– Stop #2 of the 2011 CCC takes us to Hopkins Park hosted by North Central Cyclery, Half Acre Cycling, and Robots Powered by Love. Driving out to beautiful Dekalb is well worth it for the flyover alone… even before Brian Conant tells you that such a trip is mandatory.

– In addition to the full CCC schedule of races Hopkins Park will again be the venue for the OUILSSSCXC (Officially Unofficial IL State Single Speed CX Championships) immediately after the Cat 4B race. This race is NOT USAC sanctioned but will be loads of fun. See details here. As an added bonus the men’s and women’s SS winners earn a complimentary entry into the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship weekend being held November 18-20 in San Francisco, CA. In addition to their entry, the OUILSSSCXC organizers are providing round-trip airfare to the winners, all inclusive! See more details here.

– The Hopkins Park promoters are also awarding a prize for top men and women Cat 3’s in the Cat 1/2/3 races:

– M123: Top Cat 3 that also raced the regular Cat 3 race gets a $250 gift certificate courtesy Johnny Sprockets.
– W123: Top Cat 3 gets $250 gift certificate courtesy Johnny Sprockets.

– If that wasn’t enough payout for the Cat 1/2/3 and Women 1/2/3 races will be doubled. See the CCC standard payout schedule before increases here.

– We look forward to seeing our Women Cat 4 (Kim Brokhof – Spidermonkeys), Junior 15-18 (Mitch Bogardus – Williamson Bikes), Junior 10-14 (Max Hall – Verdigris-Village CX) series leaders in their new Pactimo Series Leader Jerseys. Note, our Cat 4A leader from Jackson Park (David Bowers) has already upgraded to the Cat 3’s so no one will be wearing the leader’s jersey in the Cat 4A’s at the start. Who will grab the bacon this weekend? You’ll have to be in Dekalb on Sunday to find out.

– Also, remember that the Women Cat 4 and the Cat 4A fields are both racing for the Mad Alchemy First Lap Hot Legs Sprints. You will receive instructions on the start line for where the sprint line will be, but we’re told it may be at the bottom of the other side of the flyover… so you have to get up and over the wooden monster first!

– The World Famous Half Acre Cycling Bake Sale is going on in the morning, and HAC will be grilling food (both meat and veggie) for purchase in the afternoon.

– The Spidermonkeys will be in Dekalb not only cheering and heckling but will also have the 2011 CCC t-shirts and Mad Alchemy Pome d’Émbre for distribution. If you ordered either item on line you can pick it up on Sunday. Sorry but we cannot sell CCC merchandise on site… so don’t even bother asking… although you’re welcome to swing by to look at the shirts and smell the embro.

– The transition out of the flyover will be “softened up” for those who might hesitate. Promoter Chris Jensen reminds us all however that none of the 12-15yr girls hesitated last year. So man up!

– NCC, HAC, and R<3 want to very clearly note that bullying riders in mixed fields on course to get out of the way will not be tolerated. We have lots and lots of guys and gals coming out to race this year and each rider has a right to be on course while having a safe and enjoyable race. In CX racing it is up to the rider who is passing to communicate and pass SAFELY, even if it means moving off the racing line. The rider being passed does NOT hold the onus of moving out of the racing line, especially at the cost of their own positioning/split in the race. Note USAC rule 1Q6:

1Q6. Abuse.
(a) No rider or licensee may be disrespectful toward organizers, officials, riders or spectators [warning for minor offense; possible relegation of rider; and/or up to a $50 fine]. (b) No rider or licensee may use foul or abusive language or conduct during a race event [disqualification and 15 days suspension].

– Start Grid: NCC/HAC/RpbL will have 10 lanes in the staging area, long enough to handle 100 riders (10×10). Everyone needs to line up inside a lane and NO overlapping other riders.

– Callups: As with all other CCC races the top 10 riders in the overall standings get call ups.

– Course Opening: N/H/R will be opening the course for riding at 7:30am. Please no riding the course before that time.

– Waitlist: Waitlists are only on-site on Sunday. Get there early if your want a spot!

– The great thing about CX and especially here in the CCC is that we have rivalries between our closest competitors. We can’t all be at the front winning, but we can certain try and beat those 2 or 3 guys or gals near us. Our friends at CrossResults.com have picked up on this and have introduced their Cross Clash. Check it out and challenge your friends or mortal enemies to a season long competition. There’s even prizes!

– Watch the pro Women and Men here: http://live.flocasts.org/planetbikecup.html

– The first pro race of the season comes to the Midwest this Saturday and Sunday in the form of the USGP Planet Bike Cup in Sun Prairie, WI. We know of quite a few Chicago area riders heading up to Madison for the weekend and we wish you all good luck. This past weekend’s race at Jackson Park should have prepared you all for navigating your way through large fields.

– By the time you read this online pre-reg via BikeReg.com will be closed, but you can view your competition here. As far as we can tell all fields are still open except the Pro races which are mandatory pre-reg.

– Day of reg incurs a $10 late fee.

– Note that registration for each field closes 1 hour before the start of the race. Please leave yourself plenty of time to get reg’d and numbers pinned on. Also, see the BikeReg page for call up protocols.

– We’ll leave the course description heavy lifting to the USGP here. A guide for enjoying Sun Prairie and Madison is here.

– USGP promoter Joan Hanscom want us all to know the Planet Bike Cup Friday Night Number Party is at Cannery Grill in downtown Sun Prairie. Swing by between 6pm and 8pm, grab your number, mingle with the pros, and grab some munchies and beer. Only inches from the course!!

– Good luck to everyone racing and we’ll see you all in a week at Hopkins Park where the Cat 4A field is almost full again.

– You high fived and raced at the CX Relay (also hosted by xXx Racing)… you road tripped and raced at Patriot CX… now its time for the big leagues. This Sunday starts off the 8th season of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, once again in Jackson Park and hosted by xXx Racing.

– Remember the parking lot at Jackson Park is metered, but only costs about $9-10 for all day. We don’t want anyone getting a ticket, so you’ve been warned. If the lot right next to the course fills up, there is parking to the west of the course on Hayes Drive.  However, the lot south of Hayes Drive south of the main parking lot is off limits.

– Please note that the CARA 20-mile run will again be taking place along the Lakefront Path on Sunday morning. xXx and the CCC urge all CX’ers riding down to Jackson Park for the race to exercise due caution and courtesy when traveling along that route.

– The CCC is trying to be green… take a look under the floor mats of your car, dig into to seat cushins and bring your own safety pins to properly attach your bib number. But how will you remember to bring pins each week? We suggest visiting one of your favorite local bike shops and purchasing a patch kit… we like the Genuine Innovations large patch kit in the green plastic boxes. Whether you use the patches is up to you, but we like to put a handful of safety pins in the plastic container and always keep it in our race bag. Mother earth thanks you!

– Online pre-registration on BikeReg.com (say it with us… Bik Rej… like REGistration) closes tonight at midnight. Entry fees increase $5 on race day. Huge thanks to the 567 of you (most # of CCC pre-reg’s ever) that have already pre-reg’d. If you show up early in the morning, please let the 40+ racers pick up their bib numbers first since they start promptly at 8:45am. Also thanks to the 14 of your that donated to WBR when registering. If you’d like to donate your race winnings to our WBR drive, please see us after your race.

– Series sponsor CarboRocket will be out on Sunday with big coolers of CarboRocket mix and coffee (in the morning). Swing by and fill up your bottle, mug, or canteen. Temps are forecast to be in the upper 60’s with an 70% chance of awesome, but we all need to stay hydrated.

– This year we are running 100 rider field limits in all categories. In combined fields (Women 1/2/3 & Masters 50+/60+ and Women 4 & Juniors) that means only 100 riders are allowed on course at one time. We don’t anticipate hitting 100 riders in these fields, but if we do please understand there are USAC rules we must follow. Both Cat 4 fields are filled and the Cat 3’s and 30+ are in the 80’s. So if you want a spot in a non Cat 4 field please pre-reg now!

– Concerning waitlists… we’ll start waitlists for each filled category (Cat 4A & Cat 4B) when registration opens at 7:45am. First come first served. 20 minutes before each race is scheduled to start (yes, even if we’re running a little behind we will still close reg at the scheduled time)(we will be running on time though) we’ll close out the race and reassign bib numbers to those on the waiting list. If you are pre-reg’d and show up after this time your bib will already have been reassigned and you will NOT be allowed to race. Period. If you are racing more than once and would like to give your number up to someone else so they have a chance to enjoy the thrill of heckles and whatever else goes on, thank you, and we certainly can accommodate that. Just make your way to registration as soon as possible and the reg staff will switch you in start list (just don’t give your number to the other guy/gal).

– Please remember to register for the correct category/age group. We cannot allow you to race outside your cat/age group and the reg staff will be checking licenses thoroughly all day long. If you have a question, please ask us or a USAC official.

– Concerning call-ups… we will again randomly pull numbers out of a hat for the first 10 call ups and then after that you will be lined up like any other CCC race, 10 wide in the starting grid. We’ll have a nicely painted starting grid for you and both we and the officials will be making sure all fields are only 10 wide… so please do the right thing. However, if you want to be on the 2nd row, you’ll have to get there yourself. Last year’s placings have nothing to do with it. That being said, please do not fight over starting positions… after all this is just bike racing, its a long season, and karma can be a b!@tch.

– Concerning the 80% rule… we ask the USAC officials to leave as many riders in the race for as long as possible. However, pulling riders is still at their discretion in line with USAC rules. If you are told you are being pulled (always near the start/finish)… please exit the course immediately. You will still be scored and given a laps down designation.

– If you decided not to finish the race on your own volition, please let a USAC official know so you can be marked as DNF. This makes scoring the entire race a lot easier.

– Full results will be posted on the CCC Results Board at the race (somewhere near registration) and online at usacycling.org/results later Sunday evening. Series standings will be posted here (please bookmark it) following each race. Remember we’re presenting podiums to the top 3 in each race immediately before the next race. So if you’re in the top 3, head to the podiums right after you’re done ripping legs off. The Spidermonkeys will be presenting awards to both Juniors categories.

– We are also awarding Series Leader Jerseys by Pactimo to the Women 4’s, 15-18 and 10-14 Juniors, as well as the Cat 4A’s. Determining the series leader after the first race is easy and we’ll present the jersey on the podium. So if you won, please be present.

– The CCC will of course be on Twitter all day… so feel free to follow us for up-to-the-minute updates. We may even have a LIVE surprise.

– The CCC is supported by many, many, many generous series sponsors (29 in all so far!), many of whom will personally be attending and racing at Jackson Park. If you see one, please make sure to stop and say thank you for their continued support. Our little series would NOT be possible without them.

– The Mad Alchemy Pome d’Embre CCC custom embro is here and we’ll have all pre-orders available for pick up on Sunday. T-shirts and Socks will be available soon but you can pre-order both on the store page.

– Below is the tentative 2011 Jackson Park course brought to you by the twisted minds of xXx Racing and the Bonebell.com. Please remember the map below is only an approximation as we may need to make adjustments on race day. The course runs clockwise. The wheel/bike pit is dual sided and currently near the finish line but may be moved to be more in the middle of the entire course. Please see you friendly USAC officials (and say thank you) for the actual location on Sunday.

– And finally… thanks to everyone for coming out and racing the Chicago Cyclocross Cup… again! 2009 was a banner year… 2010 was enormous and great… so we’re not even going to guess what 2011 will bring. If the pre-reg numbers are any indication 2011 is going to be even more gihugimouser than 2010. So let’s race, cheer, heckle, and have a great time! See you Sunday!

– This Sunday is the 2nd incarnation of xXx Racing’s CX Relay race. Pre-reg closed last night but there are still spots open in all categories except the Co-Ed Open (last race of the day, which will also have a wait list). Day-Of reg incurs a $15 late fee… so bring your cash dollars. See your competition here.

– Also, be sure to read the tech guide for all the specific rules that apply to this unique event. We know of a few of you are still looking for buddies to high five, so if you need a partner, email us or leave your request in the comments below.

– Remember the parking lot at Jackson Park is metered, but only costs about $10 for all day. We don’t want anyone getting a ticket, so you’ve been warned. If the lot right next to the course fills up, there is parking to the west of the course on Hayes Drive.  However, the lot south of Hayes Drive south of the main parking lot is off limits.

– Please note that the Chicago Triathlon will be taking place along the Lakefront Path on Sunday morning. xXx and the CCC urge all CX’ers riding down to Jackson Park for the race to exercise due caution and courtesy when traveling along that route. If traveling by car, you should probably try another route besides LSD.

– The CCC is trying to be green… take a look under the floor mats of your car, dig into to seat cushins and bring your own safety pins to properly attach your bib number. But how will you remember to bring pins each week? We suggest visiting one of your favorite local bike shops and purchasing a patch kit… we like the Genuine Innovations large patch kit in the green plastic boxes. Whether you use the patches is up to you, but we like to put a handful of safety pins in the plastic container and always keep it in our race bag. Mother earth thanks you!

– The weather looks delightful for Sunday, and almost CX list. Bring your arm warmers for after the race.

– Podiums will be awarded immediately after the conclusion of each race and before the start of the next race. So if you finish in the top three head straight to the podiums (look for the CCC flags) after your race so we can stay on schedule.

– Before we start racing… let’s review a few rules of engagement. Yes, we’re all racing, yes many of us are aggressive, yes you will fall down, yes the officials might not get your placing correct, and yes tempers might flair here and there… but remember first and foremost we’re all out there to have some fun and enjoy each other’s company. So please smile, have a lot of fun, and enjoy this precious time we have together. Oh, and don’t forget the high fives and handups… even if you’re not racing.

– The CX relay course will be similar to last year with a few new twists and turns, but more importantly it will be slightly shorter to allow everyone to race more laps. Check xXxRacing.org for more info.

– At the beginning of the summer we were worried we might only have a few sponsors this season due to the weak economy. Not only have nearly all 2010 sponsors returned but we’ve added a few new members to the CCC family as well. Please see our series sponsorship proposal here or if you’d like to be a part of the big show, see our New Year’s Resolution proposal here.

 – Rob Curtis, founder & owner of CCC series sponsor Psimet Wheels was interviewed in CX Magazine. He discussed wheels, CX, racing, and how during his first ever CX race he “… wasn’t even a full lap in before I found myself feeling like a kid who just found out that girls smell nice.” We wonder what flavor of embro Rob was thinking of? In any event, big thanks to Rob and Psimet for supporting pedal bike racing in IL and giving the CCC a nice shout out.

 – The biggest name in bikes (get it?) Giant puts it name in the ring for the 2011 season. RIDE LIFE. RIDE GIANT.

  – Back again after spending a summer on the road ripping rider’s legs off at will, Enzo’s Buttonhole Chamois Cream returns to please everyone’s hinter regions. Look for Enzo and his Psimet masters crew to tear up the old guy fields this year as they prepare for CX Masters Worlds in Louisville in January.

 – New to sponsoring the CCC but no stranger at all to a hops fueled 5 o’clock Happy Hour, Smart Bike Parts officially joins the CCC sponsorship family.

– A few more races (Hopkins Park, Dan Ryan Woods, & Carpentersville) are now open for online pre-reg on BikeReg.com.

– Half Acre Cycling hosts their Ladies Cross Skills Clinic on Saturday 9/10/11 in Humboldt Park. In addition to Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld.com’s Kaitie Antonneau, French CX National Champ Caroline Mani will help lead the clinic. Reg is open on BikeReg here.

– We know many of you have been diligently practicing dis/remounts, riding endless circles in the grass, shining your shiny steads, and working on your heckling… so get ready for the first real CX race of the season. xXx Racing unofficially opens the CX season here in Chicago with their Cyclocross Relay Race in Jackson Park (just South of the city). The CoEd Open main event has filled up but there are still plenty of spots in other categories. We’ll have a full course preview at the regular time and place on Thursday morning, but make sure to read through xXx Racing’s official flyer for a few specifics about this unique race.

– Speaking of course previews… NCC, HAC, and Robots <3 checked in this week to tell us that at CCC #2 Hopkins Park in Dekalb they will once again have the NCC/HAC flyover with some improvements to help those that are not confident with the descent. Anyone that wants to come out Saturday night is welcome to join the setup crew in having a beer and riding a mechanical bull Saturday night.

In addition, NCC/HAC will again host the Official Unofficial Illinois State Single Speed Cyclocross Championship, which will go off AFTER the 4B race at 4:15pm. It will feature a 30-minute race on a shortened course with some *interesting* features. Note this is NOT a USAC-sanctioned race. Allowed bicycles must have at least two wheels, at least one rider, and no more than one usable gear. Registration is on-site only and $15… The “race” is open class, men and women of any age are eligible.

– And finally… this is absolutely the last call for 2011 Series t-shirt and sock designs. Remember the winner of each design gets a shirt/pair of socks with their winning design, free entry into one race of their choice, a much sought after call up, and most importantly… adoring admiration (read: heckles) from the entire CCC populous. We’ve received a handful of entries but will continue to accept designs until Midnight this coming Sunday (8/28/11).

Oh man, less than 3 weeks until the xXx Relay Race… less than 6 weeks until the official start of the CCC at Jackson Park. There’s lots going on all over the place and this update is a big one… fasten your seat belts and please read all the way to the bottom.

– The CCC is still accepting 2011 series sponsors. If you’d like to be involved please email us at [email protected].
 – EJ’s Place in Skokie returns to sponsor the CCC for what seems like the 82nd time. EJ’s will be sponsoring the overall series prizes for the Juniors (10-14 and 15-18, Boys and Girls). All juniors still race free (no entry fees) thanks to our generous promoters.

 
– Spidermonkey Cycling. New to (officially) sponsoring the CCC is Spidermonkey Cycling who will be supplying the Juniors prizes every week (10-14 and 15-18, Boys and Girls). Make sure to swing by the big yellow and orange 312 tent and say Ka-Kaw!

 
– Pactimo. New this year the CCC will award Pactimo Leaders Jerseys to the Cat 4A, Cat 4 Women, and both Juniors categories. The overall leader in each of those 4 categories will receive a Pactimo Leaders Jersey after each race that they will be required to wear at the next CCC race (in that category… so if you’re a woman or junior racing in another category you do NOT wear your Pactimo Leaders Jersey from the Women 4 or Junior races). We’re starting out with just the Cat 4’s and Juniors since we realize the masters and higher categories like their team skinsuits. But if things go well this year we’ll expand the Pactimo Leaders Jerseys to other categories in 2012.

– The New Year’s Resolution race sponsorship proposal is now available here. If you’d like to have your name in bright lights at a UCI race the week before CX Nationals email us at [email protected].

– Apparently you all really do want to race CX. Online pre-reg for xXx Racing’s Relay Race is already starting to fill up.

– CCC series races that are already permitted have online pre-reg opening now. We match rider information to your USAC license number so please make sure to update your BikeReg.com rider profiles as needed. Online pre-reg for all other CCC races will be available as those races are permitted by each individual promoter (likely very soon).

– Online pre-reg for Patriot CX is also open. Jason Rassi will allegedly be in attendance.

– If you’re new to CX remember you can race at your USAC (or NORBA mountain bike equivalent) category or one category below. For example, if you are a Cat 3 on the road you can race as a CX Cat 3 or CX Cat 4. There are no Cat 5’s in CX. All upgrades must be submitted to the USAC upgrade coordinator via your MyUSACycling account. See USAC’s page on the subject here. The CCC is not in the business of forcing riders to upgrade… but any egregious sandbagging will be dealt with accordingly.

– Got kids? Two entrepreneurial young ladies whose parents race CX have started Cyclo-Cross Sitters to watch your infant to teenage children at races (so there is no excuse NOT to race). Contact the Cyclo-Cross Sitters here.

– The great thing about CX is that every year each course changes from the year before, making it Feel Like the First Time. Sometimes just a little bit, other times quite a lot. But the same general terrain at each venue does stay the same from year to year. Since so many new people try CX each year we thought it would be a great idea to consolidate in one place all the helmet/handlebar camera videos from over the years to get a general idea of what each venue “feels” like. It turns out there are a ton of videos out there… but thankfully local Cat 4 lady racer and professional Andy Schleck TDF heckler Vanessa Buccella (Spidermonkeys) has a PhD in YouTube searching techniques and helped us scour the Interwebs for the best videos. Check them out here. Also as we mentioned, courses change every year, so please do NOT try to pre-ride courses now… they won’t be the same anyway, you’ll have plenty of time to pre-ride on race day, and most importantly some park groundskeepers are very sensitive about their grass.

– Half Acre Cycling hosts their Ladies Cross Skills Clinic on Saturday 9/10/11 in Humboldt Park. In addition to Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld.com’s Kaitie Antonneau, French CX National Champ Caroline Mani will help lead the clinic. Please RSVP on FB here.

– We’re still looking for entries for the 2011 CCC series T-Shirt & Sock design competition.  Entries are due by midnight on Sunday August 14th (less than 1 week from now!). Otherwise we’ll need to design these things ourselves… and no one likes stick figures.

– The CCC tries to be as green as possible and one sore spot we’ve recognized over the years has been the large number of Tyvek bib numbers that end up in landfills because of our weekly bike parties. This year the CCC will do its best to recycle old bib #’s using these Tyvek recycling kits from Waste Management. If you’d like to help us out by either purchasing kits or helping to gather old bib #’s at each race please let us know.

– And finally… Last year more and more promoters starting having food vendors at their races to literally feed the hungry masses. A few trips to a city taco stand that serves killer margaritas got us to thinking maybe we could have even more options at races this year. Food trucks are all the rage these days and the CCC (through some friends who know a guy who knows a guy) have an inside line on getting this truck and this truck (designer cupcake handups?) to some of the city races. But if you have a favorite food truck or trucks you’d like to see at the races, the next time you’re chowing down on a taco, burger, cupcake, fro-yo, hot dog, etc… print out a few of these schedules and invite the driver to stop by. Tell him/her over 500 ravenous skinny people on bikes will buy them out of whatever they’re serving!

– And finally… FINALLY… the CCC and long time friends at Mad Alchemy Embrocation have been thinking for a while the CCC is ready for its own embro blend and this year our collaboration finally came to fruition. We asked around to see what scent you all preferred to slather on your legs and responses varied from fresh cut grass to pumpkin spice to bacon to Jack Daniels to Twinkies. Fortunately for your significant others and co-workers Pete at Mad Alchemy told us he will only work with the highest quality, all natural, essential oils (we thought bacon WAS an essential oil). But in the end MsChiCrossCup had a spark of genius that led to the final blend we’re calling the Chicago Cyclocross Cup Pome d’Embre Embrocation blend. We think you’ll all really enjoy the scent of the blend that is evocative of Autumn and the holiday season and can’t wait to get the stuff on your legs. Mad Alchemy’s brew monster is working overtime getting ready for CX season but the CCC custom blend should be available soon over on the store page. We’ll let you know as soon as it is!

– Just when you thought it was safe to hang up your knobbiy tires and settle on to your trainer for the winter… Half Acre and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew go and decide to host one last cyclocross race for 2010… the Afterglow. There’s no cash on the line nor any Cross Cup points… so keep it lighthearted and fun and let’s end the year on a good great note.

– Very important!!! HAC has been changing around/combining some start times to keep everyone warm and having fun (and to let the Masters sleep in a wee tad bit more). See the revised schedule here and all the updates here.

– Online pre-reg on BikeReg.com has been a little lite, but is still open and will close (this afternoon) Thursday at 5pm. Day of reg and bib # pick up begins at 9am in or near the Beach House.

– Rest rooms are also in the Beach House, but a second set of restrooms is located near Lil Cubbies Field on the SW corner of the course.

– Parking: Parking for competitor is along Luis Munoz Drive (the curvey road on the outside of the course). Please do not park in front of the Beach/Boat House… this is for volunteers and officials ONLY please!

– Weather… duh, its cold and getting colder. Wear something warm and then put on another layer.

– Neutral Support provided by Element Multisport with help from West Town Bikes.

– Food: There are usually a few street food vendors in and around Humboldt Park (mmm, tacos and Churros)… otherwise there are several options all up and down North Ave and Division Ave.

– Parties: Cousin Mikey hosts an afterparty at 3246 W Le Moyne, shortly after the 4B race! More details here.  The Bonebell.com will be auctioning off one of their blingbling wheelsets with all proceeds going to West Town Bikes‘ juniors program (expect to see a gaggle of them out for the Juniors race)! For those of you heading North, Los Barrachos goes on at 8pm at the Elbow Room.

– The Course: Humboldt Park is one of the great diamonds in the rough and in our opinion unknown treasures of the Chicago parks system. There’s a little bit a of everything from grass, dirt, mulch, sand, trees, hills, pavement, and water hazards that when combined in the right fashion all have the potential to create a fantastic CX course. HAC certainly does the park justice and includes a little bit of everything to make not only a fun but also challenging course. The course runs clock wise starting in front of the Beach House and has a double wheel/bike pit. Next is sand, some trees, pavement, and the Humboldt Park hill more or less twice. Wrap around a few more trees and baseball diamonds and you’re back to the finish after 1.5 miles.

Photo: Luke Seemann

– This is it! The big one, the big enchilada, the big bopper… Turin Bicycle once again hosts the last stop in the Chicago Cyclocross Cup… which just happens to also be the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships at Montrose Harbor. You all have been racing all season long with plenty of ups, downs, highs, lows, podiums, crashes, heckles, and whatever the heck this was… and we’ve finally made it to the finalé. We at the CCC and Turin again ask everyone to bundle up, bring your cowbells and cameras, and make a day out of Montrose… which means the Cat 4’s should show up early and heckle the 40+ field, and the Masters should stick around and cheer on the Cat 4’s. Lots to review below, so buckle up…

– Registration: We’ll be running reg the same way as every other CCC race. Please allow all 40+ and 30+ racers to reg first since they have to get ready first. If you’re coming out to race for the first time (great!) just follow the lead of one of the local yocals. Both Cat 4 fields of 100 are full but we’ll run wait lists starting Sunday morning. As of this morning there are 436 of you pre-reg’d (thank you!) and online pre-reg closes tonight at midnight… so if you’re not yet reg’d, do everyone (yourself included) a favor and reg now! Ballpoint pens don’t work so well in 26 degrees.

– Call Ups: Since we know down and mid-state IL riders can’t make it up to Chicago every weekend but may still be racing outside of Chicago, this year we are instituting a new call up procedure that is slightly different than the usual top 10 call ups we do at all other CCC races. We will call up the top 15 riders in every category. However we will also factor in standings from CrossResults.com. If any pre-reg’d IL resident has a better CrossResults.com points standing than riders with top 15 CCC overall series points, than that rider will receive a call up in that position. For example, someone from downstate has a CrossResults score better than the 9th place CCC overall rider. That downstate rider will receive the #9 call up, the #9 CCC overall rider will receive the #10 call up (and so on to CCC #14), but the #15 CCC overall rider will NOT receive a call up. In this way every top 10 rider in the CCC should still get a call up while also awarding riders from down and mid-state for racing closer to home (but still driving a long way to participate in the state championship). Note however that riders in the CCC overall who have more points on CrossResults.com than other riders in the CCC overall will NOT move up in position… you keep your overall CCC position. We will post tentative call up lists here on the CCC site no later than Saturday.

– Cash prizes totaling $2,165 will be awarded with the support of E.J.’s Place and the Kenda Pro Cycling Team. The winners of the Masters 30+, 40+, 50+, Women 1/2/3, and Men 1/2/3 will also receive a $200 dining card from E.J.’s Place (in addition to their cash prizes) to celebrate their victory in style. Merchandise prizes for the Juniors and the Category 4B Men are donated by Lake Cycling and Craft. Lake will have a tent at the race so stop by to preview the new line of 2011 shoes.

– State Champion Requirements: In case you didn’t read the paragraph above, the Montrose Harbor race not only acts as the final stop in the CCC but also the Illinois State Cyclocross championships. The CCC along with Turin and the ICA will be presenting CX State Champion Jerseys (on the podiums) to the first IL rider to cross the finish line in every category (except the 4B’s). This means Juniors 15-18 AND Juniors 10-14… boys AND girls. Remember that in order to win the state championship you must be a permanent Illinois resident (we’ll be checking ID’s), a US citizen, and hold a valid 2010 USAC license before the start of the race (yes, we’re looking at you Cat 4’s). UPDATE: There must also be a full podium of IL riders (that means 3) to win the state jersey. This should not be a problem, except possibly in the junior ranks. In addition we’ll present podiums for the race (top 3 in the race) and for the IL state championship (top 3 IL riders in the race). So pay attention after your race, we may be calling your name!

– While a few riders have already locked up their CCC overall titles, there are quite a few very, very, very close categories still to be decided on Sunday. We’ll do our best to announce the overall titles when we can crunch the numbers fast enough, but all official overall series awards and recognitions will be presented at the CCC Awards Dinner on Sunday January 9th at EJ’s Place.

– Like last year, “holiday” (is it still not PC to write Christmas?) themed costumes will receive call ups after the top 15 (see above). Santa, the Grinch, Chanukah bushes, big colored balls… just keep it tasteful and while we appreciate a nice Santa hat, no… that alone won’t get you a call up. We may also have a few special call ups.

– Neutral race support will be provided by Turin Bicycle, adjacent to the registration tent.  Turin Bicycle will also be selling the latest Jay Ryan poster commemorating the 2010 race and a limited selection of other merchandise. Turin will also be grilling up Hot Dogs from about 11-3 and will have hot chocolate, coffee, and soup to take the chill off.

– More than any other factor, the weather usually makes this race. Right now the forecast is clear but cold… so bundle up, dress appropriately, and come prepared with extra warm (& dry) gear. We’ll bring the podium warmers.

– CCC Founders: Join the CCC founders for their reunion party at The Globe tomorrow night (Friday) from 7 to 10pm.  See details here. Many of the founders will also be at Montrose racing as well as displaying a slide show. They even made a video! What’s funny is if you change the jerseys, just a few faces, and add more people… what we have today basically looks the same… people having fun riding bikes and enjoying each other’s company. So swing by at Montrose, make a new CX friend, and don’t forget to say thank you to the Founders for getting this ball rolling. Check out photos from 2004 here and here.

– West Town Bikes and Ciclo Urbano will also be out in full force supporting Chicago youth and adults on bicycles.

– Parking: Unlike last year, the parking lot at the east end of the park is closed. Parking will be on the street only along Simonds Dr. Several parking spaces near the restrooms and registration will be roped off (for officials, etc) so please do NOT move the cones and park there. We need this area clear for pedestrian and bike traffic.

– The Course: The final course route is still TBD but will be based on last year’s layout. The starting grid, finish line, wheel/bike pit, and registration will still be in the same general area. Feel free to set up your tents near by. The course itself will be longer (~3.5K) than last year to accommodate the CCC’s ever expanding field sizes. The course will have longer than usual grass and path routes and will feature some new lengthy sand runs. Tradition standing, the weather always plays a key role at Montrose and will affect the course design right up until Sunday.

Photo: Luke Seemann

– This week the CCC heads back closer to the city as Chris Henning, Jason Meshberg, Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club, and Flatlandia host the Northbrook Swanson at the Decoma Day Camp & Wood Oaks Green Park. The Northbrook crew brought in plenty of sponsors this year to make the race happen including Sunset Foods, George Garner Cyclery, Goose Island, Decoma Day Camp, Stewarts Coffee, and Greater > Than.

– Chris Henning reminds us of a little bit of history… Northbrook was the race that gave birth to the Chicago Cyclocross Cup. Way back in 2003 Mark Harris (Northbrook Garner) and Jason Meshberg (Flatlandia) put on a cross race in Northbrook to raise money to save the track. The race repeated in 2004 for the inaugural CCC series. This duo also put on the Palatine race in 2004, so this promoter duo was responsible for 50% of the races during the CCC’s first year. A look back at the results from 2004 show some very familiar names. NGBC & Flatlandia also brought Katie Compton & Brian Vernor out to Northbrook for a benefit dinner & screening of “Pure Sweet Hell” after KFC won CX Nationals the 1^st time in 2004.

– Like most of our other races, all proceeds from the Northbrook race go to a good cause… the promoters use proceeds for bike safety and educational programming in and around Northbrook.

– Back to the present… this year’s Northbrook edition will feature a Goose Island Beer Garden & Grill with a DJ inside the beer garden. Alcohol will ONLY be allowed INSIDE the beer garden so unfortunately no BYOB… No beer hand-ups please. The tentative menu for the beer garden is:
Cheeseburger $6
Chipotle Chicken Burger $6
Bratwurst $6
Goose Island Pub Chips $2
Sodas / Water $2
312 Wheat or Mild Winter Ale $5 (pint)

– Gourmet Mobile Brick Oven Pizza (should be some nice vegetarian options) will be next to Sunset Foods Popcorn Truck, as will Greater > Than who will be handing out samples. The Stewarts Coffee Truck will also be out to serve your caffeine needs.

– Parking will be at the service drive off Walters Ave and at the Camp.  NO parking at the Jr. High School or the Wood Oaks lot off of Sanders.  Overflow parking will be on the side streets off Walters Ave.  ABSOLUTELY NO parking on Walters as it is a narrow street and we need to keep the road clear in case a fire truck or ambulance needs to get to the camp. See map below. Also, please no warming up on the paths as local residents will be out and about using the park at the same time as we are.

– NO dogs allowed on the Camp property (sorry we don’t make the rules).  Dogs OK on leash in Wood Oaks Park.

– The Kiddie Fun Ride will take place immediately after the Women 4/Junior race. The kids will do a quick lap 1/4 lap (see below) before the Cat 1/2/3 fast guys take flight. Please no training wheels (for the kiddies or the Cat 1/2/3’s).

– If you haven’t noticed, we increased the Cat 4’s field limit to 100 racers. There are still spots open in both fields, but online pre-reg closes tonight at midnight.

– UPDATE: Anyone dressed in Thanksgiving attire gets a call up… That means a turkey, Pilgrim, string bean casserole, bowl of stuffing/cranberry sauce, etc.

– As we mentioned before this race is unfortunately weather dependent. The great news is the weather forecast is looking in our favor. You can assume the race is on unless you hear otherwise by noon on Saturday. We will make an announcement here on the site and on Twitter if the weather turns sour and we need to cancel. If that happens we’d like to remind everyone that the WI State Championship CX Race is on Sunday as an alternative.

– As we mentioned on Tuesday, when pre-riding please remain behind riders still finishing their race. Also, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that handups (in the 4’s only) are voluntary and should never be forced. Hang the bacon out there… if someone wants it, they’ll take it… but don’t try and make them take it. To wit… Rob Curtis (in the red shirt in the background) shows us how its done. Concerning heckling… you may want a refresher from last year.

– The Course: Henning/Meshberg and crew bring back the classic Northbrook course from 2009 with a few new twists and turns. This year the sand pit will be a single pass only but other obstacles await everyone, including bunny hopping beams (a la JP 2009).  The course direction is clockwise and bib numbers will likely go on the left. As always, weather and other last minute situations may cause us to alter the tentative course below.

– Back for their 2nd year at this venue Steve Feehery, Mike Kelly, and the rest of the South Chicago Wheelmen host this weekend’s double race weekend at the Hilton Indian Lakes Golf Course and Resort. Besides a great course and loverly surroundings, some of the other amenities ILR offers include an indoor heated pool (bring your suit), an indoor locker room (change in the warmth and/or take a shower after your race), and a spa, including steam room and jacuzzi.

– As we mentioned on Tuesday, the SCW have secured discounted hotel room rates of $79 per night for up to 4 people.  For reservations call 630.529.0200 and for general  info visit IndianLakesResort.com. ILR will have a breakfast buffet from 6:30 am to 11 am and an all-you-can-eat lunch/dinner buffet from 11 am til 6 pm, both for just $12.95 per person Saturday & Sunday.

– The other CCC (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) will continue where they left off last year and host the Cave Catastrophe Continued Party in the ILR Cave bar (in the middle of the hotel… you can’t miss it). The party starts Friday night and (for those who can hang) will continue Saturday night. New Belgium Brewery will also be at the race again selling $3 pints of Fat Tire Ale.

– Being a double weekend you might want to make sure you save some for Sunday since the SCW have put up a $8,100 prize list over the two days, which is substantially more than the CCC minimum payout schedule. Several categories payout deeper than the standard 5 places… so make sure you pick up your winnings! Also, for those that didn’t notice… the field limits for Cat 4 races were raised to 100 riders.

– West Town Bikes (and various other friends) will be at ILR Saturday AND Sunday to promote, support, and sponsor juniors and new racers.  WTB will have loaner equipment including bikes, helmets, etc. The goal is to make the ILR weekend accessible to as many new racers, adults and juniors, as possible regardless of financial status and are open to all.

– REKLAIM Apparel will again have the 2010 CCC series t-shirts for pick up (if you pre-ordered) and for sale (if you didn’t).

– A chance of rain is in the current forecast, but there is plenty of room inside the resort for everyone… and many of you keep asking for mud anyway.

The Course: Registration will again be just inside the door next to the pro-shop where outside we’ll have a bike rack (hint: use that instead of the golf bag racks or laying your bike on the ground). The wheel/bike pit will be double sided and staffed by SRAM Neutral support all weekend long… and not far away from the Finish line. The SCW are bringing back many of last year’s features, including the main hill, sand traps, and more than a few fairways. Bacon Alley may change location from last year… but we’re sure it will pop up somewhere. Just like last year, the course will not go across any putting greens, and ILR asks that we stay off them. The course will go anti-clockwise on Saturday and then reverse and go clockwise on Sunday… however, you’ll put your numbers on your left both days. Sunday‘s course will also include a short extension on the Northwest edge of the course shortly after the start… bring your sand wedge! As always, the map below is an approximation and the actual course will likely be slightly different depending on weather & conditions.