• We hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. The weather is finally getting better and road racing is in full swing, so… time to talk CX, right?
  • First up, no changes to the event schedule. The CCC series is again (tentatively) 11 events. All tentative dates are updated here on the CCC schedule page.
    • Caldwell Woods hosted by xXx Racing is back as the first race, hopefully no floods this year.
    • The Carpentersville event will again be at the Woodland Elementary School.
    • The Indian Lakes Resort (ILR) shut down last year, but the South Chicago Wheelmen (SCW) have secured a 2 day venue at Pheasant Run Resort (#PRR?) not far from ILR.

  • After several years of remaining the same, the Race Day schedule is changing. This is the CCC’s largest change this season.
    • For 2017 USA Cycling added a Women Category 5 across all disciplines. 
    • Masters 35+ race duration increases back to 45 minutes.
    • Masters 45+/55+ race duration increases back to 45 minutes.
    • Junior 9-14 race duration decreases to 25 minutes.
    • NEW – Women Cat 4/5 starts 2 minutes behind the Junior 9-14 start wave.
      • The Women Cat 4/5 field is for this season only and changes to Women Cat 5 only next season (i.e. 2018). This gives the Women Cat 4’s an entire season to figure out if they are Cat 4’s or Cat 5’s. We are told USAC will be lenient on Women Cat 4 to Cat 5 downgrades this year as everyone adjusts to the new category. Men are not allowed to downgrade from Cat 4 to Cat 5.
    • Women Cat 1/2/3 will change to Women Cat 1/2.
    • NEW – Women Cat 3/4 field starting 1′ behind the Women Cat 1/2, racing for the same amount of time (45 minutes). The Women Cat 4 series overall winner will be determined from the Women Cat 3/4 field (not the Women Cat 4/5 field).
    • Cat 4/5 race duration decreases to 25 minutes.
  • Other important topics 
    • SRAM is back again as series title sponsor.
    • One2Go Event Services will be back providing timing and results.
    • Kenny Labbe will be back, kicking out the jams, hearding cats, and DJing announcing the entire series.
    • SRAM NRS will be back again providing neutral support.
    • Pactimo will again be providing leaders jerseys.
  • The CCC needs some help. Are you familiar with the Internets? Do you know how to Twitter? Can you commit to being at every race to volunteer your time and expertise? Our super volunteer media coordinator Kelly Clarke moved to CO last year to work for USAC and the CCC is in immediate need of a person or two to take photos of all the podiums and add color commentary throughout each race day. Amazing benefits and access to celebrities. Inquire within!
  • Coach Randy Warren is hosting a CX Talent ID Camp for USA Cycling in Chicago, July 16-19. This is a great opportunity for Midwest juniors to get into the USA Cycling pipeline as well as get ready and excited for the 2017 CX season. See the Talent ID page and Registration page for more details.
  • And finally… don’t forget this Thursday (and three times more this summer) our series title sponsor SRAM is hosting Short Track Racing at Big Marsh.