Commissaire (cycling)

A commissaire is an official in competitive cycling, usually seen with a copy of the racing rules, a stopwatch and a clipboard. Commissaires are similar to judges or referees in other sports — a commissaire is the person in charge of the race and the Chief Commissaire has the power to shut down the event if protocols are breached.

Their main aim is to ensure the racing is both fair and safe. The Commissaire is independent and impartial. They ensure safety of the track and check for appropriate safety gear. Fairness is ensured by checking equipment and policing any disputes.

Commissaires require an officiating license, issued at different levels, before they can officiate at an event.

Disciplines

Road cycling

With road-racing, the commissaire is in charge of the riders, team vehicles and neutral service vehicles. The chief commissaire decides when the team cars can go up to the riders and which groups of riders need to have a commissaire with them when the race splits into many groups.

Track cycling

At a track race the commissaire has to organise the different heats and also take any decisions that need making with regard to the rules for the different disciplines.

Cyclo-cross

BMX

Mountain bike

• Olympic cross country
• Downhill
• Enduro
• Four-cross

Cycle speedway

Grades

International commissaires

• A and B grades
• Olympic Games, World Cup, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games

International commissaires must have at least two years of experience as a national commissaire, and are proposed to the UCI by their national governing body.

National commissaires can operate in other countries as 'observer commissaires' as long as they have the permission of both their own and the foreign governing bodies.

National grades

Commissaire grades below this level are governed by the relevant national cycling sport organisation such as USA Cycling or British Cycling. Some split grades into A and B divisions in the same way as the UCI. Award of a commissaire's licence is generally dependent on passing a written exam on the rules and race operation.

• National commissaire
• State commissaire (in some federal countries)
• Regional commissaire
• Divisional commissaire

Retired commissaires can sometimes continue in a mentoring role as a 'senior commissaire'.

Some national federations prefer an alternative term, such as 'referee', in place of 'commissaire'.