Cycling BC Commissaires
What is a Commissaire?
Commissaires are the officials of cycling races. They support the safety of riders and are responsible for ensuring that a cycling race is conducted fairly and according to the rules. Commissaires are called upon at all levels across all disciplines.
If you are passionate about cycling sport, becoming a commissaire is a great way to support the growth of the sport at the provincial, national, or international level.
Want to learn more about becoming a commissaire?
Commissaires Responsibilities
In BC, all regional and provincial races are supervised by one or more Commissaires. Commissaires work as a team to uphold the sporting rules of a competition. They collaborate with organizers, announcers, technical delegates, timing companies, volunteers, safety marshals, and other staff to ensure the competition runs safely & smoothly.
Some of the commissaires’ duties include:
- Overseeing the conduct of race participants including riders, coaches, managers, drivers, race staff, spectators, etc.
- Enforcing the rules and taking appropriate actions to ensure fairness and the smooth running of the event
- Working with organizers to ensure the safety of event participants
- Carrying out checks on issues that may influence the results
- Being responsible for the start procedures and finish order, as well as confirming times and general classification
- Being responsible for all administrative processes such as registration, start list, results, and communication
Education and practical experience are key to developing commissaires. Cycling BC ensures that commissaires develop the appropriate competencies through a mix of theoretical education & practical learning.
Provincial-C status includes SafeSport pre-requisites, a discipline-specific eLearning module, and mentorship at 2 events.
Provincial-B status is awarded to commissaires who demonstrate competency across each commissaire role and receive a nomination from fellow commissaires and Cycling BC. This often takes 5+ events or 1-2 seasons.
Provincial-A status is available for Cycling BC-nominated commissaires who complete the 4-hour video-call module, and pass an 30-question online quiz, and an in-person observation when fulfilling the role of the President of the Commissaire’s Panel (PCP) at a Cycling BC-sanctioned competition.
- The one-hour online exam covers general regulations, equipment, clothing, and more. Questions are randomly selected from a pool for each category.
National status requires a Cycling BC nomination, a discipline-specific in-person module, a written examination and an observation at a national or international event. As of March 22, 2024, the national pathway process is being revised (read memo). National Elite status is also available in some disciplines, as shown in the illustration above.
Achieving UCI International status is a significant accomplishment. This process requires a Cycling Canada nomination, participation in a 10-day in-person course (usually 1 available per continent or in Switzerland), exams, and comprehensive observations at international events. Watch a video about British Columbia’s Wayne Pomerio.