What is Collegiate Cycling

The SCCCC 

Also known as the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference is one of 12 conferences under USA Cycling that make up collegiate cycling across the United States

From beginners riding bikes for the first time, to elite racers competing at any of the 5 collegiate national championships put on by USA Cycling, there is a home for you in the SCCCC. 

The SCCCC isn't just about racing, its about creating a lasting community of people supporting each other while balancing school and sport and where ever life takes you after school. Giving students not just a platform to race, but opportunities to gain leadership skills being officers for a team, or project management skills putting on a race weekend, or some combination and create a team at a school that doesn't have one yet. 

Collegiate cycling is also a great way to get exposure to other disciplines. Are you already a big road racer, why not give Track or Mountain biking a try? You want to take BMX seriously, go and have fun trying out Cyclocross in the off season. The great thing about joining a collegiate team is that chances are someone on the team or in the conference has extra bikes for new people to try out different kinds of riding.

That being said we also have a lot of fun racing our bikes....

A year in the SCCCC

Generally speaking the Fall is our MTB season, the Spring is our Road season. Each season is typically made up of 4-5 race weekends hosted by our schools. Each race week typically consists of 3 races over a Saturday & Sunday, a Time Trial racing over a distance against the clock, a Crit or Short Track race that is mass start(the whole field on course at the same time) over a set time on a short circuit, and a Road Race or Cross Country race, also mass start, over a longer set distance. Depending on interest, throughout the school year we also hold races or partner with existing races to add collegiate categories for Track, BMX, and Cyclocross.

Categories help us create fields of similarly skilled riders as follows with some MTB examples

Men's A - This is the fastest category and riders that are eligible for Nationals (Longest XC Race Distance, Distance depends on course but generally looking at 1:45 - 2+ hour race time for winner)

Men's B - Not as fast as A's but serious racing happens here (XC typically a lap or so shorter, 1:30 - 1:45 race time for winner)

Men's C - Not beginners but a slower pace than above (Again course dependent an additional lap shorter 1:20 - 1 30 race time for winner)

Men's D - Beginners generally looking to have fun, learn, and ride bikes (on a long course it might be one lap, shorter course 2 or very few, 1:00 - 1:20 race time for winners

Women's A - This is the fastest category and riders that are eligible for Nationals (Typically will race with Men B's depending on field size)

Women's B - Generally a combined spectrum of ability equivalent to Mens B & C

Women's C - Beginners (Same as Men's D's)

Points are earned for individuals in each category and teams for every race and the points breakdown is the same for all categories, so just bringing out some "A's" and dominating the top race likely wont win the team competition. Aside from recognizing the weekend overall winners, at the end of the season we recognize our podium for each category and the team overall. 

Our Schools

You can find a list of schools on usacycling.com/college but don't let that limit you. Be it a community college, or working towards your third PhD at a major institution, if a team does not exist at your school you can start one and represent your school in collegiate cycling. 

For the SCCCC, we represent Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas if you reach out on the SCCCC facebook group you can likely find someone that can help you learn more about any of the schools that are currently active.