Chicago Cross Cup

Photo: Nisha Elliott

- This weekend was definitely a Tail of Two Races. Sunday’s TEDTA CCC series race played out well for the power riders, while those who don’t like to pedal but are talented at turning were rewarded at Saturday’s NORGE Ski Jump CX race.

- In any event, thanks to Rob Curtis and the Psimet crew for hosting the race at the NORGE Ski Jump & to Chris Henning, the Northbrook Bicycle Club, and Flatlandia for hosting hosting Ted’ Excellent Double Track Adventure at the YMCA amp Duncan.

Photo: Ali Engin

- The CCC series takes its 2nd and last break this weekend for Thanksgiving, but if you need to race there’s plenty to be had at Jingle Cross Rock in Iowa. Jingle Cross offers 3 days of racing and is a UCI C2/C1 event. We know of several CCC’ers heading West to race all weekend. Good luck to you all, and keep your mouths closed. If you eat any “dirt” head straight to the hospital.

- The CCC returns in two weeks for the 12th and last stop of the 2011 series… the big enchilada… the Illinois State Championship at Montrose Harbor hosted by Turin Cycles. Online reg is open and closes next Thursday evening.

- CX in Chicagoland doesn’t end at Montrose though… there’s still plenty of racing to be had… Badger Cross on 12/10 and 12/11 near Madison, the Afterglow hosted by Robots Powered by Love and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew on Saturday 12/17 in Humboldt Park in Chicago… and then three of the biggest races of the year… the CCC’s New Year’s Resolution on 12/31 AND 1/1 at Indian Lakes, CX Nationals in Madison the week after, and then Masters World Championships in Louisville the week after that. Buckle up, its going to be a busy end (and beginning) of the year.

- The CCC would like to congratulate 16 year old Lionel Rocheleau of Wisconsin for being selected to attend Jeff Proctor’s Euro CrossCamp in Flanders over the Christmas holiday. There are quite a few US Pro heavyweights (well, not literally, they are cyclists) who are alumni of the Camp. If you’d like to help Lionel make it to Flanders you can help w/ donations here.

- Speaking of charity… the auction for SRAM’s pART PROJECT benefiting World Bicycle Relief will close next Wednesday, November 30th. Bid on the art on eBay here.

- If you’re looking to take a break for a weekend and relax, the CCC’s unofficial house band Los Borrachos are playing a Feliz Navidad Especial Extravaganza at Martyrs this Saturday November 26th at 8pm.

- A few of our promoters are still trying to get rid of unclaimed payouts from races earlier in the season. If you were in the money but didn’t pick up your loot, please contact the promoter directly. Otherwise the cash dollars will be donated to a charity of the promoter’s choosing.

- Tickets are now on sale for the CCC End of Season Awards Party on Sunday December 18th at EJ’s Place in Skokie. Please pre-reg so the kitchen at EJ’s can plan accordingly. The bar will be open all afternoon.

- A few more notes about the CCC New Year’s Resolution. Reg is open here. Discounted room rates are available but going quickly. Call or click today and use the Group Code (not the promo code) “CYC“. We could still use a few more volunteers to help us with setup on Friday and course marshaling on race day, so if you’d like to help out please contact us at ChicagoCrossCup@gmail.com.

- Metaphors as only our friends at the The Bonebell can describe them.

- And finally… we thought Barry & Mumford had skillz, but they’ve got nothing on this guy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Eric Goodwin (773) 495-6373, Goodwin5311@gmail.com

October 28, 2011

CHICAGO CYCLOCROSS CUP UNVEILS NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION
Two-day UCI 2.0 event will draw international-caliber talent to Chicagoland;
High demand expected for amateur racing slots

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cyclocross Cup is proud to announce the official launch of the New Year’s Resolution, an ambitious international-caliber cyclocross competition that will take place on December 31, 2011 and January 1, 2012 at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, Ill.

Having been awarded Union Cycliste International (UCI) 2.0 status and situated one week before the USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championship in nearby Madison, Wis., the New Year’s Resolution will draw elite cyclocross talent from across the country to Chicagoland this holiday season.  Organizers are also pleased to announce that during the two-day event, 18 amateur fields will have the opportunity to compete on the same course used by the professional UCI competitors.  Attendance in this fall’s Chicago Cyclocross Cup has risen to an all-time high and amateur starting spots at the New Year’s Resolution are expected to fill quickly.

“In the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, we believe we have a truly unique ‘cross culture here in Chicago,” said series Director Jason Knauff. “Staging an event of this caliber around a festive time like New Year’s Eve will take the atmosphere we’re famous for and turn it up a notch.  Introducing this level of competition to the local scene is also going to have a positive effect for our local racers and we’re hoping to set up the elite competitors for success at National Championships and Masters Worlds.”

Registration for the New Year’s Resolution opens on Monday, October 31, 2011 at 10:00 ET (9:00 AM CT) on BikeReg.com.  The event is governed by USA Cycling and valid licenses are required for all races. Competitors should visit ChiCrossCup.com/NYR or BikeReg.com for details. Rooms at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort are available by calling (630) 529-0200 or visiting indianlakesresort.com. Group discount rates are available using code “CYC”.

 - Congrats to everyone who raced at the USGP of CX in Sun Prairie this past weekend. We saw some great results by CCC regulars and as we said back in August… its going to be a fast season. We also saw the pro races broadcast courtesy of CyclingDirt and VeloNews… so thanks for showing the rest of the country how to properly heckle and disseminate hand-ups.

- Next up the CCC heads to Dekalb, IL for Hopkins Park. The Cat 4A’s AND 4B’s are already full again (we’ll run wait-lists on race day)… but there is still room in all other categories. Look for the course preview on Thursday morning. UPDATE: Promoter Chris Jensen writes in to tell us the payout for the Cat 1/2/3 and Women 1/2/3 races will be doubled. More info on Thursday.

- Did your CX bike get dirty again at the USGP?  2011 CCC Series Title Sponsor Iron Cycles will be running their super duper cleaning special until the weather runs dry.

$45 CX-specific clean includes:
- Chain and cassette removed and cleaned (customer may need a new quick link depending on chain, slight upcharge)
- Bottom bracket and headset bearings cleaned whenever possible (sealed bottom brackets are limited somewhat)
- Clean/true wheels
- Clean frame
- 48-hour turnaround time or less

- Concerning team names, the CCC matches names, team names, etc on your USAC annual license. Please make sure your USAC license number is up to date in your BikeReg.com rider profile… and your team information is correct in the USAC database.

- For all the Juniors (and their parents) and Masters out there… your CX racing age is your age as of 12/31/2012 (the year of CX Worlds Championships). We can switch you to the correct category, but its much easier if you pre-reg for the correct category in the first place.

- If you enjoyed the live video coverage of the USGP in Sun Prairie over the weekend the CCC would like to do something similar. We have some ideas on how to do it but we need some help. If you’d like to help and have the CCC broadcast on the Interwebs please contact us.

- CCC merchandise is for sale on the store page. We have very limited quantities of all items and when they’re sold out… they’re sold out. The t-shirts will be available this weekend at Hopkins Park (and all subsequent races). Please see the Spidermonkeys for your shirt. Shirts will NOT be for sale at the race… you must pre-order here on the CCC site. If you’ve pre-ordered embro we’ll have it for you next weekend at Dan Ryan Woods. Socks will arrive in time for ABD Sunrise Park.

- Project 5 Racing and Chicago Winter Bike Swap invite all women racers and cycling enthusiasts to join them on October 8 for their 4th Annual Ladies Kit Up ‘n Chat Ride. See the flyer here. The ride will rollout at 9:00 am from Twin Lakes Park in Westmont (150 W. 59th St, a couple blocks west of Cass Ave on the north side of 59th St) and will ride 30 miles of trails and suburban roads at a conversational pace before returning to the park for some more chatting and a picnic. Project 5 Racing looks forward to seeing the powerful sight of so many women in a dual pace line rolling down the road! To help with the food count, please RSVP either via email to 708-772-2087.

- Paul Swinand has CX practice for Juniors. Find more info on FB here.

- Its not quite cyclocross, but our friends at Burnham Racing are hosting their annual Apple Cider Donut World Championship Demilitarized Ride on Saturday October 22nd. Everyone loves a donut right? Please RSVP on their fb page here.

- In case you have been living under a muddy rock for the last few month, the CCC is hosting a UCI level race this year. We need some help with course set-up, crossing marshals, pro-rider translators, snow shovelers, etc, etc, etc. If you’d like to help out or better yet be our volunteer coordinator, please contact us. We will be forever grateful and will certainly make the weekend worth your while with race discounts.

- And finally… we’re experiencing record racer numbers again this year and that’s a lot of bodies to pass through registration. To help our promoters, reg desk volunteers, and officials deal with the volume we absolutely need to close registration for each race 30 minutes prior to its start time. We try not to ask much of all of you (besides racing hard, having a good time, and the occasional bacon hand-up) but if you pre-reg’d you must have your bib # in hand 30 minutes prior to each race so we can remove all no shows (DNS) and enter in any waitlisted riders. If you know you’re not going to make it to your race, please let us or the promoter know so the reg desk volunteers can get ahead of the ball. Thanks!

- The last few series sponsors are coming. If you’d like to be a 2011 series sponsor (or at least have your logo on the t-shirts) we need to know this week.

 
 - MNO Chiropractic joins the CCC sponsorship family after doing a few races and grabbing a few hand ups in the Cat 4′s. Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician Alan Stoughton with his partners offer the best in diagnosis and natural treatment of sports injuries in Kane and McHenry Counties. Life is a sport, stay in the game with MNO!

- Online pre-reg for all 2011 CCC races are now live on BikeReg.com except for the as-yet-to-be-rename/relocated Northbrook race. We have good word from promoter Chris Henning that a location is just about locked in and we’ll let you know as soon as more details and pre-reg are available.

- Speaking of pre-reg, our friends to the West in Iowa have opened reg for Jingle Cross and our friends to the North have opened reg for Badger CX.

- Also in “other CX races in the area” Patriot CX promoter Karl C has an incentive for all of you on the fence about visiting Rantoul this weekend in the form of a “Bring a friend special“… sign up for Patriot CX on Bikereg.com and bring a friend… they race for $5. Email Karl your name and friend’s name and racing category. Pay the $5 at the race. Emil Karl at quickkarl@gmail.com.

- In still other pre-reg news, registration closes at 11am on Friday for Half Acre’s Womens’ & Trans Cyclocross Clinic. The beginner session is filled but there is still room in the Intermediate/Advanced session. The CCC will likely stop by to say hi and we hope as many ladies as possible show up to sharpen their CX skills with American U23 CX champion Kaitlin Antonneau and French national CX champion Caroline Mani.

- Speaking of ladies, our buds at Thought You Knew (TyK) are working on their 2012 pin-up calendar and are on Kickstarter.com (with a kick arse video) to help fund their venture. Donate a few dollars (they’re half way already) and get yourself a calendar. Several CCC riders are again involved with the project. If you’ll be at Interbike next week TyK will be taking part in the Chrome/Momentum Fashion Show.

- A few of you have asked about when the CCC’s signature Mad Alchemy Embrocation blend… Pome d’Embre will be ready. We are happy to report (and if you’re on twitter you already know) that the stuff is done and en route to the midwest… and as soon as we figure out how to configure our PayPal account we’ll open up sales on the store page here.

- Speaking of CCC paraphernalia… don’t forget to vote for your favorite 2011 CCC Series T-shirt design. Voting ends this weekend and we are working with Spidermonkey Cycling and Think B!G Creations to have the shirts ready in time for distribution at Jackson Park. Like the embro we’ll open online sales soon on the store page here.

- Speaking of Jackson Park… there are less than 15 pre-reg spots still open in the Cat 4A race. All other categories are wide open… but please pre-reg to save us all time and hassle.

- In other CCC races news, a few updates from Psycho CX promoter Ted S for both the CCC series race on Saturday and his Friday night race. See the Psycho CX website here.  Ted also encourages all racers on Friday night to bring their own lighting system(s). In other news, Ted also plans to host a nighttime Time Trial next summer and a bikini pageant for the ladies this coming February at CX World Championships in Koksijde, Belgium.

- And finally… they won’t be ready until mid season… but the 2011 series SockGuy socks will be black wool with a 9″ cuff and look approximately like the image below. Online sales for <120 pairs will be on the store page here… but when they’re gone… they’re gone.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- Lots of series sponsors from last year keeping finding their way back into the dirt and grass while a bunch of new friends are joining the CCC family. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention all of the 2010 sponsors who graciously came back for more. Sheila Moon, CarboRocket, Mad Alchemy, Main Street Bicycles, Mox Multisport, The Pony Shop, Van Wagner, Verdigris Custom Homes, Spin Doctor Cyclewerks, BikeReg.com, and Tipping Point Photography are all back again. New for 2011 the CCC welcomes:

 
 Alchemy Bicycle Co. – Last year somewhere in the depths of Texas word started to spread from town to town that Chicago was the place to race (and heckle) CX. The message eventually reached Austin and the good folks at Alchemy Bicycle Co. knew they had to be involved. From Carbon to Titanium to Steel each of Alchemy’s frames is handmade in Austin, TX by their team of craftsmen dedicated to building perfectly fit performance bicycles. Check them out at AlchemyBicycles.com

 
 Well-Fit Triathlon and Training – Located in the Western Loop, Well-Fit’s mission is to be the “premier coaching company creating world champions and everyday heroes.” Come to think of it, the CCC views its riders in much the same light from the fastest Cat 1 to the last finisher in the 4B’s. Well-Fit is lucky to have CCC regulars Ted Ramos and Russ Kuryk as coaches at the facility, which may be a perfect place to hit the trainer in the depths of winter… or right before the New Year’s Resolution races.

- We’ve always got room for one more, but if you’d like to be a 2011 series sponsor please hurry as we need to order up t-shirts soon and we want all sponsor logos to be represented. 2011 series sponsorship info is here. Sponsorship info for our New Year’s Resolution race is here. If you’d like to be involved in any way please email us at ChicagoCrossCup@gmail.com.

- Speaking of t-shirts, we only received two entries in the 2011 CCC t-shirt design competition. You all must be out racing and riding your bikes or something. Maybe your dogs ate your homework? In any event, in order to have a deeper pool of t-shirt designs we’re pushing back the deadline 2 weeks to midnight on Sunday September 4th. This means we won’t have the CCC socks until after the start of the season, but you won’t need 18″ wool SockGuys until at least the end of October anyway.

- Last week we told you about Cyclo-Cross Sitters who will watch your little ones… but what to do if you want to get your kid(s) racing? Paul Swinand is back again can help with his Friday evening kids cross training Beginning Cycling Training at the Northbrook Velodrome starting the 2nd week in September.

- Last week we also mentioned inviting food trucks to races. Well, wouldn’t you know it 694 Wine and Spirits made it really easy for you. Stop by the Food Truck A Go-Go every Saturday in August and September and invite your favorite truck. Coincidentally coinciding with the start of CX season? We think not! Don’t forget the schedule.

- Online pre-reg on BikeReg.com is available for about half the series here. Though not part of the CCC series, reg for Patriot CX and the xXx Relay CX race are also open. The Co-Ed race is full (xXx will run a waitlist on race day) but there are plenty of spots in the other categories.

- And finally… we know many of you have been getting your CX rides ready for the season. We’d love to see what they look! Please post links to glamour shots of your bike(s) in the comments below or Tweet a picture and include our @ChiCrossCup tag so we can retweet!

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

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

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

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

- The New Year’s Resolution race sponsorship proposal is now available here. If you’d like to have your name in bright lights at a UCI race the week before CX Nationals email us at ChicagoCrossCup@gmail.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- We hope everyone had a safe, fun, and happy Fourth of July. Now that the temps are finally warmed up, and the days are already getting shorter (wait, what?) its probably time to start thinking CX.

 - Hey ladies… want to meet other female riders and racers in a friendly, low-key environment? CCC superstar and Miss October 2010 pin-up model Becky Welbes is hosting an event this Friday that’s great for seasoned cyclists as well as newbies—come with questions or just come ready to meet new friends, say hi to old ones and be a part of Chicago’s growing female cycling community. Already racing? Well just come and hang out, catch up with some friends off the bike, and maybe help out some newbies! All are welcome. There will be a raffle for a pair of Sidi Dominators, Chrome Bags, tune up packages, and a bunch of other cool stuff. See the Facebook invite here.

- Our friends to the north race CX too. Its been out for a while, but see the Wisconsin CX schedule.

- Are you old? Do you still like to race CX? Want to test your mettle against the best old guys in the world? Well then you better check the Eligibility Guidelines for 2012 Masters Cyclocross World Championships. Most importantly, note you’ll need a UCI international license.

- Speaking of eligibility… we’ll mentioned it several more times before the season is almost done, but if you want to race New Year’s Day at our New Year’s Resolution race, you’ll need to renew your USAC license for 2012. Yes, we know its only one day past 12/31/2011… but rules are rules and unfortunately we don’t make them, but we do have to enforce them. Luckily, you can painlessly renew your USAC license online for 2012 starting 12/1/2011 and the license will be good until 12/31/2012… so don’t get caught out.

- Speaking of rules… the UCI has made a few modifications to the CX rulebook for the 2011/2012 season. Most if not all of these changes do NOT affect us here in the CCC, but take a look and see all the red tape (not course tape) the pros have to deal with.

- Speaking of non-rules… we’ve updated our FAQ after recently answering a bunch of rider questions. Check it out first and see if you have any additional questions. CX Magazine also put together “Eight Tips for Starting Cyclocross“.

- And finally… on 6/30/11 USA Cycling announced a revamped system for call-ups at CX Nationals. We were told about USAC’s new proposed national ranking system when we attended the CX summit in late April, but at that time details were still being finalized. What we do know is that the new system depends on timely and accurate results, so the CCC will (of course) continue to submit results for all of our races to USAC immediately after each race so our riders will be ranked correctly. We will update everyone as USAC releases more details.

Did you miss us? Its been a while since our last post (137 days to be exact) but the Chicago Cyclocross Cup is officially back and getting ready for the 2011 season. We’ve got a few ideas to improve the series again this year, but as in years past we can only put up the canvas… we rely on you the racers, spectators, hecklers, and supporters to paint the picture and make the CCC truly great. Look for more detailed updates over the next few weeks as we approach September. But in the meantime below are just a few reminders:

1. Schedule – The tentative schedule is up on the schedule page. Remember these dates and locations may change. Official race announcements and flyers are forthcoming. Online registration through BikeReg should be available (at least for a few races) sometime in early August.
2. NYR – The CCC is hosting the UCI New Years Resolution (NYR) race on New Years Eve AND New Years Day this season at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort (ILR) as a lead in to CX Nationals in Madison, WI (the following week). See our post below or visit the new NYR page of the site here. Discounted rooms at ILR are available to be booked now (call or click) using the group code CYC.
3. Updates – The CCC does NOT send out an email newsletter. The best way to stay up-to-date with all things CCC is to add our site to your favorite RSS reader. You can see our Twitter feed over there on the right (–>) but if you’re going mobile, download the free Twitter app. Sorry, no Facebook.
4. Involvement – Do you want to do more than just race and/or heckle in the CCC? We’re always looking for volunteers throughout the season to help with all kinds of projects and little odds and ends. Everything from helping set up at each race to designing logos to baking cupcakes and churros to making coffee and donut runs. Drop us a line at ChicagoCrossCup@gmail.com if you’d like to be involved during the 2011 season.
5. Sponsorship – The CCC doesn’t run on Twinkies and bacon alone. Series and NYR sponsorship information will be available next week. We’re already had several 2010 sponsors sign on again for 2011 but would love to make additions to the CCC family.

We here at the CCC are really excited to host another great season of CX and can’t wait to see you all out there playing in the dirt and grass, having a great time, and doing the amazing, crazy, nutty stuff you do. As always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, gripes, praise, embro flavor ideas, etc… send them our way at ChicagoCrossCup@gmail.com.

It’s official… while watching the Elite Men’s CX World Championship this morning the CCC official found out it will be hosting a 2 day UCI C2 race on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (12/31/2011-1/1/2012) at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. We’ve been working on this event for a while (okay, only since October/November) but we’ve been thinking about doing it for a long, long time. The CCC New Year’s Resolution will be organized by the CCC but hosted with the help of several clubs, teams, and local businesses. The race will be a perfect warm up for locals (and out of towners and pros) looking to perform well at CX Nationals the following week just up the road in Madison, WI and CX Master’s World Championships the week after that in Louisville, KY.

More to come as we receive details from the UCI and USAC, but suffice it to say we’ll need some help hosting this event. If you’ve like to be involved please email us at ChicagoCrossCup@gmail.com.