Rider's Guide to AusCycling Masters Road and Track Racing Ages 30+ 2026

A competitor's age is defined as at the end of 31 December of the competition year.

The competition year begins on:

• 1 October for track and criterium competition.
• 1 January for all other disciplines.
• For cyclo-cross, the age is taken at the end of the next competition year.

Source: 2026 AusCycling General Technical Regulations (Annexure 5, 8.00.01 to 8.00.04).

All participants in cycling events must hold the designated required current AusCycling membership, and must produce proof of membership when asked. First-time membership applicants may be required to provide proof of date of birth.

For State or Territory Championships, the regulations name an AusCycling Race Membership or a UCI licence as the entry requirement. Riders from another UCI National Federation can enter open championships if they hold a current UCI International licence.

Source: 2026 AusCycling General Technical Regulations (1.00.01, 2.00 to 2.03).

Table 1 of the 2026 Road Technical Regulations sets these maximums. The road race and stage race figures are the same for men and women in every category listed.

An event that wants to go over the maximum distance for any category must apply to AusCycling to offer the longer event.

Source: 2026 AusCycling Road Technical Regulations (1.01.04, Table 1).

When Masters categories are combined at a Masters competition, the maximum distance for the younger category applies. This automatically exempts the older category's riders from their own lower maximum.

At Masters road and track championships, if categories have to be combined to run at the same time, separate medals are still allocated. If a Commissaire withdraws a rider, the rider is still placed in the results (track) or medals are awarded according to their placing at the time of removal.

Events below State or Territory level may also modify categories to meet the requirements and size of the event, at the event organiser's discretion, as long as the changes align with the AusCycling Junior/Riding Up Policy.

Source: 2026 AusCycling Road Technical Regulations (1.01.04 and 3.00) and General Technical Regulations (8.00.06).

The 2026 Road Technical Regulations (Table 1) set these maximums for Masters, men and women alike:

A criterium is a circuit race on a circuit of not less than 800m and not more than 3km, with a minimum width of 6 metres, and the course must be closed to all traffic except authorised race vehicles. For non-championship criteriums, the road race distance is the maximum.

Source: 2026 AusCycling Road Technical Regulations (1.01.04, 2.03.01).

In the 2026 Road Technical Regulations, the Masters team divisions in the road championship and club team criterium are Men's Masters and Women 90+, 120+, 150+ and 180+. For Masters categories, the total age of the youngest 3 starters is used to determine the team's final category.

• Team time trial: the Masters maximum distance is 40km, with a maximum of 4 and a minimum of 3 starters to form a Championship event team. A team may include 1 starter from a second club if it has 3 starters, or 2 if it has 4 (combined club teams).
• Team criterium: the maximum for Masters is 30 minutes plus 3 laps.
• National Masters Track Championships (team pursuit): for the age-restricted category, men's or combined teams of 4 must have a minimum cumulative age of 150 years for the youngest 3 riders, and women's teams of 4 a minimum of 140 years. The Open category is open to all Masters riders of that gender. Riders may enter multiple team events but only one in each category, and all participants must wear an approved club kit or plain kit.

Source: 2026 AusCycling Road Technical Regulations (1.01.04, 2.05, 2.06) and Track Technical Regulations (2.05.04).

From the 2026 General Technical Regulations (section 2):

• State or Territory Championships: all eligible riders holding an AusCycling Race Membership or UCI licence may enter. A Closed championship is only for AusCycling members who live in that state or territory. An Open championship also allows AusCycling members from any state or territory, and riders from another UCI National Federation who hold a current UCI International licence.
• State champion title: a rider can only be recognised as State/Territory Champion in one state or territory, based on their Primary Club Allocation, and must have been part of that club for at least 3 months before the Championships.
• Australian Championships: Domestic championships are for Australian citizens who are current AusCycling racing members (or hold a licence of another UCI affiliated nation with an "AUS" international designation). Open championships also allow riders with a UCI International licence from another National Federation, with AusCycling's permission.
• State or Territory team at Nationals: competitors representing a state or territory must have been affiliated with it for at least two months before the first day of the Championships, unless AusCycling exempts them.
• Medals: at Masters road and track championships, medals are awarded in all events no matter the number of competitors, and separate medals are still given when categories are combined.

Source: 2026 AusCycling General Technical Regulations (2.00 to 2.03), Road Technical Regulations (3.00) and Track Technical Regulations (3.00).

Under the 2026 General Technical Regulations (2.11):

• Awarded: jerseys may be awarded to the winners of championship events nominated by AusCycling.
• During the title year: winners may wear their Australian Champion or State/Territory jersey in all events in the discipline specialty and category in which they won their title, and no other event, up until the day before the Championship event of the following year.
• Masters Championships: for Masters Championships, winners may wear the jersey in all recognised Masters category events, but only for the discipline in which the jersey was awarded.
• After the title: a rider who no longer holds the title may wear National Champion bands on the collar and cuffs, only in the discipline, specialty and category in which they won. Masters may wear a jersey with Australian Champion bands in all Masters competitions of that discipline on an ongoing basis.

Source: 2026 AusCycling General Technical Regulations.

All riders must wear a correctly fitted helmet meeting AS2063/NZ 2063 or equivalent. The helmet must carry a manufacturer's mark stating its compliance with the standard, and a Commissaire may inspect it at any time.

Accepted international equivalents are:

• NSI Z90.4
• Snell "B" or "N" series
• ASTM F1447
• Canadian CAN/CSAD113.2M
• U.S. CPSC standard for bicycle helmets
• European CEN standard for bicycle helmets (EN1078)

A helmet that meets another international standard, which is not explicitly listed, is not permitted.

Source: 2026 AusCycling General Technical Regulations (1.03.07 to 1.03.09).

From the 2026 General and Road Technical Regulations:

• Bikes: must comply with the UCI Bicycle Regulations unless special circumstances are granted by AusCycling. Road bikes need two efficient and independent hand brakes, and handlebar ends must be plugged.
• Gears: free (single ratchet) or variable gears may be used. Fixed sprockets are forbidden, except in events nominated as Fixed Gear events.
• Tubular tyres: must be securely affixed to the rims, including on replacement wheels. A rider who breaks this rule and causes a fall may be suspended, fined, relegated or a combination of all three.
• Inspection: a rider's bike, helmet and clothing may be inspected by officials, and a rider whose equipment is unsafe in the officials' opinion cannot take part in training, warm-up or competition.
• Clothing: must be neat and clean at the start of a race. Worn, discoloured or damaged helmets, shoes or clothes are not permitted. Jerseys must cover the shoulders while riding. Offensive clothing or disallowed advertising (tobacco, spirits, pornography and so on) is not permitted.
• Devices: music players, reading devices, music-equipped helmets or sunglasses, and any other entertainment devices including mobile phones and wireless transmitters, are strictly forbidden during training, competition and warm-up while on the field of play.
• Cameras: only with approval from the organiser and the President of the Commissaire Panel before the start, and for road and track they must be mounted under the handlebars or under the seat, not on the body, helmet or top of the handlebars.
• Sign-on: riders must sign on at least 10 minutes before the start of a road race or criterium.

Source: 2026 AusCycling General Technical Regulations (1.02 to 1.04) and Road Technical Regulations (1.01.03, 1.02.04 to 1.02.07).

The 2026 Track Technical Regulations (4.00) describe handicaps as a non-championship event. The AusCycling road regulations do not set out a handicap format.

• Idea: the strongest riders are given the greatest distance to travel, in line with past performances, to equalise the competition between all riders.
• Distance: track handicaps may be held over 1000m or 2000m, though the distance may be varied having regard to the size of the track and local custom.
• Marks: handicappers should not set any mark greater than 15% of the advertised distance, and the limit mark cannot be more than one lap of the track.
• Start: riders must start from the mark set by the handicapper, on the measuring line of the track. Riders may receive a push start.
• Same mark: riders sharing a mark line up across the track on the straights and in single file in the bends, with the lowest number at the rear.
• False starts: a rider who gains an advantage at the start or causes a false start is penalised 10m in a 1000m handicap or 20m in a 2000m handicap. A second false start means disqualification.
• Mishaps: in a handicap heat, a rider who has a mishap after the start is not permitted a restart in a subsequent heat.

Source: 2026 AusCycling Track Technical Regulations.