Things have gotten really crazy in Chicago's cyclocross races. Mad crashes, a few ambulance rides, and of course, the Avenue of Bacon. Whereas in the Tour de France, the course on the climbs winnows down by the crowds to a small thread of pavement, in Chicago, it's the same, albeit enhanced with fried pork product. Yes, bacon. Bacon, and the dispensing of bacon into racers' mouths, has somehow become the defining characteristic of this madcap 2009 'cross season. And it's even now featured on a billboard.
There are only two more races left at which to savor the bacon and mud, this Sunday's blast in Woodstock, and then the Illinois State Championships on December, 6 at Montrose Harbor.
It's a little bittersweet to be running down to the tail end of the all-too-brief Chicago 'cross season. It's such a shame that such fun only lasts for about two months before it says goodbye. Racing mountain, road, and track is good fun, but in the parking lot before and after we're talking about how we can't wait for 'cross. We miss the racing and the challenge of riding all-out for 30-60 minutes, but we love being able to have fun after our race is done. Hanging out at crits and the track is a good time, hanging out at road races, not so much. But 'cross -- you actually can become part of the racing as a spectator. In Spring, when I'm off the back of a hilly road race in Wisconsin or Ohio, I'll be muttering to myself or to anyone nearby, "I'm putting up with this to get ready for 'cross."
On other sad news, Roger Delanghe, local cycling official and founder of the Quad Cities Criterium, has passed.
OK, it's a bit late notice, but registration for this Sunday's Indian Lakes ChiCrossCup race closes at midnight tonight. This is a Saturday race, the only one of the season, on the golf course of the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. Lodging is available at a special rate for racers and the hotel has lifted limits on the number of people to a room -- yes, you can snuggle up to four of your favorite stinky teammates without fear of incurring the wrath of the night porter.
Just a quick reminder that registration for the St. Charles/Campton ChiCrossCup race closes tonight and right now, there are only a few spots available in the Men's 4A and about 20 available in the 4B. The weather promises some rain Friday and Saturday, which means that the course will likely be a tacky slog come Sunday.
If you raced Bartlett you know full well how tough it can be to roll through wet, thick grass. St. Charles promises some terrain and lots of climbing, so it could be another hard course worth coughing up lungchunks for.
Becoming an amateur bike racer in Chicago is easy with the progression from casual rider to racer a natural one. You go on some group rides and learn the ropes on how to ride in a pack at which time you'll experience the emotional and physical crush of being dropped. Then you train harder and start leading the ride. Then someone tells you should consider racing at which point you shave your legs, buy a USAC license, and join a team.
Well, all this is easy if you're a guy. Bike races and competitive group rides in Chicago often experience male/female ratios of 5:1, if not more. It's not that cycling's a sport with an entrenched macho culture; it's that the sport can be very intimidating and obtuse for those those not willing to dive deep into it. It's also not very forgiving. The difference in intensity from fitness riding to competitive racing, even at a low Cat. 4/5 level, is astounding. And for whatever reasons, those included, the numbers of women lining up to race pale in comparison to the men. Take for example the ChiCrossCup races -- the men's 4A and 4B categories fill-up to the brim of 75 racers each with a waitlist of 10-20 more. The women's 4 category is usually at most 30-40 riders.
Aiming to get more women into the sport, Half Acre Cycling is hosting a Chicagoland Women Bike Racers' Night at the Half Acre Brewery facility (4257 N. Lincoln) on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. Gather to talk about racing and training in a social setting, sans-lycra, with representatives from many of the Chicago-area teams with strong women squads. Half Acre is providing copious amounts of their delicious brews and Specialized is bringing some of their women-specific products, such as bikes and saddles, to demonstrate and give away as door prizes. "Podium men" are promised.
Coming up this weekend is the fifth ChiCrossCup race at Bartlett, hosted by Athletes By Design. As before, register early and register often. Now's the time to start doubling-up if you can. The strategies of racing twice in a day are hard to suss out -- does one attack the first race with everything and use the second as an extra workout? Or does one save a little in the first to give it everything with the second?
The first really chilly day of the season hit last Sunday just in time for the Dan Ryan 'Cross race hosted by Beverly Bike-Vee Pak. The toboggan hill run-up shredded fields apart, but lots of flat power sections allowed riders to glom back together and fight their own small battles inside the now-massive fields. Results are here. Remember: don't eat the BBQ until after you're done with your race.
Elsewhere in the region, a large number of 'crossers went down to Ohio and Northern Kentucky for the OVCX triple-race weekend. Scott McLaughlin of the SRAM Factory Team and Greg Heck of xXx-Athletico made the long drive to race Friday and Saturday, returning to the Windy City to romp the Men's 1/2/3. Ben Popper of HRS/Rock Lobster came and put in a crushin' against the Pros such as Jeremy Powers and Ryan Trebon. A whole passel of Half Acre represented well in Ohio, passing out their namesake beverage to all manner of pros and race fans.
The action heats up this weekend in the northwest suburb of Carpentersville. As in years past, this is a fast going course with lots of furniture to clamber over, including a hill, sandpit, creek, and ditch. Those with the ability to bunny-hop and lift the front wheel off the ground will have a distinct advantage of those who, well, can't. The ability to also ride really hard and fast will prove helpful, too, but that goes without saying.
And can I reiterate the importance of pre-registration? You save money, you ensure a spot on the line, and you make the officials' job easier. It's win-win.
This Sunday, the third race of the ChiCrossCup goes off at Dan Ryan Woods in the southside Ashburn area of town. Besides Jackson Park and Montrose, this looks to be the closest race to the city center.
Registration is still pretty open for most of the categories, but don't be lulled into complacency -- these will be filled-up by tomorrow. Last week a number of folks who drove all the way out to DeKalb for the Hopkins Park race were turned away from registration for the Men's 4 races because there was simply no room. You don't want to be in that club.
Speaking of DeKalb, the dripping wet skies on Saturday promised mud, but Sunday's race course was fast and dry. Every race featured a showdown and heckling action the likes of which only 'cross brings out. Avi Neurohr of the Chicago Cuttin' Crew was crowned the State Unofficial Official Singlespeed Champion, adding another notch to the CCC's palmares this season.
This Sunday, the second race of the ChiCrossCup happens in DeKalb, Illinois. This race is the furthest one from downtown Chicago, but the course is a killer and worth the drive. Lots of terrain changes, some singletrack, and the peril of possibly riding into the Fox River. It's a real dream of a course.
The DeKalb race will also play host to the Illinois State Unofficial Singlespeed Championships. $10 to enter if you're already registered to race for the day. While the course isn't street fixed-gear friendly, a change in gear ratio will make it so. Or, if one starts bogging down, just get off the bike and run.
The pre-race weather favors showers, rain and chill. It's going to be a total Belgium day.
Freehub Magazine has a pretty accurate portrayal of cycling in Chicago. Not saying it's entirely a positive piece, but it depicts the pitfalls of Chicago riding well. Best advice? Wear a helmet.
Brian Conant of BSC Coaching lays it all out about training and cyclocross in an interview for the Bonebell.
Cyclocross season is about to start and if you're anything like me, your dismount/remount technique is rusty. 'Cross is all about smoothness (and pain). You've got to be smooth on the power around the corners, smooth on the barrier dismount, and most importantly, smooth on the remount. Races are won and lost at the start and at the barriers.
So what's the solution? Practice and lots of it. By now most of the money's in the bank as far as training goes, but there's still time to get good at the technique of 'cross so that your first race isn't a comedy of errors, falls, and crashes. And practice with others is better -- lots of practice sessions are attended by local big guns that are more than happy to show some of the skills.
Here are some of the more official practice sessions throughout Chicagoland.
Bicycle Heaven (Tuesdays, 6:15 p.m.) - Starts Sept 15th. at Bicycle Heaven (12 East State St., Geneva)
MOX (Wednesday, 6 p.m.) at MOX Multisport (738 W. Randolph, Chicago)
You didn't hear it from me, but Cricket Hill (Montrose and the Lake Front Path) is home to impromptu 'cross sessions most mornings at 6:30 a.m. and p.m. With Jackson Park only a week away, time's short to get good.
Last Sunday's Palos Meltdown went off exceedingly well with sunny, mild weather that belied the fact that the race was threatened at one point due to the epic rains that poured down only days before. Despite what one might assume, muddy trails and mountain biking do not get along very well, unless one doesn't want any trails to mountain bike upon.
In its third year, the Meltdown is the closest cross-country race to Chicago and a well-run one at that. The volunteers of CAMBR put in hours of sweat equity to get the trails in good shape and do all sorts of legwork to negotiate things with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. With over 400 riders registered to race the three distinct races, lots of work was needed and the results showed in a fantastically put-together event.
In the Men's Citizen race, one lap of the 8.2 mile course, Jay Corgiat won handily three minutes ahead of the runner-up Stan Zielinski. While Nancy Paulinson came across the line in 53:55 to take first.
Sport with a total ride of 16.4 miles, was the most populated race with nearly 250 racers, had some major battles from the gun -- riders jostling for position in the grassy hills before the singletrack bashed into each other and one rider took a ride in an ambulance (don't worry, he's OK). Mitch Moen came in first with a time of 1:12 and in the Women's race Julia Daher won with a time of 1:34:14.
The Expert race had some major big guns at the line and the racing was evident of that. Ben Popper, the fifth place overall winner in the Men's race said about the winner Kevin Klug, "I look up and he puts three or four hard kicks to the pedals and is GONE up that hill. I crawled up that hill, not really out of defeat, but just plain tired." Kevin Klug's wife Holly, and fellow Killjoy rider won the Women's Expert race with a time of 2:02, 12 minutes faster than second. Stunning.
The fall cyclocross season is only a month away. The discipline that brings together the roadies, dirtheads, and trackstars starts up with the first race in a 10 race schedule with the Jackson Park classic in the southside of Chicago.
Now's the time to get the bike together and tires glued. The cowbells should be on order and embrocation in the mail. Chicago loves its cyclocross as much as it loves its criteriums.
And the schedule as below, subject to change:
All Races are held on Sunday unless otherwise noted
1. 9/20 - Jackson Park (xXx Racing)
2. 10/4 - Dekalb (Half Acre Cycling)
3. 10/11 - TBD
4. 10/18 - Carpentersville (Northbranch Cycling)
5. 10/25 - Barlett (ABD)
6. 11/1 - St. Charles/Campton (Bicycle Heaven)
7. 11/8 - TBD (Garner Northbrook Bike Club and Flatlandia)
8. 11/14 - Indian Lake (South Chicago Wheelmen) -- Note this is a Saturday race!
9. 11/22 - Woodstock (Northwest Healthcare Center)
10. 12/6 - Montrose Harbor - State CX Championship (Turin)
If you didn't know, Palos played a part in the Manhattan Project and in the woods, demarcated by signs, are some spots that are well, a little hot. That's where the meltdown in the name of the race comes from, but that day the only things burning up will be the lungs and legs of hundreds of cyclists careening down the hills and through the trees.
The course will be a variation of last year's -- Three Ravines will play a part, along with the Bullfrog Slough loop. I'm not entirely familiar with the park's trail system, having only raced last year and ridden it twice this year, but the terrain will split things up nicely according to fitness, skill level, and bravery.
There are three races: Beginner (one lap at 8 miles); Sport (two 8 mile laps); and Expert (three, of course). Unlike last year, the beginner race is on the same course as the rest of the classes -- and unlike last year, in which one could race a cyclocross bike or even a stout road bike with knobbies, the course now demands an off-road only machine.
The cost to register is $35 and includes a t-shirt and assorted swag.
On Sunday, Grant Park and the surrounding streets will be full of riders as the Chicago Criterium returns for its second year. A real crowd-pleaser last year, this race is already a crown jewel in the Chicago road racing scene.
The schedule is as follows:
7am Juniors
7:35am Cat 5 Heat 1
8:10am Cat 5 Heat 2
8:50am Category 4
9:40am Category 3
10:35am Masters 35+ 4/5
11:20am Women Cat 4
12:05pm Masters 35+ 1/2/3
1pm Women 1/2/3
2pm Big Wheel Race
2:15pm Pro 1/2
Professional cyclist Chris Horner of the Astana squad will be racing in the P/1/2 race to shake things up. While he was disappointed to be left off the Tour de France roster this year, let's hope he shakes off his disappointment with a brave effort or two. And what do you know, but you can meet Horner at Turin Cyclery (1027 Davis St., Evanston) on Friday night to shake hands, get an autograph, and ask if he still likes eating a Whopper before a big race.
Around again for the ninth time this year, the touring Bicycle Film Festival's coming back to Chicago from Tuesday, August 11 to Sunday, August 16 to celebrate and appreciate the velocipede in a variety of films. Judging from past year's content, the topics range from examinations of the messenger scene, reportage of Critical Mass altercations, and the occasional expose on the life of the professional cyclist. A flavor for all points in the cyclist spectrum. Last year's Road to Roubaix was especially good; hopefully, another race-oriented film is in the quiver this year.
The Chicago schedule, available here, doesn't yet list the films to be shown. However, it seems as if a fair number of ancillary events are planned, featuring music at the Metro and Smart Bar, an art show, Goldsprints, and a massive block party on Sunday, August 16.
Space is running out to register for the 27th annual Chicago Triathlon held on Sunday, August 30, 2009. While you probably know by now whether you're in good shape to compete in a triathlon (the training program puts my cycling-specific program to shame), if you're into seeing what you can do with a minimum of time, or if you were fence-sitting, now is the time to register.
The international-distance Chicago Triathlon consists of a 1.5-kilometer (.93 mi.) Lake Michigan swim, a 40-kilometer (24.8 mi.) bike on Lake Shore Drive, and a 10-kilometer (6.2 mi.) run along Chicago's lakefront. For those aforementioned fence-sitters and those interested in a shorter test of endurance and will, a "Sprint Distance" race, approximately half the distance of the international distance is the ideal choice.
Something of a late notice, but if you have nothing to do tonight from 6-8 p.m. and have an urge to work up a sweat, Moonshine Bar (1824 W. Division) is hosting a Opensprints tournament to celebrate the arrival of the 42Below crowd. Click here for the flyer.
42 Below's mission states "Through our country-wide 42Ride, along with a partnership with the Bicycle Film Festival, we aim to provide bike enthusiasts (21+) with an experience they will never forget and act as a catalyst for cities around the world to improve their bicycle infrastructures, raise bicycle awareness and just plain get with the program."
With their arrival today of the scrum of cyclists, a little something of a sprints tournament will go down. Go! And get sweaty!
A quick reminder: the second of six Soldier Field Cycling races is tomorrow. The action starts at 4:00 p.m. with the juniors and continues all the way to 8:00 p.m. with the Men's Pro/1/2. A nice walk from the Loop, the action is intense and if the race is at all anything like the last and a little luck, there will be likely an abundance of Pepsi Max and podium girls.
Last race there was a major shortage of lady racers, but a large Men's 4/5 field. Likely many racers were just scoping out the course and waiting for races 2-6, but SFC's put on a great show and the races deserve packed fields and loud, raucous fans. Everyone's racing with heart out there, give them support.
Continuing this year on its successful 2008 program, the Active Transportation Alliance of Chicago is bringing back its Open Streets Sunday boulevard tour on August 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event this year combines last year's two days into one long, eight-mile avenue of bicycling, dancing, walking, and other activities. The route spans from Logan Square to Little Village, and passes through Humboldt Park, North Lawndale and Garfield Park. Stations and kiosks throughout the route will feature performances, children's activities, art, and workout demonstrations. Cost of entry is free.
The first race of the Soldier Field Cycling series is tomorrow. The showers predicted tomorrow will likely keep things a little on the mellow side, but as so often inevitably happens, the pace will pick up to full-tilt by the time the bell lap is rung. Juniors race for free! And since this race is so close to the Loop, no reason why one cannot stop by to cheer on racers after suffering all day long in the cubicle. More information on the SFC site, or here.
And for this Sunday is the Fox River Grove race. With a solid climb to shatter the field, this "crit" is unlike many of the other races here in Chicagoland -- it has terrain. The lighter fellows will likely have less of a problem here than many of the normal crit specialists. Lots of slots remain open.
The TdF is coming! The New Belgium Brewery's Tour de Fat is looking for volunteers for its July 11 event. Please e-mail Ashlee at West Town Bikes for more information or to sign up. The TdF directly benefits West Town Bikes, which develops cycling programs for Chicago youth. Drink beer, do good deeds. It's win-win, here.
Oh, boy. Sunday June 7th at 6 pm, Yojimbo's Track Cats is hosting a benefit at Goose Island brewery (1800 N. Clybourn) to help the junior track-cycling program raise funds needed to expand the program and offer assistance to new and current riders.
And how are they planning on raising these funds? By showing the classic film "The Warriors" and giving away lots of awesome prizes. It is highly recommended that one show up in a "Warriors" themed costume. $10 is the suggested donation
June 17, 2009
July 1, 2009
July 15, 2009
July 29, 2009
August 12, 2009
August 26, 2009
Juniors race free and for the adults, the total cost to register for the entire series is a bargain $100, or $20 ala carte. For racers in the city, no racing, other than the Chicago Criterium will be closer.
Also at Northbrook on June 5th is the first Friday of racing for 2009. Sponsored by Half Acre Cycling, USA Cycling, among others, the Friday night races promise a better and more exciting alternative than those other activities such as going out on the town or partying. Though, believe it or not, partying can include bike racing, too, as the Chicago Cuttin' Crew likes to prove.
Lastly, have a hankering to ride something really fast? Turin Bicycle in Evanston (1027 Davis St.) will host on June 14th a Cervélo Bicycle test-ride day. Registration is required, and includes a breakfast, product samples, and a ride atop some sweet machines to Fort Sheridan. Considering that Cervélos have helped a number of riders much stronger than any of us ever hope of being, this could be one small fleeting chance at some bit of glory, or just bragging rights.
With only nine race days left in the Giro d'Italia, things have sorted themselves out accordingly and somewhat unsurprisingly. With Christian Vande Velde of Garmin out of the race with cracked vertebrae and all sorts of hurt due to a freak and unfortunate crash in the stage 3, the American GC hopes lie with Levi Leipheimer of Astana (or rather Team Fade). Armstrong's just support at this point -- he might have a trick up his spandex, but likely more than anything else, he's there to ferry water bottles and draw crowds. Christian's doing alright, per his Twitter he "swam in the Med Ocean yesterday. Better than any pain killer or anti inflammatory out there, and I hate swimming." CVV teammate Tyler Farrar is killing it in the sprints, coming an eternal 2nd or 3rd place to Mark Cavendish of Columbia or Alessandro Petacchi of LPR.
Today's excellent time trial on a course from Sestri Levante to Riomaggiore over terrain so hilly that time trial bikes were kept on ice in favor of regular road bikes proved to be something of a game changer. Danilo Di Luca of the LPR Brakes squad, in pink for most of the race thus far, lost it to Russian Denis Menchov of Rabobank. But Di Luca's beautiful ride in Stage 10 from Cuneo to Pinerolo was something to tell the grandkids about.
With recaps and live video on the Universal Sports website and on DTV on NBC 5.3, the access for us Yankees to an amazing race is the best I can remember. If at work, the Velonews and CyclingNews live updates are awfully nice at keeping up with what's happening in real-time.
The first of the triumvirate of annual classic stage races, the Giro d'Italia, started-up today in Venice with a team time-trial won by Columbia High-Road. Columbia's Manxian Mark "Cannonball" Cavendish is in the pink jersey, as he was the first across the line on the winning team. He'll likely keep it 'til the roads head toward the craggy climbs of the Alps, as he's so much more a sprinter than climber. Garmin, headed by local boy Christian Vande Velde came in second, a heartbreakingly-close 6 seconds behind.
In years past, coverage of the Giro here in the states was often available on Versus as a recap or via Internet feed. But with the return of Big Tex, NBC Universal Sports is now showing same-day coverage of the Giro, every day of the tour. If you have your digital converter box all hooked-up, you can catch all the action three times daily on your TV instead of squinting at a grainy feed from someone's TV in the Netherlands. Not only that, but Universal's also showing reruns of the 2008 CX World's from Hoogerheide, in addition to other sports events beyond the Big Four of basketball, baseball, football and hockey.
It's do or (almost) die time tonight for the Blackhawks in their playoff series against the (boo) Vancouver Canucks.
Now that he's back in the fold, the White Sox' Scottie Pods wants his old number back. Meanwhile, manager Ozzie Guillen thinks the team has more pressing needs.
Speaking of the Sox, they hold their first Volunteer Day this Saturday. It's not too late to sign up for the event, inspired by their No. 1 fan.
Derrick Rose? Jay Cutler? Patrick Kane? Who's Chicago's most marketable athlete?
Handball fanatics, the place to be this weekend is Elgin. Yes, Elgin.
The Bulls' playoff run been berry berry good to Comcast Sports.
As if the Chicago Rush didn't have enough problems, what with their entire league collapsing, now they're accused of sticking it to one of their fans.
Look out Robert Morris College: Roosevelt University is getting back into the intercollegiate athletics action.
Fresh off their victory over Kansas City, the Chicago Force take their undefeated record to Detroit to take on the Demolition in Women's Tackle Football action.
The equally unbeaten Chicago Fire, meanwhile, face the New England Revolution at Toyota Park.
Rumor was going around a bit about a complete race series on the Chicago lakefront. This past week, details came out on the Soldier Field Cycling Series. Six days of amateur and pro racing in the shadows of Soldier Field on alternating Wednesdays June through August. See the race flyer here for complete details and the schedule.
Registration opens up on May 1st and at $100 to race the entire series of 6 races, the racing's an absolute bargain. Especially for a race that requires little or no driving for Chicagoland racers. Oh, and juniors race free. It all sounds too good to be true, especially since I bore witness to the logistical nightmare of running a bike race series.
Coming soon too is the Sherman Park Criterium on June 13, hosted by Alderman JoAnn Thompson of the 16th Ward and xXx Racing-Athletico. Sherman Park's so close that it's worth trying to get the feel for crit racing before the heat of summer brings the madness of Superweek.
And next weekend is the third running of the Vernon Hills Grand Prix on Sunday May 3. The Cat. 5 field is filled-up, but room remains in all the others. Pre-registration closes Wednesday April 29, so there are a few days to make that major decision. Which one should, natch.
Few sports other than cycling allow the fan to come intimately close to those at the top of the sport. We've all seen the videos of inebriated cycling fans running alongside the climbers in the Tour de France. During Superweek, some of the nation's fastest riders congregate here and if you're a Cat. 2, or even 3, you've probably rubbed elbows with some of these stallions.
Cycling also has its own legends and fables. Training protocols involving somehow cabbage leaves, fixed gears, and the mysterious supplesse that all cyclists seek like some kind of grail. Mountains and terrain that have brought glory to the son of a farmhand. Much like when Babe Ruth's called out his home run, cycling has its own romanticized vignettes passed down at that piano moment of a group ride or in the parking lot after a race. Maybe half of it is true? Maybe none of it? It's just as much a part of the sport as is shaving legs and Campagnolo.
So sometimes it's nice to hear the juice from the source.
Robbie Ventura, current coach, ex-pro who used to ride on U.S. Postal, and Chicagolander, will be giving a talk April 16th from 7-9 p.m. at the Trek Store in Highland Park (1925 Skokie Valley). Members of the Active Transportation Alliance get in for free, and non-members can join at the door for $25 which will also include admittance. Click here to RSVP.
Additionally, a VIP training session from 6-7 is available, but spots are limited.
Is it already spring? I guess it is -- the wind and chill coming off the lake this morning would suggest otherwise, but the calendar and crocuses say so, so then so it is.
Tonight starts the Half Acre Cycling "Kevin's Crits" race series in Calumet Park. Men,If you were unlucky enough to not register for the entire series, you may be able to snag a spot from any racer who elects to not show up. With weather conditions as they are, that may very well happen, so take a chance.
Then this Saturday is the Spring Super Crit in Beloit, Illinois, just a few short hours away and hosted by Burnham Racing at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. This course is a real pleasure:smooth, bump- and hole-free, and very spectator friendly.
And on April 7, the first Matteson practice criterium of the year takes place at the Ace Hardware plant. $8, and you get much-needed experience for your money.
Despite the snow still on the ground, spring road racing is only a few short weeks away. By this point, the "money ought to be in the bank", i.e. that training protocol that you started on back in December is paying dividends with improved lactate threshold numbers and an ability to endure pain. The Burnham Racing Supercrit is the first major regional race, but before then, there's a complete race series within the Chicago city limits for the novice racer that was just announced today.
Every night from Monday March 23, to Friday March 27, Calumet Park in the far southside of the city will be raging with cyclists fighting for bragging rights and the right to upgrade from Category 5 to 4. A 1.25 mile course over smooth, pothole-free pavement, and hosted by Half Acre Cycling, this race series is open to Junior, Women's 4, and Men's 4/5 categories. Oh, and the cost is cheap: $35 to $50 to register for the entire week, $15 to $20 per day if going piecemeal.
If a newer racer, there is hardly an excuse to skip out on these races. They're close enough (Calumet Park is a nice 12 mile ride from the Loop), or cheap enough ($50 for five races in the Men's 4/5 category is a steal). Registration is here.
While bragging rights and upgrade points are the major motivators here, there'll be prizes of some sort for series winners.
And in the interest of objectivity, the race promoters, Half Acre Cycling, is also the team that I race with and manage.
Tomorrow, Friday February 27, The Bike Winter Carnival closes out its twelfth iteration with a huge party of sorts at the Accidental Gallery (1579 N. Milwaukee, Studio 350 in the Flatiron building) from 7 P.M. to midnight. The party benefits West Town Bikes and the Chicago Women's Health Center. Expect a raffle for some serious goods from Seagull, booze to chuzzle, and bands such as Environmental Encroachment, Schwinntonation, and Al Scorch to blow out eardrums.
Though for added persuasion, the ladies from TyK will be signing their just-released pin-up calendar. A bit hot-blooded and racy, proceeds from the sale of the calendar benefit the Chicago Women's Health Center, and would likely warm anyone up who has suffered exceedingly from the recent cold. I know I have.
Have you a hankering for the klieg lights and sprockets? Have you filmed you and your friend's bike shenanigans, from racing to tricks to cruising? Do you know anything about plot? (The last point is probably the most important.)
If so, the Bicycle Film Festival is looking for submissions for its 2009 film festival which will likely make its way to Chicago sometime in mid-summer. The cost of entry is free, but the deadline is March 7, 2009. There's not much time between now and then to put together a huge extravaganza on wheels, but think of a profile of a local racer or messenger. There hasn't been a dearth of films about alleycats, but what about the guy who delivers your sandwich? What about the Hi Guy?
Cog Magazinecelebrates its first year with a party and book launch at AV Aerie (2000 W. Fulton) this Saturday, February 21 from 3-11 PM. Cog Magazine is a slick publication that celebrates all that is simple, beautiful and brilliant about track and fixed-gear bikes. The velodrome's the original home for these machines, but the street lately is now, too. It takes a brave (some may say foolish) soul to ride a brakeless track bike in traffic, and Cog is something of a celebration of the machine and rider.
There'll be giveaways of merchandise and entertainment, most of which will be cycling-specific. The cost is $5, or $3 if you make your living hustling packages on two wheels.
The Amgen Tour of California starts its fourth running on Saturday with a prologue stage in Sacramento that is apparently throwing a pump through the spokes of a meeting of the Californian legislative body. The Tour of California, along with the Tour of Missouri, are the two definitive pro-only stage races in the United States, now that the Tour of Georgia is dead. A shame, too, because the Tour of Georgia was a sporting spectacle that saw some epic riding on the part of Tom Danielson, Floyd Landis and Kanstantin Siutsou (who?)
But back to tomorrow. Yes, the press and public are going gonzo over Big Tex, y'know, Lance, but let's not forget the real riders to watch. Levi Leipheimer, who as Lance Armstrong's teammate on the Astana squad, has won the race the past two years and is reportedly gunning for his third. What about Garmin-Slipstram rider Christian Vande Velde, who as a Chicagoland native, also represents Flatland for the squad in argyle? Brash Manxian Mark Cavendish of Columbia-Highroad is the sprinter to gape at, but Big George Hincapie may find himself at the front of the pack in the twilight of his long, sometimes-starcrossed career.
Turin Bicycle (1027 Davis St., Evanston) invites all comers to the shop 7 AM on Sunday, February 1, to catch the Men's Cyclocross World Championship on the shop's massive plasma TV. Bagels, coffee and donuts are promised and the muddy, sandy, grueling action on TV will cause most viewers to dream back to their own experiences just a few months ago.
Watch for regional riders such as Wisconsin's own Bjorn Selander on the under-23 squad, and Brian Matter, who is racing Elites.
If your heart, like mine, still pines for the joys and pains of cyclocross, in Madison, Wisconsin, on February 15 sweet relief comes in the form of "Cyclo Frost," a cyclocross race held on the final day of the Madison Winter Festival. And before one complains about the driving distance to Madison, just consider that you can come home with some New Glarus to make the trip all the worthwhile
Big Shoulders Realty hosts its final bike neighborhood tours with the Tour de Portage Park on January 31, and the Vuelta a Albany Park on Saturday, February 28. The tours start at 1:00 PM on both dates and all that is required is a bike, helmet and warm clothes. Click here for more information, including starting points and updates.
At this point in the winter, bikes regularly out in the snow are likely covered in salt and crud, creaking and grinding with each pedal stroke. This weather is tough on bikes, and maintenance tends to slide when you resign yourself to the indisputable fact that "It's only gonna get dirty again the second I take it outside." And we all know that's the wrong attitude to have, but can you blame us. Repent this Wednesday, January 28 at 7:00 PM at West Town Bikes with the Bike Winter Basics class. E-mail Lauren Sailor or Martin Hazard to RSVP or with questions.
I don't know who's tougher: the cyclist charging down the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix or the Chicagoan who bundles-up and braves this misery in order to commute to work by bike. One is paid to ride a bike, the other not, but both are dedicated, insane, and a true "hardman" or "hardwoman."
In a celebration of the latter, on January 20, bike commuters will congregate on Daley Plaza from 6:30-9:30 A.M. for Winter Bike to Work Day, with hot chocolate and Eli's cheesecake, and remember the coldest day in Chicago history, when the thermometers at O'Hare registered a brittle negative 27 degrees. The event is sponsored by the Active Transportation Alliance. The event is free.
Luke over at Chicago Bike Racing's put together a list of his favorite road races to think about for the 2009 season. From all accounts, the races listed are all worth taking the trip for, each one serving up its own unique challenges. One wonders if in 2009, the Evanston Grand Prix will retain the "BK Stacker", or if the weather will come into plan during the early April Hillsboro-Roubaix in southwestern Illinois.
Registration opens up for the Horribly Hilly Hundreds near Madison, Wisconsin on January 15. The endurance event over 100K or 200K pits riders against the beautiful, hilly terrain of our neighbor to the north. With over 10,000 feet of climbing for the 125 mile route, this ride is an exceptional challenge for us flatlanders here in Illinois. While not a race, these rides are often treated as such and time completed is as much a bragging right as just finishing.
Miss all your friends from the ChiCrossCup? Want to gloat over some pints while in your Illinois State Champs jersey? The end-of-the-year banquet celebrating a successful season is this upcoming Sunday, January 11, at EJ's Place in Skokie. Check out the details after the jump.
Covered in Mud, Beer and Blood, the Pony Shop tends to Chicagoland's Cyclocross Grass Roots
The bastard cycling discipline of cyclocross is a strange subculture of sport. A hybrid of road and mountain biking, with cross-country running tossed in and stirred well, cyclocross is a mutant and is equally fun, humiliating and painful. Short races of a mile or so, usually held in a municipal park, cyclocross racers must ride at full-tilt through mud, grass and short pavement sections, occasionally dismounting to hop over barriers or run up a steep pitch.
The races are short, an hour for those at the top of the sport, less for mere mortals, and the competition is fierce. At the start of a race, cyclists fighting for position through the first winding chicanes push each other out of the way, bump shoulders and, more often than not, come crashing down with those caught behind piling atop. Usually, everyone comes out bruised but back on the bike, teeth bared and clenched as they struggle through lap after agonizing lap.
For northern Europeans, the popularity of cyclocross is similar to how football is here in the States: their Super Bowl, the World Championships, draws tens of thousands to spectate, eat hot, steaming frites, and drink tall steins of beer. Cyclocross there is a religion - a Sunday cult that waits 'til everyone is out of church before starting with the sinning.
In America, though, the sport is underground, legitimized by increasing popularity, but still retains a certain scurrilous ethos. The cost of entry into racing is low - a modified mountain or commuter bike will suffice for racing in the lower categories. Cyclocross is spectator friendly - and it encourages spectator participation. Races everywhere have that corner, where spectators mingle with racers, usually imbibed if their own race for the day is done, and where all scream encouragements at and high-five passing teammates, friends and complete strangers.
I know it seems unfathomable that it might be pleasurable to spend time out on a bike this month, what with things covered in ice. However, on December 27 at 1:00 PM at the monument at the intersection of Kedzie, Milwaukee and Logan, Big Shoulders Realty hosts an architectural cycling tour of the Logan Square neighborhood. The tours, led by Big Shoulder's Lee Diamond and disassociated from the real estate arm of the company, are rolling celebrations of some of the many architectural marvels, such as historic mansions and shabby dive bars, that exist in the Logan Square area.
The tours are free, helmets are required and it is suggested that one dresses appropriately for the conditions (read: lots of layers and maybe some lobster claws.) In January, Irving Park gets some attention, then Albany Park in February. Keep posted for more details on those rides.
On the faster side of things, a fair number of Chicagoans made the trek to Kansas City for the 2008 National Championships. Devon Haskell, racing for both the University of Chicago and Pony Shop, came in 14th place in the Elite Women's race, but before that she became the Division II National Champion, racing the elite race only one hour after taking the stars and stripes jersey. An unbelievable and fantastic end to a fantastic season that's seen Haskell hold her own against some of the world's fastest bike racers - look for big things next year, for sure.
West-Looper Ben Popper of HRS/Rock Lobster in the Elite Men's race came in 38th, which considering the competition of the nearly 100-something field, is a fine accomplishment. Popper summed up his race and weekend in more brief terms: "Raced hard. Rode well. Ended it on a high note. Nationals rules. Ate Waffle House. Drove home. Midnight. Slept through the alarm this morning."
Then, there's Scott McLaughlin of the SRAM factory team, based here in Chicago, which coming off his win at Montrose last week, managed to bring it in for fourth place in the singlespeed category. One gear, all hardcore.
The Illinois State Cyclocross Championships went off in the crunchingly-cold bluster of last Sunday at Montrose Harbor, with huge turnouts of both racers and spectators, despite the chill. On the line in every race were bragging rights and the jersey. It's always great to come out, race, and have a good time, but to be state champion? Shoot, that's serious. Official results aren't up just yet, but below is a recap of sorts of some of the various players and their own words:
Kevin Klug of Team Killjoy in the Men's 1/2/3 race contributed to one of the day's more exciting battles: " Alot of people told me that was the best race they watched all year and if you can think of how a season should end, State Championship and all, this is ideal."
June Upshaw of Verdigris, who came in fourth in the Women's 1/2/3 race, and who won the 2008 points series, had this to say of her race and the pre-race jitters: "It took a while. But once the race started and the nerves disappeared, I started to FLY. I mean FLY. Wen it was open and I could hammer I just let it open up and I felt the speed. I had to run faster to pass some men so as to put them between me and the girls behind me. I just got faster and faster. I felt it."
Henry Loud of Team Pegasus rolled across the line second in the Men's 4B race, but won the State Champ jersey because he was a licensed racer and the winner was not: "Henry borrowed Cale's bike to do his second race of the season. We all know he's a champ, though, and had lofty dreams of a Pegasus victory. He rode very well but was in a solid second place the whole race. Oh well, we thought. Then we heard that Henry had actually won the state jersey because the guy that won had a day-license (instead of a year or season license). We're thinking of changing our motto from "While you were winning, we ate your lunch" to "While you were winning, we were winning on a technicality."
Oh, dang, is it already December? There's snow on the ground, the sidewalks are covered in ice, and we're now huddled in our homes, cursing and muttering under our breath. Thanksgiving was a welcome diversion - we ate like pigs, drank like fish, and likely tried to maintain our current weight and waistline with lots of riding. Or we just gave it all up and drank some more.
But the cyclocross season's not over yet. The Big One is on for this Sunday at Montrose Harbor. This Sunday, the Illinois State Cyclocross Champion will be crowned, jersey and all, in front of crowds of screaming fans, confused bystanders, and the CPD, who will be cursing us all for mucking up the park.
It's going to be cold, it's going to be miserable, but as we all love so much about cyclocross, you know exactly how long the misery is going to last. Thirty, 45 minutes, one hour, whatever; each minute is agony stacked atop awful.
But it's the best of times. Hope to see you all out there.
For a reminder of why we love to do this, check out Holly Klug'sslide down the mud hill at this past weekend's Jingle Cross in Iowa City. Here's hoping that Cricket Hill will offer up the same slop.
This weekend get ready for Woodstock, no, not that Woodstock, rather the Woodstock, ILChiCrossCup race, the last one before the Illinois State Championships. Instead of hordes of smelly, mud-covered hippies, dancing to CSNY, Canned Heat and Hendrix, expect to see in this variation hordes of smelly, mud-covered cyclocrossers, dripping with sweat and accompanied by the sounds of cowbells clanging (and lots of heckling!)
With last week's cold blast in Lansing reminding all of us that the season's winding down, there are now only two races left with which to accumulate points to be series leader. In many of the categories, only a number of points separate the leaders - a DNF due to a broken bike or a no-show because of illness may contribute to an upset and some of our top dogs could find themselves usurped. Exciting stuff, all.
Mark on your calendars now the ChiCrossCup annual banquet. More information after the jump.
The Chicagoland Bike Federation has just announced a shift in name to the Active Transportation Alliance, and a change in priorities from mostly bike advocacy to also include an emphasis on advocacy for pedestrians and users of public transit.
Last weekend, we were given a taste of the wet misery of Chicago winters. The temperature didn't get that low, but it was a reminder that conditions are going to trend toward nasty for the next five months. Just as I predicted, the weather gave all the racers at the Northbrook ChiCrossCup race a small spanking. Crashes and bobbles abounded in the slick conditions, which is hardly at all surprising. We've had it too good here in Chicagoland, see, and we're behind the curve in getting our mud-racin' skills down pat. Elsewhere in the country, 'crossers have raced on courses that resemble battlefields, with trenches, gullies, and lots and lots of mud. What's the worse we've had? Some drizzle at DeKalb? Slick corners at Northbrook?
Tomorrow, they're predicting snow, which will maybe sodden-up this Sunday's racecourse in Lansing. There is less topography to bust up the fields, but a long, long sandpit's going to throw the various packs into arrears. This is definitely a course for the power-riders - those cyclists who do better because of their ability to sustain high levels of exertion will likely usurp the bike-handlers. We all know who to watch at this point; let's see if there isn't an upset or two to give the Chicago CX blogosphere something to talk about.
We all know that this spring-like weather's going to turn sour soon. And likely more than not by this weekend, the sky's going to be some shade of ratbelly gray, and the year's last leaves will be piled up in the gutters.
Which is great! Well, if you love cyclocross, that is! With rain and snow showers predicted for Sunday's ChiCrossCup race up in Northbrook, hosted by George Garner Cyclery, it's going to be sloppy. A good thing, too, because with most of this year's races being run in pleasant conditions, a challenging day in the mud will provide good practice for those racers getting ready to take on Nationals in Kansas City, MO. Seems that the sledding hill will provide lots of climbing and some off-camber corners will test riders' ability to stay upright on two wheels.
Lastly, the race at Wood Oaks Green Park (1150 Sanders Rd. Northbrook) is readily accessible via Metra and while it's not officially on the flyer, word is is that those taking Metra to the race can receive a discount on their cost of entry to the race.
Just a reminder of cycling at a slightly different speed - the second and final date of this year's Sunday Parkways is this weekend. The route, mostly on boulevards, starts at Garfield Park, through North Lawndale to Little Village. Stops along the way will feature dance, music and yoga. The free event starts at 9 A.M. and will run 'til 1 P.M.
If you're an active racer without a team, or even just like the camaraderie of being with a bunch of like-minded cyclists, now is the time to start thinking about joining up with a squad. At the amateur level, being a member of a team isn't so much about setting up your designated sprinter for a leadout to the final line. Rather, it's more about getting in with a group of riders with which you train, go to races with, and commiserate with in a coffeeshop after a race that didn't go exactly as planned.
Luke over at Chicago Bike Racing has an excellent list of Chicago-based teams. Some are open to new members, others are invite-only. Nearly all are able to provide support and guidance to new and veteran riders. Check these posts, here and here, for info on some of the squads that are actively recruiting new folks. All teams have different things to offer to different folks. Shop carefully and ask lots of questions.
Results are up for yesterday's ChiCrossCup series race in Carpentersville. With a beer tent and several cover bands providing the best kinds of entertainment, the racing risked being relegated to mere distraction. No worries, though, because from all reports, the course was a real kicker and threw up real challenges to both the power riders and tech artists.
Aside from some heavy drama in the Men's 1/2/3 race, most everyone had a good, painful, sweaty time.
Tamara Fraser of xXx Racing-Athletico, who raced in the Women's 4 race, had this to say: "I overcooked a corner before the first barrier and lost about 15 places. I spent the rest of the race catching and passing, catching and passing. Which, I have to say, was extremely gratifying. Especially as I was catching women I know to be very strong."
Joining Tamara in the 1/2/3 race was Holly Klug of Killjoy, who has had an exceptionally strong year. Her race Sunday wasn't her absolute best, but still impressive, earning fourth: "I felt strong and half of the course suited my style of riding. I was happy with riding the sand pit every lap except the last one where a rider was running and I was headed right for them so I hopped off."
Gapers Block higher-up Naz Hamid, of the Half Acre Cycling squad (and my teammate) who is campaigning a strong year in the Men's 4A category with hopes of an upgrade soon to the 3's said that "I have the endurance but not the top end. That's where I'm lacking. 33rd this time," adding "If anything, it was a clean, fast race. Maybe I could have done with less clean and more fast but I'll take what I can get."
Coming this Sunday is Bartlett. I hold no faith in weather reports this far out, but fingers are crossed that the skies open up and a deluge pours down to create treacherous mudpits and slimy corners. Only then will the cyclocross season have really started.
The Northbrook Cycle Committee hosts on Thursday at 7 PM a meeting at Village Green Park (1344 Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL) to discuss the 2009 track racing season. With so many track cyclists coming up from Chicago proper to the northern suburb of Northbrook to race on the velodrome located in Meadowhill Park, it would serve them well to attend this meeting, not only to express opinions regarding race and clinic programming, but also to become involved as a volunteer or support staff.
With issues having been raised this year and last regarding the scheduling for Thursday and Friday night's races, any track cyclist that races those nights might be well-served to attend the meeting to not only hear what changes are planned for 2009, but also to bring suggestions to the conversation.
Also, this meeting is a run-up to the election of officers for 2009. Just like the U.S. presidential election, the Northbrook Cycle Committee adheres to the democratic process. But, just as one has to register to cast his or her vote for president, one has to attend this meeting to have a say in who administers the track programs at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome.
After I posted-up information last week about yesterday's cyclocross race in DeKalb, I started thinking about the weather and how it would shape up for race day. In cyclocross, the weather is the great variable, with torrential rain, wind, or snow usually guaranteeing miserable conditions for both racers and spectators alike. And that's a good thing. The sport of cyclocross feeds off this misery, with the racer best able to tolerate it being the one most likely to come out ahead and at number one.
This Sunday is race number two of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup series. Held in Hopkins Park out in DeKalb, the course promises to be a real kicker with technical switchbacks, off-camber corners, and lots of run-ups. If that's not enough, a bake sale and waffles served Belgian style will keep the carb levels high, both pre- and post-race.
I must disclose that the above race is organized in part by my team, the Half Acre Cycling squad. Journalistic ethics and protocols aside, if you make it out, stop by and say hi and buy a waffle. Or three!
So, the first ChiCrossCup race went off rather well. Yes, the results are a bit buggered, but since you all had your chance to protest, well, then you get what you get. Scoring 'cross is hard work just because it often doesn't take much longer than half the race for the leaders to make their way around and start lapping the competition. Unfortunately for the officials, when that happens, it often makes for a confusing mess. The word on the street that chip timing would fix things, and it likely would. In my experience, chipped races are nearly protest-proof, easy to run for officials, organizers, and racers alike. However, the cost alone, at a couple of thousand dollars for a decent system, is deterrent enough. But with the ChiCrossCup as popular as it likely will be this year, judging from participation at Jackson Park on Sunday, a concerted effort amongst the organizers and the local governing bodies to purchase a chip system could spare some headaches down the road.
But besides all that, Sunday's race in the Southside was a complete blast. All the fields were well represented, with over 100 riders in the men's combined category 4. The racing started off strong with the Men's Master's combined race - Kevin Klug of Killjoy in the 30+ went off on a flyer and kept the wolves at bay to take the win. In the Men's 3 Elite race, Jason Knauff of Vitaminwater-Trek won handily ahead of Brad Zoller and Brian Parker of xXx-AthletiCo.
The Elite Women category was run at the same time as the Men's 3s, with June Upshaw of Verdigris Custom Homes taking the win ahead of Rebecca Much of xXx and Holly Klug of Killjoy. In the Women's 4s, Leah Sanda of Flatlandia came in at the top of the podium, followed by Angie Koch of Vision Quest and Eileen Neville of xXx-AthletiCo.
Scattered through the results in the mens' races were riders from the Pony Shop squad based out of Evanston. PS rider Brian Conant, tagteaming along with teammate Luca Lenzi shut down the 1/2/3 race in an impressive effort that left spectators voices sore from overzealous cheering.
At the end of the day, the 4A and 4B mens' races were left to go, and with huge fields of varying experience, ability and strength, the action was brutal. Crashes abounded at the barriers scattered about the course, and in the "Whirlpool of Death" a mean little hairpin set after a big left hand sweeper, pileups were commonplace. In the 4A race, xXx-AthletiCo took three of the five top spots, led by Mike Seguin and Ed Amstutz. In the 4B race Brian Hague, Ken Dawson and Garrison Riegel pulled-in for the 1, 2, 3 to bring home a huge sense of accomplishment, if not prizes of "merchandise" (likely hemp and chocolate flavored ClifBars).
Fueling and resting up for a bike race is something of a black art. Back in the Golden Age of Cycling, cyclists before a big race would eat a bowlful of plain, cold pasta, abstain from climbing any flights of stairs, and would sleep under a signed, faded poster of Anquetil. The science of training since then has come a long way - powermeters, heart rate monitors, and periodization have all made bike riders faster and better. However, what you stuff into your maw still matters so much.
If you're interested in knowing what to eat and what not to eat before a race, consider attending the "High Octane Fuel for Cyclocross" nutrition session on October, 7th, hosted by Monica Ryan, a nutritionist with a regular VeloNews column. I've followed her tips in my own training, and while I'm easily led astray by icecream, pizza, and New Glarus, I've found that if I stay on track with a solid diet, I get faster.
Oh, and a reminder. This Sunday is the first race of the ChiCrossCup in Jackson Park. Not until the Montrose Harbor race is there a cyclocross event within the city limit proper, and that race is in December. The weather this weekend looks promising - no excuse not to come out with the cowbells and scream encouragements to racers.
The good news: Carlos Quinten's cast has been removed. The bad news: They're not rushing him back.
Ok, so Kosuke Fukudome didn't exactly set the Chicago baseball world on fire. There could be another Japanese baseball star trying to make his mark at Wrigley Field next season.
They haven't had their first match yet, but the Chicago Red Stars already look like the team to beat, thanks to three new additions to their roster.
A survey says nearly every kid plays video games. Will the Jumbotrons of today be the playing fields of tomorrow?
Apparently he wasn't punched enough the first time. A local boxing promoter is returning to action IN the ring.
In case you missed it, the Chicago Open crowned a squash champion recently.
The Chicago Storm joined the four-team Xtreme Soccer League. You know it's wild because they spell it "Xtreme".
This upcoming weekend is the ABR Masters' National Road Race Championship in West Lake Village, just a bit past Rockford. Racing age categories for men and women start at 30 and work upwards in 5 and 10 year increments, all the way to 80+. This course is the same as the Fall Fling a week later, so this race is worth considering not just for the winner's jersey, but also as a way to recon for the next week's races.
The tattered remnants of Hurricane Gustav couldn't prevent last weekend's Palos Meltdown from going off, and going off well in Willow Springs. By Sunday, the trails were mostly dry, fast and in excellent repair. The hat must come off to those CAMBR volunteers who work so hard to make sure that such good racing goes off without a hitch. Yeah, they can't do much about the weather, but Sunday's sunny skies and mild temperatures just served to highlight their efforts.
Online registration is closed for this Sunday's Palos Meltdown. Seems that it may be possible to register in person for $40, so if you have the day free, consider a trip down with your off-road machine because there isn't much mountain bike racing closer. Last year, local shops and bike manufacturers such as SRAM and Specialized were on hand demoing products and loaning out $6,000 bikes, so if you're in the market for something new, you could try out a race bike and watch cyclists race. Nifty.
This past weekend saw all sorts of working messengers, non-messengers and those that aspire to be messengers descend upon Chicago for the North American Cycle Courier Championships. Check out the Flickr photo group here for some choice shots of the action. And here are the results. First Chicago messenger in fourth place overall was Andrew "Candles" Nordyke of the Chicago Cuttin' Crew. Local boy Simon Lach won the skid contest, crushing the competition. Oh, and speaking of crushing, seems livers everywhere were knocked out of commission in after-hours partying.
Register now for the Chicago 'Cross Cup'scyclocross skills clinic, on Saturday September 13, hosted by Ben Turner of Cycle-Smart, a CX racer who has raced in Europe, doing well in a racing environment that many Americans seem to not do so well in. The race flyer with more information on it is here.
And if you pre-register for the clinic, you get in line to receive a free copy of Cycle-Smart's "Solutions for Cyclo-Cross" DVD and other schwag. Everyone likes free stuff and when you couple free stuff with coaching and advice from a real expert, well, the deal's made even better.
Last night and this morning, I was out practicing my CX skills in anticipation for a busy autumn of racing and the point that technique and skill matters just as much as a set of strong legs and lungs was really hammered home. Yeah, you can pedal hard on the flats and up the hills, but if you can't dismount and remount without coming to a complete stop or crashing, well, you're gonna need some help. And judging from my bruised shoulder and posterior earned after tripping over the barriers and flying over my handlebars, it might not be a bad idea for me to register for this clinic, too.
The Illinois State Road Race Championships, aka The Tour of Oak Brook, was held this past Saturday. Official results aren't yet up, and here they are. The grapevine's come around with news of the race, and while numerous crashes and registration issues marred the good times a bit, by and large, the race went off well.
Chris Padfield's already made a big name for himself in the 3's, earning big props for a huge solo effort that while didn't earn him the win, at least let him earn a bit of an reputation.
Check out this link to CBR for additional race reports.
And as a reminder, coming up this weekend is the North American Cycle Courier Championships. A messenger prom, bike polo, and gratuitous and impressive displays of package handling will be the main attractions. Oh, and BBQ. It ain't a party unless someone's grilling something, and if bike action's not enough to get you out of your house, maybe the vague promise of grilled eats will. And yes, all events are open to "civvies."
While summer's heat still rages, the regional criterium racing is starting to wind down. Superweek was a blast, same with Elk Grove, and the Chicago Criterium, and now cyclists are setting-up their cyclocross bikes, ordering their cowbells, and practicing their dismounts for the upcoming Chicago 'Cross Cup. However, 'cross season's not here yet - there's still plenty of road and crit racing to be had.
This past weekend saw a whole lot of race action in Downers Grove, in which Rahsaan Bahati of Rock Racing earned the stars and bars and became the National Criterium Champ, by coming in ahead of Alex Candelario of Kelly Benefit Strategies and Mark Hekman of Toshiba Santo.
In the men's 3/4 race, Ryan Freund, a member of the IIT/Cycle Smithy squad, took first, leaving second and third place to Julian Baumgartner of Burnham Racing and Ricardo Otero of Team Mack, respectively. Local cycling talent in the Women's 1/2/3 race was shut out from the top places, but in the 3/4 race Catherine Burnham of Bartlett came in third place.
Looking ahead, the Tour of Oak Brook on August 23, which also serves as the Illinois road race state championship seems to be the biggest highlight. The course, a winding 3.2 miler (nearly the minimum distance for a road race, and not much longer than a crit) should break up the field with two hills, or whatever passes for hills in Chicagoland.
Registration's filling-up fast, so if you want to earn the right to sport the Illinois Champ's jersey for next year, better head on over.
It may not make it to the side of a milk carton, but the Chicago Fire fan club Section 8 is missing their banner.
Some people might have an opinion about who they are, but a new book of photos entitled "We Are Cubs Fans" seeks to define the loyalists visually. The obligatory Ronnie Woo Woo photo is included.
Speaking of the Cubs, Sports Illustrated joins the rest of the country in being amazed that they AND the White Sox are both in first place and may make the playoffs in the same season for the first time since 1906.
And speaking of the Sox, Fox Sports calls the acquisition of Carlos Quinten the steal of the century. OK, they call it the steal of the season. It just LOOKS like the steal of the century.
Tickets for the National Pro Fastpitch softball championships go on sale this Saturday at Judson Sports Complex in Elgin, home of the Chicago Bandits. The Bandits are one of the four teams who will be participating.
Now that the Blackhawks are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, new fans might want to read about one of the team's legends featured in a story from the Sports Illustrated vaults.
Elsewhere on GB, Chris Brunn's described the new initiative by the Chicagoland Bike Federation, the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, and others to close 10 miles of Chicago streets on the Northwest and West sides to car traffic October 5th and 26th so that local residents can bike, run or walk without worry of cars.
If you've been reading Tailgate's own Zach Thomas, you know that bike racing is booming in the Chicago area. The Chicago Tribune plays catch-up.
A South Side group is getting kids as young as eight into the challenging sport of triathlons...
...while elsewhere on the South Side, another group is bringing the sport of rowing to a new, younger crowd.
The Urbanathalon is coming! Yes, it sounds like some B-movie monster, but actually it's a moderately strenuous 10-mile race, obstacle course thingy. Not too late to enter
Bring the pain: The UFC is coming to the Allstate Arena October 25. Top bout on the card is Anderson "The Spider" Silva vs. Patrick "The Predator" Cote. Anyone in UFC nicknamed "The Fluffy Bunny"?
Start saving your betting bucks now. The Arlington Million is this Saturday.
Twenty-five years ago, they installed lights in Wrigley Field. Purists howled. The world survived.
This weekend saw some big names in professional cycling come through and lay waste to suburban Elk Grove and Schaumburg in the Tour of Elk Grove, and lest we forget, amateurs from Cat. 5 to 1 did their fair share, too.
Friday night belonged to those guys who get paid to ride their bikes, with a 4.5 mile time-trial, with a $15,000 purse. Tom Zirbel of the Bissell Pro Cycling Team came in with a time of 8:36.37 minutes, and local pro Reid Mumford of Kelly Benefits Strategies/Medifast came in 6th with a time of 8:49.07.
In Grant Park this past Sunday, the first-ever Chicago Criterium saw a few surprises climb to the top of the podium. Adam Bergman of the Texas Roadhouse squad, an amateur rider, albeit one with a solid racing resume, won handily in a field full of some of cycling's biggest guns, including Chris Horner of Team Astana, and Freddie Rodriguez of Rock Racing.
Working in a five-man breakaway near the end of the 80km race, Bergman, the winner of the 2007 running of the Evanston Grand Prix, outsprinted Dominique Rollin of Toyota United and David Veilleux of Kelly Benefit Strategies to take home a $5,000 grand prize.
The women's Pro/1/2 race was won by Amber Rais of Team TIBCO, with a brave solo effort 20 minutes to go. Wisconsinite Sam Schneider of Mesa Cycles took second, and Rais' teammate, Brook Miller, came home in third.
But perhaps the greater glory should go to all those brave Chicagoans who came out to represent their city. Chris Padfield of Team Pegasus continued his Superweek streak and came in first place in the 4's; in the men's master's 4/5 race Nate Iden of Spidermonkey Racing rolled in ahead of Newt Cole of XXX Racing-Athletico and Ed Ekstrom of Tower Racing. XXX Racing-Athletico also dominated both heats of the men's 5 race, bringing in Tom Briner and Dave Moyer for the win in each race.
In case you’ve forgotten, the Chicago Force are going for the IWFL title this Saturday at North Park University’s Holmgren Athletic Complex. Cheer them on.
Cook County Commissioner Mike Quinn got a lot of Detroit Red Wings fans ticked off when he managed to skewer the team in his resolution celebrating the outdoor game against the Blackhawks at Wrigley Field...
...But here’s guessing he’ll have an easier time getting tickets to the game than you do.
A half-game lead (as of Thursday afternoon)? Are the Cubs done for? One writer seems to think so (though he admits he’s a Sox fan but insists that has nothing to do with it… right.)...
...But never fear Cubs fans, there are enough pro-Cubby blogs to ease the pain. In fact, there’s a whole army.
The need for (man-powered) speed: The Chicago Criterium is this weekend.
The lycra-clad hordes descend this Sunday upon Grant Park for the first ever Chicago Criterium. Look for national pros from Rock Racing and Jittery Joe's, but remember that racing in the amateur categories can often be just as, if not more so, exciting. The racing's more disorganized and chaotic, but the faces are familiar. Everyone loves to root for the hometown effort, anyway.
Speaking of hometown crushers, Christian Vande Velde of Team Garmin-Chipotle has a fighting chance to podium in this year's Tour de France. Looks like his training regimen of cranking into Chicago's killer headwinds has helped out more than some of us thought. Wind's never scared me off from a training ride, but maybe now I'll relish the experience rather than curse it as is my custom.
Oh, the BK Stacker took more than its fair share of souls and skin at last Sunday's Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Grand Prix of Cycling criterium I got up to Evanston just in time to catch the start of the Pro/1/2 race and within 10 laps, a large portion of the field had laid their bikes and bodies down. That time everyone got back up, but later on, a rider was taken away by ambulance to the hospital with injuries, temporarily neutralizing the race. Seems most other races throughout the day experienced large amounts of crashes, too. Maybe next year a course revision could be in order.
And if you're more interested in rolling around in the dirt, the Alterra Coffee Bean Classic mountain bike race is happening this Sunday, July 27, in Franklin, Wisconsin. According to the WORS website, "Alterra Coffee Roasters will once again have its coffee bar open to pour the free, locally roasted coffee, whether your preference is hot or cold. Also, our other sponsor, Lakefront Brewery, will have ice-cold beers on tap."
Mark your calendars, as the annual touring Bicycle Film Festival is coming through Chicago, from August 6th to the 10th. The annual party is a celebration of all aspect of cycling, from commuters making the lonely trek through the morning fog on their way to work, to racers training for hours in the sometimes-futile pursuit of glory
It's hard being a mountain biker in the city. If you're unwilling to risk the wrath of the Chicago Park District by training on the sly in the parks, you've got to either train on the road or make the drive to Palos Forest Preserve in Willow Springs in the southwestern side of Chicagoland in order to get in quality time in the dirt. Racing's another matter entirely – most races are a considerable drive away, with our neighbor to the north, Wisconsin, home to regional competitions.
This past Sunday, downtown Peoria was the site of the Illinois State Criterium Championships, and accordingly, Chicagoland was well-represented on the podiums, with a whole gaggle of local cyclists taking home the champion's jersey. Some familiar names top the results, including Devon Haskell of Team Get a Grip Cycles, who won the Pro 1-2 Female category, and Chris Padfield of Team Pegasus who steamrolled for a solo win in the Cat. 4 Men. Chicago Bike Racing has an excellent wrap-up of the day, check it out here.
About two weeks from now, the Point Premium Root Beer – Super Week – International Cycling Classic, or just Super Week to those in the know, is due to start with a bang, down here in Chicago. July 11th, the neighborhood of Beverly Hills, down in the South Side, will find its streets aswarm with cyclists, neck to neck at speed, fighting for the finish in the Beverly Hills Cycling Classic presented by Vee Pak/Beverly Bike & Ski. July 12th is the St. Francis Hospital Blue Island ProAm.
Today's New York Times Style section has on its front page, an article on competitive cycling, featuring Christian Vande Velde, a Chicagoland professional cyclist with Team Garmin-Chipotle Presented by H30, who I mentioned in a post several weeks ago. It's interesting to see cycling mentioned in a paper such as the Times, beyond the small sporadically-appearing box score on the last page of the sports section. I'm not sure if coverage such as this will serve to help professional cycling earn a spot on the front pages again in the Post-Lance era, but it certainly can't hurt.
Lots of stuff has happened this past week in the Chicago cycling scene, some good, some bad.
First off, think about heading over to a site set-up by the family of KC Haywood. KC, a mechanic at Rapid Transit bike shop in Wicker Park, fell four stories from a building over the weekend. He's in a coma, but word is that he's responding to stimuli. While he does have insurance, consider donating a few bucks toward his (likely expensive) medical treatment if you're able with the handy PayPal button.
The Sherman Park Criterium, organized by xXx Racing-Athletico, is this Saturday, and while it's a bit too late to register for the Cat. 5 men's division, there are still plenty of slots open in the other races. Few bike races are held within the city limits and with gas prices the way they are, it can be awfully nice to race within riding distance of one's home.
Now just a couple days after the finish of the Giro d'Italia, it's clear that general classification winner Albert Contador, who reportedly was on the beach sunning himself prior to entry as opposed to training, was the biggest surprise. His team, Astana, a sort of amalgamation of the disbanded Discovery and the controversial Astana of '07, is banned from this year's Tour de France for the sins of last year.
But besides all that (which has been fodder for all manner of armchair cyclists on the Internet), there was another success story: Christian Vande Velde, of the Slipstream/Chipotle H30 team, and originally of Lemont, Illinois, was the first American to wear the pink Maglia Rosa since Andy Hampsten won with it in the 1988 iteration of the Giro.
If you're free the weekend of June 14 and 15, and you like elite mountain bike racing, feel free to head up north to the land of cheese curds, and volunteer to help run the WORS 2008 Subaru Cup. Help's needed to time the individual events, set-up and take down the course markers, assist the kid's race, and so on. You'll get fed and get clothed in a limited-edition race t-shirt, but the big reward is being up close to some pretty awesome racing.
For all you bike racers with a few wrinkles around the eyes, Athletes by Design is sponsoring a three-day weekend of masters' 30+ criterium racing in the village of Wood Dale on Saturday and Sunday, and in Batavia on Monday. Click here for the flyer. Akin to an 'adult swim' for bike racers, this is a chance for the veterans to get out and hammer hard, without being upstaged by an 18 year-old phenom in his first year of cycling.
The Chicago Tribune yesterday published a piece on ghost bikes, those roadside memorials to cyclists who've died while riding. Sad specters they may be, those ghost bikes are a reminder to all of us, both driver and cyclist alike, that riding a bike has its own risks. The past year has been especially rough for the Chicago cyclist community, with four riders killed in accidents with cars, and likely dozens of others hurt by being doored, bumped, or hit while riding across an intersection.
Tired of driving out to the far reaches of Chicagoland in order to get your bike racing fix in? Well, register to race in the Chicago Criterium on July 37, 2008 and you won't have to go farther than Grant Park in downtown Chicago. With the start and finish line on Columbus Drive by Buckingham Fountain, the flat and fast 1.1 mile race course looks to offer enough challenges in the form of sharp corners and straightaways long enough to let the peloton get a fair amount of steam. Register now, because the fields are filling up fast, and only a handful of slots in the Men's Category 5, with two heats of 50 racers apiece, remain.
The bastard cycling discipline of cyclocross is a strange subculture of sport. A hybrid of road and mountain biking, with cross-country running tossed in and stirred well, cyclocross is a mutant and is equally fun, humiliating and painful. Short races of a mile or so, usually held in a municipal park, cyclocross racers must ride at full-tilt through mud, grass and short pavement sections, occasionally dismounting to hop over barriers or run up a steep pitch. 
