Commissaires & Officials

What is a Commissaire

Commissaires are the officials of the Cycling World. Regardless of the level of competition, having qualified sports officials brings value through alignment with cycling best practice, ensuring the integrity and due process in competition, and encouraging the right values and etiquette of the sport.

They support the safety of riders and ensure that the sporting rules are respected. They support organisers, contribute to the improvement of the quality of races and are fully involved in the development of the rules of cycle sport. A Commissaire can assist you with course selection, venue layout, programme/schedule and of course advise on the rules of racing.

Commissaires in New Zealand are trained by Cycling New Zealand and are located throughout the country. Your local cycling club is the first place to start if you are looking for a Commissaire. Cycling New Zealand hold the database and manage a private Facebook group.

Commissaires volunteer their time to the sport of Cycling. They should be treated with the same care as your volunteers. To ensure sufficient cover for your event, you may need to invite Commissaires from outside your area. It is an expectation that their accommodation and travel costs are covered and that food is provided while they are attending the event.

It is a requirement of Cycling New Zealand Sanctioned events to have current and appropriately trained Commissaires. Cycling New Zealand can assist with this process.

Become a Commissaire

Cycling New Zealand offer Road and Track, and Mountain Bike Commissaire courses. The courses are designed to give a good insight into the practical application of the rules of the sport.

Attending a Commissaires course is a great way to learn more about the rules of racing. Ideal for not only those who would like to attend events as a Commissaire but also for coaches, parents, teachers, riders and club administrators. Chat to your friends, your club and your centre and get behind these courses and learn more about what makes this sport tick!

The best place to start is at the grass roots of our sport, club racing. Offer your services at club races, let the club officials know that you are interested in officiating, and you will be shown through the various duties, i.e. Time Keeping, Judging, Marshalling etc.

Levels of Commissaires

Regional - Administered by national federations

National - Administered by national federations

Elite National - Administered by UCI

International - Administered by UCI

Commissaires Development Plan

In 2018 we launched the Cycling New Zealand- Commissaries Development Plan. This plan was developed by Cycling New Zealand and is supported by Cycling New Zealand Road & Track and MTBNZ. The intent of this plan is to provide a clear and transparent pathway for officials in cycling and to ensure that you have the right knowledge, resources and skills required to safely and effectively undertake the role of a commissaire at events in New Zealand. The plan also ensures that Cycling New Zealand is providing appropriate training, mentoring, support and resources to enable you to safely and effectively undertake the role of a commissaire.

The plan includes pre-requisites to progress to the next level, outlines what you can do with your endorsement and what is required for you to maintain your endorsement on an annual basis. This plan will be reviewed annually to ensure it is current and reflects the needs and specific requirements of officiating in cycling. Click here for details and contact us on commissaires@cyclingnewzealand.nz if you have any questions.