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Edited Date/Time
7/18/2022 12:12pm
Lots of discussion today about not being able to recognize riders in Vital RAW. When rider kits (and even bike colors) change every world cup race, it can be tough to identify the racers as they blast by in a dust cloud or when covered in mud.
right now, new number plates are assigned to riders at each race based on their UCI world cup overall ranking. so greg minnaar might have been #6 last week and this week he's #3 because he moved up in points.
what if world cup went the MX route where riders have a permanent racing number assigned to them for the duration of their career (the only exception being #1 plate left open for the currently-ranked number 1 racer in each class).
if you saw the #4 coming down the track, you'd know it was Greg Minnaar. if you saw the 8, you'd know it was laurie greenland (or whatever). like with moto, jerseys/gear etc could embrace the number, market it and their identity as a racer would be solidified (Chad Reed and twotwo 22 for example).
if plate numbers went permanent, is there a lottery or something to determine numbers for the first time (i don't know how it works in moto)?
maybe permanent numbers make race administration too difficult since DH racers drop in a particular order, not all at once?
what do you think? any other suggestions?
Poll
There's a bloody lot of them though, so it would take some admin by the UCI
It would also help if teams weren't switching kits quite so often. Between practice kits, race kits, and special-edition kits that are sometimes only used for one weekend, I often can't easily tell what team (let alone which racer) I'm looking at unless there's a clear view of the bike, or it's somebody with a RedBull/Monster/etc. helmet (RIP Greg's Clif Bar helmets...) Seems like keeping consistent jerseys/kits throughout the season would make it easier to identify riders than having to re-learn who's wearing what color every other race.
Other people might love the one-off kits, IDK. Just my opinion.
They could just give them the number they finish with this year. Or let them pick, starting with first in points, then second and so on.
BTW I would like to see either permanent or annual numbers. Would make it much easier to identify riders on the track. I don't want to see a limit placed on their gear such as only one style jersey/pant setup. Adds to the races when we get to see new kits.
Why bother leaving #1 open? When the leader changes does the old leader go back to their normal number and the new one gets the #1? Isn't that also confusing a bit?
Sspomer, the top 20 MX riders earn a permanent number based on their performance for the previous season. They can retain it if they earn at least "X" number of points each season. Champions may choose a single-digit number. Also, at one time riders who earned the right to a permanent number were allowed to pick any number to be their permanent digits; that's how Mike Alessi got #800, Chad Reed scored #22, and Ken Roczen has #94. That's not the case anymore, but in typical sanctioning body style, some guys still get to choose. (Chase Sexton gets to keep #23, for instance.) If any rider retires or fails to earn the minimum number of points for any given year, the number is up for grabs to any qualified rider (those among the top 20 in points, in order, who do not already have a permanent number.)
Oh yeah, also - any permanent number holder can ask for a different permanent number if he's eligible and the number is available.
Easy, right?
I will concede that having a permanent number does help with a rider's identity and marketability.
📷 Malcolm Fearon
I think it should go off last seasons standings up to top 20 (protected) and that's it.
Although i'm that sad I can just tell who a top teir rider is now with whatever kit or helmet they might have on and can tell by riding style alone. Wow I'm a loser lol.
So the MTB Series podium is 5, so why not reserve those five numbers for riders that want to ride their ranking & say riders in the top 30 in the previous year are allowed to choose an annual number.
Riders continuing on each year can hold their number as first right to hold it. As long as you stay in the top 30.
But any logical rules could be applied to make it work
7 UCI International Elite Number System
6.1.094 TheUCIInternationalEliteNumberSystem(formerlyknownasthePermanentCareerNumber system) is for Men Elite & Women Elite category only. This system allows the top riders determined as defined below in article 6.1.095 to choose a specific number for themselves which they have the exclusive right to use for the entire Olympic Quadrennial for which it was awarded. Elite World Champions and Olympic Champions shall have the right to use this number for their entire Elite career.
Maybe teams/riders could be allowed a one off kit for one race of their choosing besides Worlds?
That said, I could get behind the annual number idea based on finish in previous years series. New riders assigned a random number at first race and keep it for the whole series.Series leader keeps same number but given a different coloured plate, maybe also the winner of the previous race making it easier to see who's on a roll?
I am not a casual watcher, and yet it is hard to distinguish riders on the vital videos for example ( cf the trek team). I can recognize loris riding style for exmaple, but the others … impossible for me! So the brands get full recognition, but once again at tge expense of tge individual rider.
I remember that year he had a roulette table painted on his helmet with the winning number being 27 on it. I remember he had this theory that 27 would always win at roulette.
Does anyone else remember any details about this set up by the UCI or why they discontinued in after that year?
Does anyone know why these are the only years they had this system in place?
With a field that's as big and as fluid as DH WC I don't think permanent numbers are the right solution. How many riders are there in MX?
F1 used to do it 1-21 (skipping 13) for 20 cars, but a few years back changed to permanent numbers. That's a bit easier as there are only 20 cars and the field is not as fluid as DH is (the season's roster is mostly set, barring COVID and the like).
Last years finishing position would make sense as the riders could run that number on the jerseys and, like mentioned, would make them more recognisable over the season. And last years champ can run the #1 plate. Currently the series leader does that, but with numbers set for the season, the season leader can run a yellow plate to distinguish her/him from the field.
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