Photo: Luke Seemann

– One more to go! Turin Bicycle once again hosts the last stop in the 2011 Chicago Cyclocross Cup… which just happens to also be the Illinois State CX Championships at Montrose Harbor. You all have been racing all season long with plenty of ups, downs, highs, lows, podiums, crashes, heckles, and new this year… mud… 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+ 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. The Cat 4A’s and 4B’s fields are full but we’ll run wait lists starting Sunday morning. As of this morning there are 548 of you pre-reg’d (we AND Turin thank you!), which is already more than last year. 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 29 degrees.

– Staging: 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 Chicagoland, similar to last year we will use CrossResults.com points to help w/ staging. The difference is that this year we will stage ALL riders, just as we have been doing since Dan Ryan Woods (wow, that seems like a long time ago). See the procedure here. Staging at Montrose will incorporate CrossResults.com points for those riders (especially from downstate, but even out of state) without CCC series points. Riders with OUT CCC series points in a category but better (lower) CrossResults.com points will be staged ahead of riders WITH CCC series points in that category and worse (high) CrossResults.com points. Riders in the CCC overall who have better CrossResults.com standings than other riders in the CCC overall will NOT move up in position… you keep your overall CCC position.

– For example: Rider A has a CrossResults score of 205 and 150 CCC series points. Rider B has a CrossResults score of 204 and zero CCC series points. Rider B will be staged in front of Rider A. Now lets say Rider C has a CrossResults score of 202 and 145 CCC series points. Rider A will still be staged before rider C.

– Preliminary staging will be posted here no later than Saturday.

– State Champion Requirements: The CCC along with Turin and the ICA will be presenting 13 CX State Champion Jerseys (on the podiums) to the first IL rider to cross the finish line in every category (excluding 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 and unsuspended 2011 USAC annual license before the start of the race (yes, we’re looking at you Cat 4’s). 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 Girls 15-18 Junior race.

– Speaking of… as of today (12/1/12) you can start renewing your annual USAC license. Annual licenses purchased on or after 12/1/11 are good until 12/31/2012. We highly suggest renewing/purchasing your license online at USACycling.org as this is the easiest (for everyone) and most efficient method.

– Podiums presentations for each race (top 3 overall in the race) AND and for the IL state championship (top 3 IL riders in the race) will occur immediately after each race finish… so pay attention after your race, we may be calling your name! The one exception will be for the Women 4 and Juniors races when the podiums will be awarded at 1:50 pm.

Turin Bicycle of Evanston has secured several additional prizes beyond jerseys and the standard 2011 CCC payouts.

– Each State Champion (13 in all) will receive a Life Fitness Body Shape Kit valued at $400 Donated by Tour de Cure.

– E.J.’s Place will be giving away $200 dining cards to each of the IL State Champions in the Cat 1/2/3, Women 1/2/3, Masters 30+, Masters 40+, and Masters 50+ races.

– Turin Bicycle will give gift cards for 1st through 5th place in the Cat 4Bs and 1st through 3rd places in each of the Junior Boys and Junior Girls races (4 races total).  Total value of the gift cards will be $300.

– 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, but all official overall series awards and recognition will be presented at the CCC Awards Dinner on Sunday December 18th at EJ’s Place. We look forward to celebrating with all of you.

– Neutral race support will be provided by Turin Bicycle, in the heated tent next to registration.

– Turin Bicycle will also be selling the latest Jay Ryan poster commemorating the 2011 race. These will be on sale for $22 at the Turin service tent. Turin also has remaining stock from years 2009 and 2010 that will be on sale for half price with the purchase of a new 2011 poster. Cowbells will also be for sale for $5 to ring out the race.

– Food:

– Turin will be grilling up Hot Dogs from about 11-3 and will have coffee and soup to take the chill off. Supply is limited. First come first served.

– We’ve been waiting all year for a food truck show up to a race and thanks to Chicago.CX the Big Star truck will be serving Champurrado Hot Mexican Chocolate, Tacos al Pastor, Tacos de Pescado, and the Tacos de Papas con Rajas from 11am – 3pm. Hand-ups encouraged!

– More than any other factor, the weather usually makes Montrose the legend it is. Right now the forecast is cold with the possibility of snow or even a little rain (you didn’t get enough at JRC anyway, did you?)… so bundle up, dress appropriately, and come prepared with extra warm (& dry) gear. We’ll bring the podium warmers.

– Todd Busteed will be announcing the race.

– We will have all pre-ordered CCC merchandise (t-shirts, socks, & embro) at the race and available for pick-up. T-shirts are sold out but we will have Sock Guy socks ($15) and Mad Alchemy embro ($20) for sale (cash only).

– Burnham Racing and Spidermonkey Cycling will be in attendance and collecting donations for World  Bicycle Relief. The two teams will be combining their tents to create a small village, complete with a heater, a lit Christmas Tree, baked goods, and possibly adult carbonated beverages. Anyone who donates to WBR will get to add a decoration to the tree, and maybe a baked good as well. It is possible that some baked goods will find their way into racers’ hands during the 4Bs. WBR, Kozy’s Cyclery, and the Spidermonkeys have also contributed raffle prizes.

– Parking: Like last year, the parking lot at the east end of the park is closed (it is now boat storage?!?). Parking will be on the street only along Simonds Dr. Several parking spaces near the restrooms and registration will be roped/coned off (for officials, CCC staff, BigStarTruck, etc) so please do NOT move the cones. We also need this area clear for pedestrian and bike traffic.

– The Course: Course designer Chuck Judy brings back several features of the 2009 Montrose course while maintaining several classic sections as well as incorporating a few new twists and turns. The course goes anti-clockwise, beginning at the starting grid which will likely be just East, past the finish line due to all of the blown sand. The finish line, wheel/bike pit, and registration will be in nearly the same location as last year, just off the road and near the main sand pit. Feel free to set up your tents near by, but given the strong winds this week, bring weights and stakes. The course itself will be a touch shorter than last year at around ~2.7K. Back from 2009 is the main sand pit/run where spectators are all but guaranteed a great view of all the action. Several barriers will be in play this year as well. As always, the weather plays a key role at Montrose and will affect the final course route right up until Sunday.

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!

– A final thanks to Chuck Judy, Chris Mailing, and everyone at Turin Bicycle for hosting the 12th and final race of the CCC and yet another great Illinois State Cyclocross Championship at Montrose Harbor. Temps were freezing for most of the day, and the snow, ice, and sand made for a challenging course, but we still had the largest CCC race ever with 565 starters. We had several riders make it to the podium for the first time and it was great to see such sportsmanship and camaraderie before, during, and after each race. Even the down-staters had a good time. Thanks also to Todd Busteed for sharing the mic and calling out all the action.

– Congratulations to the 11 Illinois State Cyclocross Champions that were crowned jerseyed on Sunday. The competition was fierce and we had many races that were completely undecided until riders came around the last turn on the final lap… which always makes for exciting racing. Thanks for keeping all of us on our toes until the very end!

– Congratulations also to the 13 Chicago Cross Cup Overall Winners. Eight of those categories were undecided going into the final race and made for even more dramatic racing. Awards, prizes, and general showering of admiration will be presented at the CCC Awards Dinner on Sunday January 9th at EJ’s Place in Skokie. Great food, better friends, and even door prizes will greet everyone who attends.

– Weekend Update: The weekend update is taking a bit of a break this week as there are more than enough comments here to describe what happened this past Sunday. However, for those that weren’t there and are too lazy to read all the comments this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and who can forget this, this, and this (?) pretty much sums up the what went on at Montrose… oh yeah, and there was a bike race in there somewhere too.

– Speaking of all things CCC, if you want a 2010 CCC series t-shirt you’ve got less than 48 hours. REKLAIM apparel will be shutting down the printing presses at midnight tomorrow night (Wednesday) and won’t be making any more. Thanks to everyone who has already bought a shirt… all proceeds go directly to our year end World Bicycle Relief donation. We’ve already hit our goal of $5,000 but we’re still tallying up the t-shirt sales. Thank you again to everyone who has donated and/or purchase a t-shirt!

– Good luck to anyone and everyone heading out to Bend, OR for CX Nationals this week/end. If you still haven’t had your fill of CX after that, come hang out with Half Acre and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew at the Afterglow on Saturday December 18th in Humboldt Park. And if that isn’t enough for you… there is a Benefit After Party for West Town Bikes (details here, please RSVP). And if metal/rock songs sung in Spanish is more your thing, Newt Cole and Los Borrachos are playing later that evening at the Elbo Room (no RSVP necessary!).

– The CCC has the 4B’s, the Cross Crusade has the Clydesdale Cyclocross Champions of the Universe. If you happen to be in Bend this week(end) for CX Nationals… check it out and takes some photos.

– Ever wonder why the CCC isn’t a UCI series? USA CX godfather Adam Myerson gives us a clue.

– And finally… a special shout out and congratulations to Mike Young for being awarded this year’s 3rd Annual Official Illinois State Cyclocross Awesomeness Champion presented by Half Acre Cycling and HRS/Rock Lobster. Mike won the award for not only supporting riders within the CCC, but more importantly for his work with West Town Bikes. Mike joins a veritable pantheon of CX awesomeness including the first winners, the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew, and last year’s winner Super Girl. Congratulations Mike, and thanks for being awesome! If you’d like to help Mike in his work at WTB please donate here.

Photo: Duano

– There was no “official” racing in Chicago, but area riders had a great showing this past weekend at Jingle Cross Rock with several podiums. Congratulations to everyone who didn’t stuff themselves silly with turkey and pumpkin pie and traveled to Iowa to race in the mud.

– Turin has announced that the Montrose Harbor total prize purse will total over $2,100. Team Kenda has also stepped up and will be providing additional Woman’s cash prizes. EJ’s Place, Craft, and Lake Cycling are also supplying cash and merchandise.

– Artist Jay Ryan is creating another original poster for this years State Championship. Posters will be available for purchase at the race and at Turin Bicycle in Evanston.

– In addition to the usual CCC announcing, for 2010 Turin is bringing in ace announcer Todd Busteed to lend a hand with calling out all the action as it happens at Montrose.

– Turin is still looking for volunteers to help make the day run smoothly. Any volunteer who works a 4 hour shift will have their race fee waived/refunded. Turin will tailor your volunteer assignment to fit with your other plans for the day of racing.

– In case you missed it the Montrose Harbor race not only acts as the final stop in the CCC but also the IL State Cyclocross championships. The CCC along with Turin and the ICA will be presenting State Champion Jerseys to the first IL rider to cross the finish line in every category (except the 4B’s). Remember that in order to win the state championship you must be an Illinois resident (we’ll be checking ID’s), a US citizen, and hold a valid 2010 USAC license. Look for the usual course preview at 9am on Thursday where we’ll again detail out the call up order.

– The original CCC founders are getting the band back together. Many of the original crew that began the CCC way back in 2004 are getting together for a reunion party at The Globe on Friday night from 7 to 10pm. Beer specials all night long and possibly bar heckling See details here. On Sunday the founders will be displaying a slide show in one of the warming tents showcasing cyclocross history in Chicago.  If you have any photos from the inaugural 2004 season, 90s Supercup, or early pickup races to share, please send them to mikecacciabondo(at)yahoo.com by Wednesday night.

– West Town Bikes and Ciclo Urbano will be out at Montrose as well supporting Chicago youth and adults.  WTB provides on-site adult supervision, equipment (bike, helmet, etc…), transportation, food, encouragement and coaching for kids and really anyone looking to get into bike racing. If you know anyone that can benefit from the program (even just a bike loan for the day) please contact Mike Young.

– CAMBr is having an end of the year party as well. Details are here or at The Bonebell.com.

– Still holding on to you CCC race numbers? If you don’t feel like spending the money to turn them into a jacket and would like to recycle, Rhythm Racing‘s Evan Jahn found a way to recycle Tyvek through DuPont. Bring your old numbers to Montrose and we’ll have a recycling bag for you to give back those bib numbers.

– And finally… don’t forget about the CCC’s end of the season awards dinner taking place on Sunday January 9th at EJ’s Place in Skokie. Tickets are the same price as last year ($30 adults, $15 juniors) for a delicious buffet dinner and we’ll hand out the coveted CCC cowbells and other fabulous overall series prizes donated by Tati Cycles, Mox Multisport, The Bonebell, and Main St. Bicycles. We’d love to see you all there!

Photo: Luke Seemann

– Thanks again to Chris Henning, Jason Meshberg, Flatlandia, and the Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club for another successful and fun CCC race at the Decoma Day Camp in Northbrook. Chris/Jason and crew have some changes in the works for next year, but we’ll get to that next November. Thanks also to everyone who came out to race and video/photo the event. There are usually quite a few cameras with budding photographers attached to them running around, but we’ve never seen so many as this past weekend, which was great to catch all the action… which leads us to…

– Weekend Update: The usual cast of characters showed up early and pedaled their bicycles fast… then Sam Schneider won the W1/2/3 race, jumped into a car, drove to WI, and had enough left in the tank to win her state championship (congrats Sam). The Cat 3’s are shaping up to again be the closest overall competition of the series, and if Northbrook was any indication there will be fireworks at Montrose. The Women Cat 4’s had a very close race, mixed with some breakdancing, and the Juniors again battled it out to the finish line. Mike “Cupcake” Sherer gave the Cat 1/2/3’s a tutorial on bunny hopping (now, if he could just learn to pin his number on right side up), while The Hemme showed off his newest Blue Steel, and Brian Conant ascended into CX heaven to seal up the CCC overall title. Then the Cat 4’s started… oh man… some people can make it look pretty, but let’s just say we’ve never heard the term carnage used so many times in such a short span. While the rest of us were watching the sand pit, there was some action at the bunny hoppers. Dave Knauff again won the best Thanksgiving themed costume. From the WTF files… we’re still trying to figure out this, this, this, this, and this… and we’re not sure if this junior stopped to do a few push-ups… but we definitely know that Nick Guy_F_Ski knows how to catch some serious air… Jon Fairman too… as does Chris Jensen… but in all fairness his wheels do have anti-gravity devices in them (but what can you do?). That’s right, Ken Mitchell was in attendance… Audrey won a trainer, and Super Mario collected a few more golden coins. Sister Sprocket was up to her mischievous ways again, Super Girl took on Bryan Lee for best game face, and Greg T & Flannel Mike were back in action. Katie Isermann decided to shut down her hedge fund since she makes more money grabbing hand-ups in the 4B’s and junior Joe Sullivan won this week’s Flying Pig Award. And lastly… this makes us and Ted Berger happy.

– Psimet  Custom Wheels made it on to the SRAM Road Diaries.

– Lots of new USAC rules for next year, many regarding CX.

– Up next weekend… the CCC takes a breather (can you believe its been since the weekend before Elvis Cross since the CCC has had a weekend off?) and lets our friends to the West (i.e. Iowa) host their annual mudfest… Jingle Cross. We heard JC has a flyover this year, so all you CCC’ers should be well practiced. For those not racing… have a great holiday weekend.

– Two weekends from now the CCC returns for its final race of the year which also serves as our Illinois State CX Championship as Turin Bicycles hosts stop 12 of the CCC at Montrose Harbor. Yes, we will open the Cat 4’s fields up to 100 riders, but we have to take care of the paperwork first… stay tuned.

– Turin needs volunteers to help out at Montrose. Please contact George Vargas at [email protected]  if you would like to help out.  George will tailor your volunteer assignment to fit with your other plans for the weekend.  Who knows at this point what the weather will be like,  but the laughter, excitement, and fun will surely warm you. Bring your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, … make a party out of it.  Opportunities to help out include:
· Set up, either Saturday afternoon/evening, 12/4
· Course marshals during the day on Sunday (shifts are either 8:30 to 12:45 or 12:30 to 4:15)
· Floaters (do rounds and substitute while course marshals take short breaks)   (shifts at 8:30 to 12:45 or 12:30 to 4:15)
· Registration during the day on Sunday (shifts are either 8:00 to 12:00 or 11:45 to 3:45)
· Tear down/clean up after the last race on Sunday afternoon (4:00)

– And if you’re still looking for a party… the evening after the Afterglow… Orange Shoe Fitness‘ Newt Cole and Los Borrachos will be rocking a Christmas Spectacular again at The Elbo Room some time in the evening. We’ll go ahead and call this the 2010 CCC end of year Christmas Holiday Party. Red Sweater Vests get half price at the Door. Give aways too… not sure of the specifics but maybe a Piñata filled with Enzo’s and gel shots?

– Tickets will be on sale later this week for the CCC Awards Dinner. We’ll again be at EJ’s Place in Skokie from noon until 3 or 4pm on Sunday January 9th. Please reg/buy your tickets ahead of time to help us and EJ plan for the event. We hope to see everyone there for a great wrap up of the season.

– The CCC made it to VeloNews… sort of.

– And finally… we here at the CCC know we’re very fortunate to have such a great CX community of racers, spectators, friends, family, hecklers, promoters, sponsors, and everyone in between. We’re very, very, very thankful that all of you come out every weekend to spend a few hours with us at our little party, and at the end of the day we may be tired but are already looking forward to the next weekend when we get to do it all over again. Because of all of that, we at the CCC wish everyone and their families a very safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving… one of the truly great and unique American holidays… no coincidence at all its during CX season!

– Looks like several CCC regulars did well at the Planet Bike USGP in Madison over the weekend. Congratulations to everyone who raced, heckled, and had a good time.

– Next up for the CCC is Hopkins Park in Dekalb, hosted by North Central Cyclery and Half Acre Cycling. Hopkins Park will also host the OUISCSSC. Look for a full preview on Thursday at the regularly scheduled time, but let’s just say the HAC guys and gals have been busy… very busy preparing for this year’s race.

– If you’re thinking about upgrading please do so through your My USACycling profile on USACycling.org and remember upgrades can take up to 2 weeks to process. That’s our way of saying, don’t pre-register for the cat 3’s and apply for your upgrade the Thursday before a race. Also, you can take 1/2 of your CCC series points with you if your upgrade is processed before Carpentersville. See all the CCC series rules here and USAC’s CX upgrading rules here (page 28).

– More people around the country are picking up on the ChiCrossCup scene. CX Magazine even wrote a glowing reviewing of the ChiCrossCollective’s 2009 coffee table book… and for good reason… it’s simply fantastic! If you still haven’t picked yourself up a copy you can still purchase hardback and softback versions here. Get some!

– Speaking of buying all things CCC… REKLAIM Apparel is almost ready to accept orders for the 2010 CCC Series t-shirt as soon as we finalize some artwork. REKLAIM is donating 100% of their profits to the CCC’s season long WBR drive.

– If you haven’t looked at the 2010 CCC schedule here, here, here, here, and here… we have two double races weekends this year, and that means road trips and sleep overs. Psycho CX promoter Ted Schweitzer has secured a discounted rate at the Holiday Inn Express in Lake Zurich for $89 if you want to spend the night in between Wauconda & Carpentersville. Just mention “Psycho Cross” for the CCC reduced rate. Also Indian Lakes Resort promoter South Chicago Wheelmen have secured discounted rooms at, where else… the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort, for $79.00 for up to 4 people on both Friday and Saturday nights. Like last year ILR will have a Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffet, an all you can eat lunch and dinner buffet (both days as well) and Fat Tire will be selling beer.

– VeloNews had a great article about series sponsor Verizon Cycling… although they forgot to mention anything about cyclocross.

– Hey Ladies… on Thursday October 7th our good friends over at Spidermonkey Cycling are hooking up with Kristen Meshberg… wait, that didn’t sound right! Check out the SM’s Facebook page with all the details about an informal Q-n-A session with Kristen at 7 p.m. at the Get-a-Grip fit studio.

– And finally… hey parents, looking for someone to watch your kids while you race? Starbuck Babysitting Services (no, not the coffee) will watch your children for the entire day or just while you race at upcoming CCC events. Contact Scott (his daughter does the babysitting and is Red ‘Cross’ CPR certified) for more info.

– 541 starters… yes, that’s an all time record for any CCC race (we averaged 400 in 2009 and maxed out at 474). Thanks to xXx Racing for hosting the official season opener, promoter Greg Heck for designing his best course yet, and major thanks to Natalie Evan and her crew of ladies at registration for keeping all of you in check all day long. Twinkies were back, so was “The Hemme“,  monkey puppets were handing up Oreos, California flew in a raisin, and we’ve even heard rumors of red hot chili peppers. Sister Sprocket awarded the first of 12 Flying Pig Awards to the one and only Flannel Mike (wearing spandex btw), and Verdigris swept the Masters 40+ helping to give them an early lead in the team standings. What a day!

– Up next is CCC #2 Hopkins Park in Dekalb on Sunday October 3rd, hosted by the dynamic duo of North Central Cyclery and Half Acre Cycling. If you missed our original note there will be a new obstacle for everyone to negotiate on course. Hopkins Park will once again also be the site of the 2nd annual OUISCSSC (“Officially Unofficial Illinois State Cyclocross Single Speed Championship“). Find details on Half Acre‘s website. Please don’t show up in Dekalb this coming weekend though… instead head up to WI to watch the pros in the Planet Bike USGP.

– Not sure how we missed it… but Half Acre’s women’s CX clinic had a great turnout, even in the rain. Also coming out to party yesterday… please welcome Half Acre’s newest junior to the U1 division… Elliott Popper.

– If you missed our tweet, the CCC website has a new page… the “Heckle Hall of Fame“. Check it out, read the rules, and add your favorite(s).

– The winning 2010 CCC Series T-Shirt designed as voted on by you the riders of the CCC is the Word Jumper, designed by Burnham Racing’s Julian Baumgartner. We’ll have more details in a little bit and have the shirts for sale on REKLAIM Apparel shortly.

– Julian is also spearheading a project over on the ICA Website called the “Supermodels of the ChiCrossCup” featuring one off and tricked out CX bikes.

– Juniors Beginning CX Training had nearly 30 kids last week (a little birdie pony told us so).  Paul Swinand will have a photographer out next week and post some photos on the Facebook page here.

– Upgrade to your road or mtb category. Please note that (if you want to) you can automatically upgrade to your current road or mtb category. See the letter from USAC explaining the rule here.

– Ever wonder where those WBR donations are going? Last week’s NYT had a great Op-Ed article about World Bicycle Relief.

– So you’ve done your first CX race (at least of the season) and you’re hooked. Want to help make the series even better? The CCC could still use some help for the entire series. Email us at [email protected] if you are interested in being a part of the series.

– And finally (and this is the last we’ll say on this topic)… While we will certainly give a few people nudges if and when it is clear they should upgrade, and while we would like to encourage all Cat 4’s to pick just one race (either the $A’s or 4B’s to let everyone have a chance to race) and jump in another race if there is room (still only $10 for your 2nd race on race day)… it is not the CCC’s job nor responsibility to hand out mandatory upgrades. If you are worried about not getting a spot in a Cat 4 field, we encourage you to race faster, you to earn your points, and you to upgrade to a higher category. There are always plenty of spots each week in the Cat 1/2/3 and Women 1/2/3 races. Pre-reg for all CCC races has also been open since August 30th, and no category at any event sold out in the first 5 minutes like a Lady Gaga concert… so if you’re still worried about not getting a spot, pre-reg now! You are also welcome to keep track of the people you think are sandbagging and send emails into the USAC upgrade coordinator… but you know what they say about those kinds of things. Okay, now let’s go race!

– If you didn’t already notice, the Woodstock and Northbrook races have switched dates. Woodstock will now be on Sunday 11/7 and Northbrook will be on Sunday 11/21. If you pre-reg’d for Woodstock you are still entered in that event, but on the new date. Pre-reg for Northbrook will be opening on BikeReg.com soon.

– Thanks to all those who braved the 70 degree temps and slight breeze and came out to what we hope will be the first of many CCC Kick-Off parties at Iron Cycles. Everyone seemed to have a blast and we had a chance to unveiled something new for 2010. Big thanks to ThinkBig! and Goose Island for supplying the 312, and to Brandon and everyone at Iron Cycles for hosting the event.

– Don’t forget to vote for your favorite t-shirt design by this Saturday night (at midnight the voting poll turns into a pumpkin)!

– We’ve received a few questions concerning wait-lists for the Cat 4 races… here’s how it all goes down… 20 minutes prior to the start of each race category, sign-in for pre-registered riders will close. At that point, any unclaimed start spots will be given away in order of waitlist sign-up order to those waiting to race. Racers must be present at registration in order to be given a bib number.  If you are not there we’ll give the bib # to the next person waiting in line. We wish we could let everyone race, but we (and USAC) have limits to how many racers we can realistically allow on the course at one time. Starting last out of 100+ racers is no fun, even in the 4B’s.

– Our inbox has also been peppered with questions about how call-ups will be handled at Jackson Park. We will make call-ups for 10 pre-reg’d riders in each category, but the call-up order will NOT be based on order of pre-registration nor your place in last year’s overall standings. The fastest riders will have just as much of a chance to earn a call up as the slowest riders (assuming they are pre-reg’d). However, after the first ten spots everyone else is on their own, just like at any other CCC race.

– We’ve also received a few questions from riders new to the sport on which category to race in. Here’s a primer from last year, but always feel free to email us and ask. But please remember you must race within your category and age group. We check all licenses before races, so if you’re reg’d in the wrong race you will not be allowed to start.

– Why didn’t I get scored in the race? We and the USAC officials get this question all the time. So let’s start with the basics… we absolutely need everyone to pin their numbers correctly for each race. How do I know if my number is pinned on correctly? Funny you should ask! Imagine someone trying to read your number from the side of the race course… if your number is on the wrong side, on the top of your back, upside down, in your jersey pocket, folded into an origami crane, on your stomach (it happened at Jackson Park last year!), etc, etc, etc you will not be scored properly. The officials will attempt to identify those on the starting line that need to re-pin their numbers, but please be proactive and do it right the first time. Here’s an example of a wonderfully pinned number… and here’s one that should have been pinned lower on the rider’s side.

– New for 2010 the CCC institution that is Super Girl now has a sidekick and is please to announce The Sister Sprocket Flying Pig Award which will be awarded to the Cat 4B rider at every race who successfully manages to suppress fear, pain, and embarrassment and hurl his (or her) suffering sack of human clay through the chaos of his earthly existence to temporarily defy universal gravitation and take flight into a fleeting state of Grace. That’s the long way of saying the CCC’s newest icon Sister Sprocket will present a spirit award  in the shape of a flying pig to the most worthy 4B rider (not based on placings) on the CCC podiums as the last award of the day. Look for Sister Sprocket as she cheers on the 4A’s and 4B’s at each race.

– Look for a Jackson Park course preview on Thursday. There are already more riders pre-reg’d than last year!

– And finally… each promoter sets up their course in a certain way on purpose. The direction, contents, physical composition, and boundaries of each course are NOT subject to interpretation by anyone (racing or otherwise) during the day. You all were great about this last year, but just remember you cannot alter the course in any way, shape, or manner during the day. This includes adding water, sand, sticks, stones, and even the occasional golf ball… as well as removing or rearranging course markers, stakes, tape, sand, sticks, stones, and yes… even the occasional golf ball. Heckle Hill, Bacon Alley, small sand pits, and other famous specific course locations can always get a little nutty… but let’s please keep it safe, fun, and fair to everyone. Now’s let’s go race!

– P.S. Don’t forget WI has the ‘No Good Double Cross‘ on Saturday if you’re looking for a good pre-JP warm up… or a reason to snap a derailleur hanger right before the IL season officially starts. Also the Planet Bike Cup is the weekend after JP (and before Dekalb). We purposely do not hold a CCC race on this weekend so you all can see what a national level, UCI race is like. If you can go, even just to watch, we highly suggest it!

– The CCC continues to be blessed with plenty of wonderful series sponsors. Please help us welcome the two most recent additions.
– Blue Competition Cycles – There was a need for a company that could design and build the same world class framesets that were capable of giving elite athlete a competitive advantage and offer those same, identical frames to the amateur athlete or serious enthusiast. That’s how Blue Competition Cycles got its start.
– Verdigris Custom Homes – “Old World Excellence, Modern Technology, Mindfully Green”

photo by Liz Farina Markel

– Well that was a lot of fun! xXx Racing put on another great event with the Relay CX race. There are too many to post here, but check out the pix and vids. Results are here. A quick video is here. A quick Google search finds even more.

– Online pre-reg is now open on BikeReg.com for all CCC races (except Carpentersville and Northbrook… they’ll be up soon). If you’d rather wait, bookmark this address for all CCC races on the calendar. While you’re pre-reg’ing, please consider making a donation to World Bicycle Relief. Last year the riders of the CCC donated over $3,400 to this worthy cause, but this year we’re challenging you to hit the $5,000 mark. Let’s see what you can do!

– Concerning call-ups at Jackson Park… they will have nothing to do with the order of pre-registration… but you must pre-reg to qualify. Got questions… well, you’ll just have to wait 3 weeks to find out!

– Don’t forget 2010 series t-shirt design submissions are due by Midnight Thursday September 9th (just make sure it says Chicago Cyclocross Cup somewhere in the design). Voting begins the next morning and ends the following week… just in time for Jackson Park. We’ve only received one design so far… so your chances are currently very good.

– We recently received a big ‘old box full of mellow, medium, and Uber Secret embrocation from our good friends and series sponsor Mad Alchemy. MAE creator and brewer Pete Smith wants us to be creative with awarding these goodies, so in the Category 4A races we’ll be introducing the Mad Alchemy “First Lap Hot Legs Sprints”… think criterium primes, but always on the first lap, and not at the finish line. We’ll announce sometime before the race (probably on the start line) where the sprint line will be, but you can expect it to probably be at the top of a run up, at the end of a sand-pit, or somewhere else fun and exciting. Don’t worry, we won’t make you stop and apply a layer… that is of course unless you’re into that sort of thing.

– Check out the upgrade the ICA webmaster recently made to www.IllinoisCycling.org… you can now find great pictures from last year’s series on the homepage. The webmaster also has a little picture project he needs help with. Check it out here or email him at [email protected] for details.

– And finally… Don’t forget about the CCC Kick Off Party on Saturday September 11 at 4pm at Iron Cycles (3136 West Montrose Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60618, 773-539-4766 ). We’ll get the shop to put up an event RSVP on their FaceBook page soon, but feel free to let us know if you’re going to attend.

Since we’re nearly at the end of the US CX season we’ll be updating the site a little less often. However, check back often or add the CCC to your favorite RSS reader since we’ll still be sending out updates every so often. Thanks again for a great 2009 season and Happy Holidays!!

– A few local CCC’ers traveled west for a chilly CX Nationals in Bend, OR. Congratulations to Holly, Scott, Ben, Mike, Steel, Kevin, and Bob for a great showing! Did we miss anyone? Full results are here. Congrats to Julie too. UPDATE: Amy Dykema was also out in Bend taking lots of great pix.

– A huge congratulations to SuperGirl for being named this year’s recipient of the 2009 OISCACA.

– A further congratulations to the winners of this year’s Yojimbo’s Fuji Frame Raffles… yes, those free raffles pay off in the end.
Juniors = Luke Arrigoni
Women = Brittany Barran-Stanley
Mens = Matt Bennett

– Please pre-purchase your tickets to the CCC Awards Banquet on BikeReg here. This will help us and EJ’s better plan for the event. Please remember that each “registration” is for one person… so if you’re bringing your significant other or kids you need to “sign up” more than once. Sorry, no dog or cats allowed. We’ll have more info about the event after the holidays, but we’ll generally follow the same format as last year; Overall series awards, Door prizes, Buffet dinner, Cash bar, and lots of socializing in a warm, cozy restaurant.

– Thanks again to everyone who made a donation this year to World Bicycle Relief. Through your direct donations and t-shirt purchases the CCC will be able to donate $3,400 to WBR! With WBR’s 1 for 1 matching of donations through January 31st that means you, the riders of the CCC, have contributed $6,800 to a great and noble cause. That’s enough for over 50 bikes!

– We still have a few T-shirts to get to their rightful owners. Please email us at [email protected] to arrange a hand-up (in either Wicker Park or the Loop).

– Word on the street is that 3 great local photographers are indeed assembling a 2009 CCC coffee table book. We’re sworn to secrecy, but let’s just say we may have seen a sample and if we actually did see that sample then… well… you will NOT be disappointed. We’ll post details as soon as we’re allowed.

– Itching to get racing in 2010? We haven’t heard any details yet, but we’re hoping Team MACK holds their annual Tour de Groundhog CX race in February. Did I hear “Road Trip”? If you’re done with CX (hopefully just for a while), then look for details on the ICA site soon about Half Acre’s Kevin’s Crits and Burnham Racing’s Spring Super Crit.

– Don’t forget this Saturday evening is the unofficial 2009 CCC End of Year party at the Elbo Room featuring Newt Cole’s band Los Borrachos. In addition to the great music we’re told there will be 1$ beer specials and CCC hand downs from stage. We’ll see you there!

– Standard dollar bills and cupcakes are sooo last season. Someone needs to show those New Englanders how its done… oh wait, you all already did this year!

– And finally, if you’re looking to get a head start on gear for the 2010 season then check out this crazy sale.