are open to all eligible riders with an NBL license, as well as Elite Men and Women with an international license, issued by a national federation”
Johan Lindstrom: All an Elite (rider) has to have is an NBL license, although these are free of charge.
BMX News Asks: Based on the DOC approval requirement for Super X and Masters, will those kinds of approvals be made on-site for the first few events, or will people be turned away on event day?
Johan Lindstrom: SuperX and Masters have to get DOC approval prior to event. JrDevo are automatically approved
Editor’s Note: DOC approval needs 7-10 day lead time, as stated below.
NBL Press Release: For all classes (Elite, SuperX and Masters), the events will be featured on a BMX Supercross style track (at selected events).
BMX News Asks: Does this mean “All classes at NationsTour events will be run on the same course”
or, does it mean;
” At selected events all classes will be run on the same course…and others they will not be (thus, at some races, the women, Masters and Super X classes may be run on a different course (smaller hill, etc))?”
Johan Lindstrom: All classes will run on a SX start ramp, each track will have multiple lines (Elite Men over “pro section”, the rest on the other side). Our intention is to have an SX ramp at all events, but this is TBD.
BMX News Asks: The Sarasota finals are listed on September 18. The World Cup is on the UCI site as 16-17 Sept. So, how will time trials and other “Day One” events on the NationsTour schedule be handled at that event?
Johan Lindstrom: The “Day 1” for Sarasota SX is still being worked out.
NBL Press Release: The 2011 NBL NationsTour is four-event series, including a final with increased prize purse. No qualification is needed for the NationsTour final.
Race Classes and Criteria
AA Elite Men / A Elite Men – Combined class for Elite Men & Junior Men (17 Years and older)
Elite Women / Junior Women – Combined class for Elite Men & Junior Men (17 Years and older)
BMX News Asks: Does this mean “Any rider, 17 years and older, regardless of whether they hold an NBL pro
card, or have approval from the DOC, can race this class (as with Elite Men/Women at the ABA-run UCI races)?”
Johan Lindstrom: Must be an NBL pro (no fee for license but needs DOC approval). Int’l pros automatically approved as NBL pros.
NBL Press Release:
Boys Super X – Boys Age 14-16, Competed at least one year in the Expert Class and finish in the top 20 percentile of the Expert class Nationally the previous season. The rider must request approval from the NBL Director
of Competition.*
Girls Super X – Girls Age 14-16, Competed at least one year in the Girls Class and finished in the top 20 percentile of the Girls Class Nationally the previous season. The rider must request approval from the NBL Director of Competition.*
*Riders already participating in a recognized Junior Development Program are also eligible.
BMX News Asks: For the first year, will riders who meet the percentile criteria from 2010 performance be automatically listed as approved to compete?
If not;
How does a rider submit such a request (is there a form, place on the Website, via email, etc)? Also, how long before the event must a rider apply for approval from the DOC? (same question goes for Masters as well).
Johan Lindstrom: All must a submit request to the DOC for acceptance into this program. Turn around time is 7-10 business days.
BMX News Asks: Are Masters-class riders (or “Vet pros”) from other associations automatically recognized as Masters class riders for NationsTour races?
Johan Lindstrom: For Masters, rider must not have raced as an NBL pro as of October 1, 2010, or scored UCI pro points as of August 1, 2010.
BMX News Asks: Can you define “Superfinal?”
Johan Lindstrom: Superfinal is a new concept that will be used for UCI SX and Worlds as well. Top 16 will qualify for a 2nd run = Superfinal.
BMX News Asks: The NationsTour Day 1 schedule has practice listed twice from 8AM-10AM (once at the top and once at the bottom of Day One). Is the second listing an error, to be deleted, or does it mean 8PM-10PM for a second national practice in the evening?
Johan Lindstrom: It means 8PM-10PM
NBL Press Release: Race numbers will be given randomly, except for riders holding a UCI permanent race number.
BMX News Asks: What about current-year UCI world numbers (1-8) and 2010 NBL Elite number holders?
Johan Lindstrom: UCI numbers apply, no NBL numbers for Elite.
BMX News Asks: Will the NBL be awarding Elite/Masters titles and/or plates as in previous years? If so, down to what place, and can these numbers be run in the 2012 season?
Will there be an over-arching “NationsTour Champion” money award?
If not a plate or money, what is the reason for awarding NationsTour points?
Johan Lindstrom: NBL will be awarding a title for Elite only. There will be a “Nations Tour Champion”
NBL Press Release: The NBL NationsTour is a class 5 event (as of Aug 1, 2011) and will count for individual points in the UCI BMX Ranking, also eligible for the Nations ranking functioning as the Olympic Qualification criteria.
BMX News Asks: Does this mean that NBL NationsTour races scheduled on or after August 1, 2011 will be classified as UCI Category 5 events, and riders will accrue UCI individual and Nations points, consistent with the UCI BMX rulebook.
Johan Lindstrom: Nations tour events after Aug 1, 2011 will be UCI class 5 events.
EDITORS NOTE, Updated Feb 11, 2011: Sources inside USA Cycling have told BMX News that the only UCI Class 5 event on the 2011 NationsTour is the Louisville race on September 5. At this time, the Sarasota race is not scheduled to be a Class 5 race, which contradicts the above answer.
BMX News Follow-up Question: What does “also eligible” mean in this context? Does it mean riders WILL accrue Nations points or they are Eligible to (read: MIGHT) accrue points?
Johan Lindstrom: All Riders will score points, delete “eligible.”
NBL Press Release: NBL NationsTour, ELITE CLASSIC AND ELITE OPEN CODE OF CONDUCT – Section 2. The following may be considered violations of the Code of Conduct:
BMX News Asks: What does “may be considered a violation of the Code of Conduct” mean? What would trigger a determination under this section?
If a rider had a prior conviction for a felony drug charge, and served a prison term for such offense, but was clear of parole and now drug free, what would the status of this rider be vis a vis NationsTour?
If a rider had a prior conviction for a felony assault, was sentanced to probation, and was now clear of probation, what would the status of this rider be vis a vis NationsTour?
If a rider were cited in the State of California for posession of a marijuana joint (a non-criminal, offense in that state), what would be their status vis a vis NationsTour, providing they are drug free at the time of the event?
If a rider were cited by USADA in a prior year for a positive test, and had served a suspension for that result, which is now completed, what would the status of this rider be, vis a vis NationsTour?
Johan Lindstrom: All of these questions can be answered as follows: There is no desire to impose any punitive action on any athlete. However, the NBL reserves the right under any of these conditions to deny professional membership to an athlete. Professional membership is not an entitlement, in other words.
However, such action would be handled with the utmost care and would also be governed by the UCI rules, for UCI events, as well as the appropriate state and federal laws regarding such matters.
NBL Press Release: (a) The abuse of alcohol at or around any NBL NationsTour activity.
BMX News Asks: Does this mean the CONSUMPTION of alcohol at or around any NBL NationsTour activity. If not, what is defined as “abuse?”
BMX News Asks: It is not clear who would be making determinations under the Code of Conduct. Is it the NBL Director of Competition? A GSX Official? A UCI Commissaire?
NBL Press Release: Section 3. Dress Code:
The uniform shall consist of a full face helmet with attached visor, long sleeve shirt and long pants, t-shirts, jeans, sweat pants or three quarter sleeve shirts will not be allowed. These requirements are in addition to NBL rules covered in chapter 15.
BMX News Asks: Would a rider sponsored by Levis be permitted to run them in a race? Would special consideration be given for such a circumstance?
BMX News Asks: Two questions not related to the NBL press release:
Will UCI’s “Swiss Timing” system be used for time trial? If not, what system will be used?
Will there be drug testing on-site? Random and for podium finishers?
A large-looming question on the part of some of the Elite Women deals with a point contained in the NBL release that we did not ask about. That is “With less than 12 entries, the category will not be run.” The fact that, according to Johan’s answer above, all events will likely be run off a Supercross hill, casts a strong question about exactly how many Elite women in the US have the requisite experience.
We counted seven that, via their experience in the on-going Supercross scene, could do it. That assumes that none will go to the ABA race in Desoto, TX that weekend (which will award UCI Nations Points, in addition to ABA National points). This leaves us wondering if a 12-woman class is even possible, given the talent pool.
Unless they replaced the Primm race with an event before South Park, the first opportunity we will have to see the series in action will be in July. Whatever happens, it appears 2011 is going to be a very interesting year for the NBL.
Full Disclosure: We submitted the list of questions on January 23 (a Sunday). Johan answered them on January 26. Due to a technical glitch, we were not aware of his answers until today. Thanks to Cody Wilson of the NBL for helping to bring this fact to light. We apologize for not bringing you this information sooner.
