– One more to go! Turin Bicycle once again hosts the last stop in the 2011 Chicago Cyclocross Cup… which just happens to also be the Illinois State CX Championships at Montrose Harbor. You all have been racing all season long with plenty of ups, downs, highs, lows, podiums, crashes, heckles, and new this year… mud… and we’ve finally made it to the finalé. We at the CCC and Turin again ask everyone to bundle up, bring your cowbells and cameras, and make a day out of Montrose… which means the Cat 4’s should show up early and heckle the 40+ field, and the Masters should stick around and cheer on the Cat 4’s. Lots to review below, so buckle up…

– Registration: We’ll be running reg the same way as every other CCC race. Please allow all 40+ racers to reg first since they have to get ready first. If you’re coming out to race for the first time (great!) just follow the lead of one of the local yocals. The Cat 4A’s and 4B’s fields are full but we’ll run wait lists starting Sunday morning. As of this morning there are 548 of you pre-reg’d (we AND Turin thank you!), which is already more than last year. Online pre-reg closes tonight at midnight… so if you’re not yet reg’d, do everyone (yourself included) a favor and reg now! Ballpoint pens don’t work so well in 29 degrees.

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

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

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

– State Champion Requirements: The CCC along with Turin and the ICA will be presenting 13 CX State Champion Jerseys (on the podiums) to the first IL rider to cross the finish line in every category (excluding the 4B’s). This means Juniors 15-18 AND Juniors 10-14… boys AND girls. Remember that in order to win the state championship you must be a permanent Illinois resident (we’ll be checking ID’s), a US citizen, and hold a valid and unsuspended 2011 USAC annual license before the start of the race (yes, we’re looking at you Cat 4’s). There must also be a full podium of IL riders (that means 3) to win the state jersey. This should not be a problem, except possibly in the Girls 15-18 Junior race.

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

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

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

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

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

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

– While a few riders have already locked up their CCC overall titles, there are quite a few very, very, very close categories still to be decided on Sunday. We’ll do our best to announce the overall titles, but all official overall series awards and recognition will be presented at the CCC Awards Dinner on Sunday December 18th at EJ’s Place. We look forward to celebrating with all of you.

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

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

– Food:

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

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

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

– Todd Busteed will be announcing the race.

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

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

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

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