RACE #9

Montrose Beach

Date

December 8, 2024

Location

Montrose Harbor

Registration

bikereg-logo_small2

2024 Montrose Beach Preview

December 5, 2024
  • Half Acre Cycling is once again excited to bring you Montrose Beach CX – also once again the Illinois State CX Championship race. Please read all of the info below for some important notes (yeah, it’s a lot).
  • Big thanks to our generous sponsors for helping make this event possible:
  • Registration is still open on BikeReg, where you can also pre-purchase limited edition posters for pickup on Sunday. The weather looks to be dry but brrrrrrrrr… and as always, the wind coming off the lake can be strong; please make sure to secure your tents.
  • Since this is both the Illinois State CX Championship AND CCC series finale, there are many, many, many podiums to get through. Please help the best announcer a race series could ask for keep things moving… if you are top three in the race or the series overall, report to the podium ASAP following your race. See below for how state champs will be awarded. Note the only real difference from last year is the Women Cat 4 state champ will be awarded from the Women Cat 4/5 instead of the Women Cat 3/4.
  • Staging: As the race is part of the CCC, we’ll follow standard protocols — the front row is staged by series points, every other row by CrossResults points.
  • PRELIMINARY staging will be posted here Saturday morning. If you see an error email us (we won’t be monitoring the comments here)
  • Here’s your friendly reminder that Montrose Beach is technically within Lincoln Park — a large city park where civilians who have no idea what us weirdos are doing WILL be coming through on their usual Sunday activities (the lakefront path cuts through the course). Yes, we’ll be celebrating the local finale of the best amateur cyclocross series; probably with drinks** and food (trucks) and more dranks**, but please be on your best behavior and show the locals what a classy bunch we are; and always race with your head UP.
    • ** And now let us pause for the annual message from the fun police … it’s Chicago Park District property and alcohol is NOT permitted.
  • We have two great food truck options this year with Aztec Dave’s tacos returning with veggie options, and Soul & Smoke BBQ. (Unfortunately Firecake’s donut truck Billy suffered a mechanical and is unable to attend this time, so BYO coffee/breakfast).
  • Simonds Drive is closed to thru-traffic and parking* within the barricades is restricted. Regular parking is along Simonds Drive and Montrose Drive either to the northwest or southeast, exiting the way you came in. Per the Chicago Park District, NO DRIVING ON THE GRASS OR PATHS, ANYWHERE! We cannot emphasize this point enough and yet still have vehicles break this rule. Please adhere to parking marshals’ instructions regarding your vehicle parking and movements.
  • Speaking of parking, a few parking spots within the barricades* are available with a donation on BikeReg to help defray the overall event costs. Entry for this is from the NORTH END of Simonds drive — check in with the nice volunteers and show your receipt. (If you have a trailer please count that as a second space).
  • Teams may drop off tents/equipment at either end of Simonds Drive The driver must remain with the vehicle to expedite unloading and keep traffic flowing, just like at the airport. It’s usually a high-volume operation with everyone coming at the same time, so help your teammates.
  • Speaking of team tent placement, please see the map below with areas designated for tent placement. We have reasons for this, some of which are specific Park District requests. Please help us in keeping this venue and stick to where we have marked tents.
  • All are welcome to drop/place tents and other large items on Saturday afternoon! However, HAC, USAC, CPD, DCASE, et al. cannot and will not take responsibility for anything left overnight, so make sure it’s secured/laid down/tied down. And hey, stick around to lend a helping hand with course setup.
  • Speaking of helping hands, every race could use a few more hands, especially for course marshaling spots required of the super important lakefront path crossings. Volunteers get free lunch! Sign-up here.
  • We understand the desire to pre-ride, especially with so many CCC’ers living nearby. However, we kindly request you DO NOT RIDE the course before the event, especially during setup on Saturday, to enable course construction AND to keep it in nice condition for game day. Again, drop the bike and pick up some course stakes and tape to help — it takes a village!
  • The course:
  • YES, we are aware there is bridge construction. Because of this we have to shift the start farther southeast, and have a gentle curve before turning onto the grass via the ramp transition. Again, please stay friendly with your fellow racers at the start; remembering that you can’t win the race here, but you can ruin it.
  • A full-size pit with race and change lanes, and neutral service provided by Ben and Steven from Tailwind Cycles. Bring cash for tips if they help/save your race.
  • The loss of off-camber bits have been replaced by some fun use of the natural sand dunes. We will have a couple of course modifications for the young juniors and the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab Adaptive category.
  • Finally, the finish has relocated to the walking path location used in the past, so heads up for spectators crossing, and please use caution when you are a spectator crossing.

Categories: Updates

8 Comments

2023 Montrose Beach Preview

November 30, 2023
  • The Half Acre Cycling and Chicago United clubs are excited to bring you Montrose Beach CX — the CCC series finale AND the Illinois State Championship. Please read all of the info below for some important notes (yeah, we know, it’s a lot). Also more here.
  • Preliminary Staging will be posted here Saturday morning. Please email us if there are issues.
  • Since this is both the Illinois State Championship AND CCC series finale, podiums are a little complicated. Please help the best announcer a race series could ask for — if you are top three in the race or the series overall, report to the podium ASAP following your race. See here for how state champs will be awarded.
  • The weather looks to be … not terrible? But as always, the wind coming off the lake can be strong; please make sure to secure your tents.
  • Here’s your friendly reminder that Montrose Beach is a large city park where people who have no idea what us weirdos are doing WILL be wandering through on their usual Sunday strolls (the lakefront path cuts through the course). Yes, we’ll be celebrating the local finale of cyclocross with drinks** and food and more dranks**, but please be on your best behavior and show the city what a classy bunch we are, and always race with your head up.
  • ** And now let us pause for the annual message from the fun police … this is Chicago Park District property and alcohol is not permitted.
  • Big thanks to our generous sponsors for helping make the 46 Ward Ald. Angela Clay Illinois State CX Championship presented by SRAM & Specialized Chicago possible:
  • Speaking of Specialized Chicago, pre-reg riders can head to the Fulton Street location on Saturday, December 2 from 11:00 to 3:00 p.m. to get your bib number early. Pin your number from the comfort of your own home! While there, you can pick-up the limited edition poster you already ordered on BikeReg when you registered early. If you didn’t, there might still be some available for purchase.
  • Speaking of numbers, it goes on your left side and you’ll use the same number for as many races as you do all day!
  • Spoke & Bird Cafe is sponsoring a special designated HAND-UP ZONE on the course, as an alternative line to the wood planks. Skip the bunny hops and see what yummy treats are on offer. And if you have hand-ups to give out, bring ‘em here and make it a party!
  • Thanks to Ellie Thompson + Co. the women’s categories will also be racing a sweet custom belt buckle!
  • We have FOUR food truck options this year with Firecake Donuts arriving bright and early with coffee/donuts; and for lunch Gilty Pig is returning, along with the Tacomotora Tacos truck you may have tasted at Quarry Cross, as well as Soul & Smoke BBQ.
  • Simonds Drive is closed to thru-traffic and parking within the barricades is restricted to officials, food trucks, sponsors, porta-potties and the like. Regular parking is along Simonds Drive and Montrose Drive either to the north or south, entering and exiting the way you came in. Per the Chicago Park District, NO DRIVING ON THE GRASS OR PAVED PATHS, ANYWHERE! We cannot emphasize this point enough and yet still had vehicles break this rule. Please adhere to marshals regarding your vehicle parking and movements.
  • Speaking of parking, if you are a big team with a lot of everything (or just want to ensure you are close to the action) a few parking spots within the barricades are available with a donation on BikeReg to help defray the overall event costs. Entry for this is from the NORTH END of Simonds drive — check in with the nice volunteers and show your receipt. (If you have a trailer please count that as a second space).
  • On Sunday, teams may drop off tents/equipment at the turn-around on the south-end of Simonds Drive near the staging grid. The driver must remain with the vehicle to expedite unloading and keep traffic flowing, just like at the airport. It’s usually a high-volume operation with everyone coming at the same time, so help your teammates.
  • Speaking of team tent placement, please see the map with areas designated for tent placement. We have reasons for this, some of which are specific Park District requests. Please help us in keeping this venue and stay within designated team tent areas.
  • All are welcome, nay encouraged, to drop/place tents and other large items on Saturday afternoon! There is hired security for overnight watch (though of course HAC, CU, USAC, CPD, et al. cannot take responsibility for what the weather/acts of gods could do to items left overnight, so make sure it’s secured/laid down/tied down). And hey, stick around to lend a helping hand with course setup.
  • Speaking of helping hands, every race could use a few more hands, especially for course marshaling spots required of the lakefront path crossings. Volunteers get free coffee & lunch! Check the sign-up sheet.
  • Onto the course: We are returning to the tradition of alternating between Cricket Hill and sand first, with the hill having the honors this year. Once again we have a UCI-style pavement start and finish, with those who are heading to Nationals the following week in mind. Note the right-to-left shimmy onto a ramp transition after the first turn. We have made the angle here less severe than in the past which will allow for higher speeds, but please stay friendly on the starts; remembering that you can’t win the race there, but you can lose it. (First aid is located next to the start grid.)
  • A full-size pit with race and change lanes, and neutral service provided by Ben and Steven from Tailwind Cycles. Bring cash for tips if they help/save your race!
  • While there is a double planks alternate line, there is also a railroad tie located on the final uphill before the finish that you gotta do!

Categories: Updates

14 Comments

2022 Montrose Harbor Preview

December 1, 2022
  • Spidermonkey and Half Acre cycling clubs are excited to bring Montrose Harbor/Beach back! Please read the info below for some important notes. #MontroseCX
  • Preliminary staging will be posted here on Saturday morning. We want everyone to be staged correctly, so please, please, please for the love of all that is good and green check your staging Saturday morning. We can make corrections at that time but it is highly, highly unlikely we’ll be able to do so on Sunday. Thanks!
  • Since this is the Midwest Regional Championship AND CCC finale, podiums are a little more complicated than usual. Please help the best announcer a race series could ask for and if you are top three in the race or the overall, report to the podium ASAP following your race.
  • The weather looks great with a 30% of awesomeness, but as always, the wind coming off the lake is no joke; please make sure to secure your tents and spheres.
  • Here’s your friendly reminder that this is a city park where people who might have no idea what cyclocross is WILL be wandering through on their usual Sunday strolls (the lakefront path now cuts through the course). Yes, we’ll be celebrating the return of cyclocross with drinks** and food and more dranks**, but please be on your best behavior and show the city what a classy bunch we are.
  • ** And now let us pause for the annual message from the fun police … it’s Chicago Park District property and alcohol is not allowed. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 
  • There will be THREE food truck options this year with Firecake Donuts arriving at 07:00 with donuts/coffee, and Aztec Daves tacos and Gilty Pig coming for lunch, so come hungry.
  • Big thanks to our generous sponsors for helping make the Ald. James Cappleman Midwest Regional CX Championship presented by Specialized Chicago possible:
  • Speaking of Specialized Chicago, pre-reg riders can head to the Fulton Street location on Saturday from noon to 4:00 p.m. to get your bib number early. Pin your number from the comfort of your own home! While there, you can pick-up the event poster you already ordered on BikeReg when you registered early. If you didn’t, there might still be some available for purchase at either Specialized location or at series sponsor Tailwind Cycles.
  • Simonds Drive is closed to thru-traffic and parking within the barricades is restricted to officials, food trucks, sponsors, porta-potties, and the like. Regular parking will be along Simonds Drive and Montrose Drive either to the north or south, entering and exiting the way you came in.
  • Per the Park District, NO PARKING ON THE GRASS OR PATHS, ANYWHERE! We cannot emphasize this point enough and yet still had vehicles break this rule in the past. Please adhere to marshals regarding your vehicle parking and movements.
  • Speaking of, a few parking spaces within the barricades (near the finish) are available with a donation on BikeReg to help defray the overall event costs. Entry for this is from the NORTH END of Simonds drive — check in with the nice volunteers and show your receipt. (If you have a trailer please count that as a second space).
  • Teams are welcome to drop off equipment at the turn-around on the south-end of Simonds Drive near the staging grid. The driver must remain with the vehicle to expedite unloading and keep traffic flowing, just like at the airport. It’s usually a high-volume operation with everyone coming at the same time so help your teammates.
  • Speaking of team tent placement, all are welcome, nay encouraged, to drop/place tents and other large items on Saturday afternoon! There is hired security for overnight watch (though of course SMC, USAC, CPD, et al. cannot take responsibility for what the weather/acts of gods could do to items left overnight, so make sure it’s secured/laid down/tied down). And hey, stick around to lend a helping hand with course setup.
  • Speaking of helping hands, Spidermonkey could use a few more hands during the race on Sunday for course marshaling spots required of the new course design and lakefront path interaction. Volunteers get free coffee & lunch! Check the sign-up sheet.
  • We understand the desire to pre-ride, especially with so many CCC’ers living nearby. However, we kindly request you DO NOT RIDE the course this week, especially during setup on Saturday, to enable course construction AND to keep it in nice condition for game day. Again, please drop the bike and pick up some course stakes and tape to help — it takes a village!
  • Onto the course: We had such great feedback on the course in 2019 we are sticking (mostly) to that same design, featuring the start on pavement. Bonus, the city repaved the road! However, that includes new six-inch curbs, so we will have a ramp transition after the first turn. All this is to say, please stay friendly on the starts, remembering that you can’t win the race there, buy you can surely lose it. Same expanded pit with neutral support provided by Jose from NRS & Events!
  • UPDATE: Please stay off the sand shown in the picture below which has been designated a Protected Natural Area by the city and park horticulturalist.
  • We can’t wait to see everyone and close out the CX season in style on the lake front in our namesake city. See you all on Sunday!  
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2019 Montrose Harbor Preview

December 5, 2019
  • Here we go! The 11th and final event in the 2019 Chicago Cyclocross Cup. Montrose Beach and the USAC MidWest Cyclocross Championships at Montrose Harbor hosted by Spidermonkey Cycling!
  • More info and maps are over on the Spidermonkey Cycling website.
  • Online pre-reg on BikeReg closes tonight. Preliminary staging will be posted here.
  • Since this is the Midwest Regional CX Championship, and CCC finale, podiums are a little more complicated than usual. Please help the best announcer a race series could ask for and if you are top three in the race or the overall, report to the podium ASAP following your race.
  • Speaking of this being an important race, to keep the finishes clear for epic battles, our hard-working USAC officials may finish riders early if they are deemed out of contention and within the 80% time gap to the race leader. Listen for Kenny and look for the officials to know if you are being finished early; you will still be placed in the results.
  • A reminder from One2Go to please, please, please pin your number properly (see the image below) and put any long hair up in pony tails. If One2Go can’t see your bib number you won’t be scored properly. Great LEFT SIDE Example
  • The weather looks positively great (oh crap, what did we just do?!) but be warned, the wind coming off the lake is no joke; please make sure to secure your tents.
  • Lots going on and its winter, so no Kiddie Cross this year.
  • Here’s your friendly reminder that Montrose Beach is a city park where people who might have no idea what cyclocross is might be wandering through on their usual Sunday strolls. Yes, we’ll be celebrating another great season of cyclocross with drinks** and food and more dranks**, but please be on your best behavior and show the city what a classy bunch we are.
  • Speaking of food, there will be FOUR food truck options this year with Firecake DonutsBig Mama’s Urban Soul FoodAztec Daves tacos and Five Squared pizza so come hungry.
  • ** And now let us pause for the annual message from the fun police… the park is a Chicago Park District property and alcohol is NOT allowed. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • Thanks to our generous sponsors for helping make the Midwest Regional Championship presented by Ald. James Cappleman possible:
  • Speaking of Rapha Chicago, pre-reg riders should head there on Saturday to get your bib number early and enjoy free refreshments while talking smack with that person just ahead of/behind you on the overall — as well as getting 25% off almost the entire store. Please RSVP to let them know you are coming for food planning. And it should go without saying, make sure you put that bib number somewhere safe (i.e. pin it the night before like a pro). If you lose your number between Saturday night and Sunday we may not have an extra number for you.
  • Simonds Drive is closed to thru-traffic and parking within the barricades is restricted to officials, food trucks, Evanston Subaru, porta-pottie deliveries and the like. Regular parking will be along Simonds Drive and Montrose Drive either to the north or south, entering and exiting the way you came in. Per the Park District, NO PARKING ON THE GRASSANYWHERE! Please adhere to volunteer requests regarding your vehicle parking and movement
  • Speaking of parking, VIP parking spaces within the barricades (near the finish) are again available on BikeReg to help defray costs. Entry is from the NORTH END of Simonds drive — check in with the nice volunteers and show your receipt. (If you have a trailer please count that as a second space).
  • Teams are welcome to drop off equipment at the turn-around on the south-end of Simonds Drive near the staging grid. The driver must remain with the vehicle to expedite unloading and keep traffic flowing, just like at the airport. It’s usually a high-volume operation with everyone coming at the same time so help your teammates.
  • Speaking of equipment, team tents can go in many of the traditional areas, and with the start/finish change you are welcome to line the finish stretch, but only on the WEST (grass) side. No tents on the roadway. Also, please keep the area behind (east) of the sponsor/reg tents open as well for podium, et al. (red area).
  • Speaking of team tent placement, all are welcome, nay encouraged, to drop/place tents and other large items on Saturday afternoon! There is hired security for overnight watch (though of course SMC, USAC, CPD, et al. cannot take responsibility for what the weather/acts of gods could do to items left overnight, so make sure it’s secured/laid down/tied down). And hey, stick around to lend a helping hand with course setup.
  • Speaking of helping hands, Spidermonkey could use a few more hands during the race on Sunday for additional course marshaling spots required of the new course design. Volunteers get free lunch! Check the sign-up sheet.
  • We understand the desire to pre-ride, especially with so many CCC’ers living nearby. However, we kindly request you DO NOT RIDE the course this week, especially on Saturday, to enable course construction AND to keep it in nice condition for game day. Again, drop the bike and pick up some course stakes and tape to help — it takes a village!
  • Course: NEW START AND FINISH ON THE ROADWAY! Wooooot, we so fancy. We expect the weather to be dry but let’s keep those crit elbows in for that first turn and the transition onto the grass. You can’t win the race in turn one, but you can lose it. Also a new EXPANDED pit. (But still, please remove your equipment expeditiously after your race.)
  • As is tradition with Montrose, the course alternates the direction each year, going clockwise (i.e. sand first, Cricket Hill second). Note: The Junior 9-14 will have a cut-off section to bypass some of Cricket Hill and possibly some sand.