– Holy cow, the weather has made a turn for the worse better in the last week. We went from 90+ degrees and the worst drought in 80 years to 60’s, rain, wind, more rain, lots of clouds, and more rain. CX must be on the big man upstairs mind!

– The CoEd open field is filled up for next weekend’s (wait, what, already?) xXx Racing CX Relay Race. There are still plenty of spots in all other categories, but please, please, please, please, please Pre-Reg and don’t wait to reg day of. Pre-reg is always easier on everyone, but its especially helpful at the Relay.

– Speaking of BikeReg, make sure to update your rider profile now, especially your USAC license number. PENDING is not a valid license number!

– Calling all Sponsors. While we’ll gladly accept sponsors any time during the season, we need to finalize the sponsor list by August 31st in order to get everyone’s logos on the t-shirts. That’s the long way of saying, if  you’d like to sponsor the series, please get in touch with us as soon as possible!

– Hey, did you all hear there’s a big race in Louisville next year… and that a certain someone will be there?

– And finally… when did you all get so creative with your team names?

– One more week closer to the season. Are you ready for the #YearOfSpeed?

– We’ve had a bunch of NEW Series Sponsors sign up this year and will continue to accept new sponsors until the end of August. We’ll mention all of our sponsors later on when more people are reading the site, but take a look now and support those businesses that support the CCC series.

– Remember all USAC category upgrades are processed through the USACycling.org website. The CCC does NOT handle upgrades and CCC series points are NOT USA Cycling upgrade points. Take a look at the Series Rules & FAQs page and the USAC Rulebook to learn more. If you have enough points to upgrade, log on to USAC and go for it!

– Speaking of logging on… please remember to update your BikeReg.com rider profile, especially your USAC license number. We match all USAC license numbers to the USAC rider database, so make sure your license number is in your profile and correct! If not your results may not be correct, and you’ll be causing a whole bunch of unneeded headaches for the officials.

– Speaking of BikeReg, Patriot CX online registration is now open. Hey Ladies…. promoter Karl C is giving you incentive… the first 20 registrants will get a $10.00 refund at the race… but their must be at least 20 racers.

– Speaking of pre-season races… pre-reg for xXx Racing‘s Relay CX will be open soon, but find yer pawtner now!

– We’ve set online pre-reg for all regular season CCC series races to open at noon on September 1st… so relax, you won’t miss it. Now go ride your bike.

– Any finally… the Brits are giving new meaning to the term “hottie pants”.

– The heat came back in a big way this past week but we’ve seen plenty of you out and riding hard in preparation for THE CX season. Funny how cyclocross used to be what riders did in the “off season” to stay in shape and now so many people skip road and mountain bike races to get ready for CX. Not that we’re complaining.

– CCC superstar and series volunteer Ellie Blick recently wrote a riveting review on Chicago Women’s Bike Racing about this year’s changes to the Women Category 3 races. Ladies, if you haven’t heard or even if you have, please read Ellie’s summary.

– Don’t forget that before the official 2012 CCC #YearOfSpeed season takes off on Saturday September15th in Jackson Park there are two warm-up races in late August and early September. xXx Racing starts things off in a fun way with their Relay Cross race on Sunday August 26th, and Wildcard Cycling hosts Patriot Cross for the 2nd year on Saturday September 8th in Rantoul, IL. More info will be available as soon as the promoters have their race flyers approved by USACycling.

– Speaking of, Patriot CX promoter Karl C. has boulders (see at left) for sale. Please contact him directly if you’d like to purchase one (or more).

– A number of Series Sponsors have already signed up for the 2012 season. If you’d like to be involved see our proposal document first and then shoot us an email.

– Email us at ChicagoCrossCup at gmail if you’d like to stock up on SockGuy socks, Contigo coffee mugs, and/or Mad Alchemy embrocation. See the store page for details. 2012 series t-shirts will be available before the season starts.

– And finally…  We’ll repeat this before and during the season, but the CCC would like to remind everyone that we’re all just out there to have fun and ride our bikes with our friends. Sure we’re all competitive, but at the end of the day we’re all just amateurs (at least until CCCNYR) who have to get up and go to work or school on Monday morning, so there’s absolutely no reason to get yourself all in a tizzy about something silly. Keep it fun, keep it positive, and keep it realistic. If you have a problem with the series or a race, email us at [email protected] (we’ll get back to you within 24 hours, we promise) or better yet talk to one of us, the promoter, an event volunteer, or a USAC official at the race. Please don’t get all passive-aggressive on the Facebook, Twitter, some other social media site, or the comments section here on the site. That doesn’t help anyone and only makes you look immature. K, thanks… now let’s go have some fun!!!

– While everyone is watching the TdF or trying not to melt we’ve been busy prep’ing for the 2012 season deep in the CCC evile lair. We don’t have too many public updates this week but look out in the weeks to come.

– Calling all sponsors!!! If you’d like to join the CCC sponsorship family our 2012 Series Sponsorship Proposal is now available.

– Speaking of family, we’re always looking for a few dedicated series volunteers to help with various activities on race day. If you’d like to join the fun and race for cheap let us know.

– Need gear? The CCC still has a decent supply of SockGuy socks, Contigo coffee mugs, and Mad Alchemy embrocation. If you’d like some goodies check out on the store page and then shoot us an email at ChicagoCrossCup at gmail.

– And finally… Congratulations to CCC rising star Paul Mumford who (among other high placings this summer) finished an impressive 9th at last weekend’s USAC Cross Country mountain bike national championships in Sun Valley, ID. Fire It Up!

– Just a quick update for this Tuesday, which is kind of like Friday due to the holiday tomorrow, but is still just Tuesday since we all have to go back to work on Thursday, which is kind of like Monday, but then its actually is Friday… oh bother, let’s get to it.

– Due to another large event schedule at the park, the first race of the 2012 CCC season at Jackson Park has been moved to SATURDAY September 15th. Mark your calendars and don’t show up on Sunday.

– Patriot CX is happening again this year on Saturday September 8th.

– Since several of you asked… Yes, every race in the series counts towards your (and your team’s) overall score… and Yes, we will again be staging by CCC points (which do expire at the end of the season) and CrossResults.com points (which never expire and roll over from one season to the next). At Jackson Park we will likely use some sort of random component for the front row of 8.

– Think the 5 CCC directors just stand around babbling into a megaphone? We do a little work sometimes.

– Local junior phenom David Lombardo was profiled in his local paper.

– And finally… Happy 4th of July!

Photo: Eric Goodwin

– Just a quick update to get you through the week…

– Congrats to everyone who raced, pitted, endured the cold and frozen ruts, ate Grape Nuts, rented a Dirk Hoffman motohome, and heckled this past weekend at CX Nats. The CCC represented well and hit the podium more than a few times.

– Good luck to everyone heading to CX Masters World Championships this weekend in Louisville. Find more info can be found at www.louisville2013.com

– 2011 Series Sponsor Well-Fit has a great facility in the west loop to train indoors during the cold Chicago winter and is currently offering 3 winter classes. Sign up and find more info here.

– We haven’t heard any official word yet, but we’re guessing someone will organize a group viewing party for the CX World Championships on Sunday January 29th in Koksijde, Belgium.

– Good luck Barry Wicks on your move back to Portland. It was great having you here in the flatlands for a few years. We’ll see you soon!

– Just in case you still need some after-the-fact Christmas presents… or something to get you through to the skinny tyre season… the CCC still has Mad Alchemy embrocation, SockGuy socks, and Contigo coffee mugs for sale. Contact us directly for sizing availability and pricing.

– And finally… thanks again to everyone for another great CX season. The CCC will be taking a break for a while with only sporadic updates after the World Championships. In the off-season we’re always looking to get people involved and helping out to make the series better, so if you’d like work long hours for no pay just to increase your HPR (heckles per race) received quotient… please contact us and let us know.

– Well the weather held out, the crowds showed up, there were thrills, spills, chills (literally), Flannel Mike, heroes, winners, a little sand… but absolutely no losers. Big thanks to Turin Bicycle for hosting yet another great event at Montrose Harbor and the IL State CX Championships. Congratulation not only to the 13 state champions who won jerseys, but also the 13 individual Chicago Cyclocross Cup Overall Series Winners and to Verdigris-Village CX for winning the Team Competition.

– State Champions received their jerseys on Sunday but we’ll hand out the CCC cowbells in just less than 2 weeks at the CCC End of Season Awards Party on Sunday December 18th just after high noon at EJ’s Place in Skokie. We’ll have full use of the bar and a buffet dinner will be served between 3pm and 4pm. In addition to the CCC cowbells our fantastic series sponsors have stepped up in a big way and we’ll not only have awards for the series winners but plenty of great door prizes. Tickets are on sale now, so please pre-reg so the kitchen at EJ’s can plan accordingly.

– Speaking of parties, our friends at My Wife Inc. have invited all Chicago area racers heading up to Madison this weekend to the Badger Cross Party Saturday night. Although it’s technically the WCA season ending series awards, it’s really just a good party with food, music, and drinks. What better way to end a day of racing, cheering, heckling and cowbell ringing than with good food, some tasty beverages, music, fun and great company! December 10, 2011, 6-9 pm (Hor d’Oeuvres 6:30-8:30) at the West Side Club of Madison. Cost: $20.

– The Burnham Racing & Spidermonkey Cycling WBR holiday “bake sale” charity fundraiser was a smashing success. The Spidermonkeys baked their faces off and the group ‘sold through’ their ornaments (twice), raising well over $700 for World Bicycle Relief. Because of the WBR matching campaign going on now through the end of the year, the Montrose fundraiser along with Burnham’s Apple Donut ride and their work as the lead pace bikes for the Chicago Marathon… monies will end up as a net donation of over $2,400 to WBR!

– Races coming up…

– Badger Cross on 12/10 and 12/11 near Madison.
– Afterglow is hosted by Robots Powered by Love and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew on Saturday 12/17 in Humboldt Park.
– Highland Park High School Training CX Rumble. A new high school ONLY CX race.
– The CCC’s New Year’s Resolution on 12/31 AND 1/1 at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. Reg is here. ILR’s sister hotel (Holiday Inn Elk Grove, 10-15 minutes away) has opened up rooms for $79 per night (including NYE) and will transport guests to and from ILR.
– CX Nationals take place in Madison between January 4-8.
– Masters World Championships are in Louisville January 12-15.

– For those of you continuing to race for another month, you can start renewing your annual USAC now on USACycling.org. UCI license holders you should know what to do. Licenses renewed now will be good until the end of next year… 12/31/2012. You’ll need a 2012 license in order to race on the 2nd day of the New Year’s Resolution, CX Nationals in Madison, and CX Masters World Championships in Louisville.

– And finally… Mr. Cyclocross Newt Cole is bringing his Engine Building 101 session back for another season starting in January 2012. Newt tells us the graduating class of 2011 earned 39 Podiums during this season… which isn’t even over yet!

Engine Building 101 by Newt Cole
An 8 week series designed for cyclists to build explosive strength, develop better mobility and flexibility while learning proper technique and recovery habits

Sundays, starting Jan 22nd
http://chicagonorthcenter.orangeshoe.com/enginebuilding101
Saturdays, starting Jan 21st
http://pwppedalingwithapurpose.blogspot.com/2011/11/pedaling-with-purpose-is-here.html
Prevent the repetitive-motion and overuse injuries associated with cycling.
Head off to your spring camps with a higher level of base fitness and prepare for a healthy 2012 campaign.

Photo: Luke Seemann

– Back for his 4th year, rebranded Psi-clocross For Life, and under new management in the form of Rob Curtis and the crew from Psimet the 8th stop in the CCC travels to Emricson Park in Woodstock, IL. Dr. James Kearns is still involved and can help you with all your naprapath needs.

– The race’s original name was the Ed Brophy Memorial Cross for Life race in memory of Ed Brophy who lost his battle with cancer. Look for the cancer charity raffle/fundraiser the same as last year. A portion of the net from the race itself will be donated as in previous years ($8,000 was donated last year).

– Please pay attention when you are racing and entering the park in your car. There are 4 (four) road crossings on the course and while there will be course marshals at each crossing, please look both ways before crossing. Better safe than sorry.

– Speaking of cars, no parking on the grass – anywhere.  There is plenty of parking available throughout Emricson Park, please use it.

– Registration this year will again be in a tent next to the Start/Finish. Preliminary staging order will be posted here.

– A bag of lost and found gear will be in a paper grocery bag near registration.

– CCC staff will have all pre-ordered CCC merchandise available for pick up near the finish line. For those of you who missed out on the first round of socks we have ordered more and they are for sale on the CCC NYR BikeReg page as well as other CCC goodies. The 2nd round of socks will be available for pick up later in the season (hopefully by Montrose, but definitely by the NYR).

– There will still be heated restrooms in the warming hut and one porta potty near the main parking lot next to reg/start/finish for all your “last minute” needs.

– Psimet has the same pizza vendor as last year coming to the race. They will also have water and Gatorade starting at 10:30am. No word yet if the pizza selection will be sausage and pepperoni only.

– Not that any of you actually drink the stuff, but alcohol is prohibited in Woodstock parks, so if you’re going to sneak it in, keep it under wraps. No one wants the CCC to lose a venue because of a silly thing like a can of Old Style. So please be on your best behavior… which also means do NOT leave evidence like a mini keg on the ground next to the trash can… take it home and recycle it!

– The weather forecast looks exceptional… again!

– Remember to change your clocks Saturday night before you go to bed. Going off of day light savings the sun will set in a real hurry after the 4B’s race… so we ask that if you’re just hanging around after the race, please help us tear down the course so we’re not cleaning up in the dark.

– Last year there was construction on Rt 47 through Huntley, so please plan your travel times accordingly. Dr. Kearn’s best bet directions are to exit I90 on Randall Road (North), left (West) on Algonquin Rd, right (North) on Route 47 into the town of Woodstock. A left on Lake Ave and another left on South St should lead you right to Emricson Park (on your right). If you have a better route please post it in the comments below.

– Rob Curtis informs us there are enough changes from last year that he highly recommends people pre-ride.  “There is one section in particular where racers have a wide choice of lines to take and they will want to see what that’s like before racing.” If you can’t read between the lines, that also means you need to be at the venue early enough to be able to pre-ride and be back at staging before call ups are started.

– There are some sections on the far West side of the course that are very far away from everything else but CX rules still apply. If you suffer a mechanical you must go forward on the course and you cannot cut across the park. The wheel/bike pit will be at the top of the hill near the road crossing.

– The Course: The Woodstock course is very spread out, tracing any parts of the outline of Emricson Park. For 2011 Psimet bring back a few classic sections (and removes the sand).  However, with so much delicious terrain (read: hills) it will still be a suffer-fest. The course is run clock-wise (and as always in CX numbers go on the left). The last 1/2 mile or so should again provide the most excitement for spectators, Heckle Hill, barriers, lots off-camber sections, twists, and turns, and yes… HILLS! As always, the course map below is subject to change on race day.

Photo: Tipping Point

– Thanks Jim Nowak and ABD for another great Sunrise Park race. Sunshine and 60 degrees always makes for a great day, as does lots of grass, 180’s, a six pack, and of course… the original Heckle Hill. We saw numerous breakout performances (again) as riders are obviously coming into CX form and fighting for every last series point. We can’t believe we’re “only”  half way through the CCC series but there’s still plenty of racing to do this year.

– Speaking of more racing, online pre-reg is now open on BikeReg.com for Ted’s Excellent Dbl Track Adventure. Hosted by the Northbrook Bicycle Club and Flatlandia Cycling this race takes the place of the old Northbrook course. TEDTA will be held at the YMCA Camp Duncan just up the road from the Psycho CX course.

– Speaking of end of the season, online pre-reg should be open not later than next week for the CCC’s New Year’s Resolution race. Watch for plenty of details soon!

– But back to more near term events, this Sunday the CCC heads just West of St. Charles/Geneva for round 7 at Campton Cross. Promoter Rob Kelley and Bicycle Heaven host their 7th annual event, which was one of the original CCC races way back in 2004. Being the day before Halloween costumes are of course optional mandatory, and from the playlist requests we’ve been getting, we can’t wait to see what you all have up your collective sleeves. Look for the course preview at the regular time on Thursday.

– Just a reminder that series sponsor MNO Sport Chiropractic is offering a CCC discount:

$50 account credit to any/all CCC riders who schedule and bring in their race number.  The account credit can be used toward chiropractic services regardless if the patient has insurance or not.  The credit is only redeemable once regardless of how many races you participate in. MNO is also offering a one-time $10 discount towards an hour massage for CCC racers and staff.  Mention this deal when calling to schedule your appointment.

– All CCC embro, shirts, & socks are in and available for pick up at races (either at the Spidermonkey 312 tent or from CCC staff). All items are pre-sale only. Shirts are sold out (except for XL) but we have plenty of Mad Alchemy Pome d’Émbre embro. Due to popular demand we put in another order with SockGuy for socks yesterday… so watch for details about when and where they will be available for purchase.

– Speaking of custom, we still need volunteers to help put on this year’s CCC New Year’s Resolution race. If you’d like to help out and race for an extremely discount rate please contact us at [email protected].

– And finally… Our apologies to all the women, masters, and juniors racers on the last minute scheduling changes over the last few weeks. The CCC has been growing what seems like exponentially over the last few years and we’re experiencing the inevitable and associated growing pains along the way. Thanks for your patience and for working with us to find the best solution for everyone involved. Your continued constructive criticism and comments are helpful more than you know.

– Stop #2 of the 2011 CCC takes us to Hopkins Park hosted by North Central Cyclery, Half Acre Cycling, and Robots Powered by Love. Driving out to beautiful Dekalb is well worth it for the flyover alone… even before Brian Conant tells you that such a trip is mandatory.

– In addition to the full CCC schedule of races Hopkins Park will again be the venue for the OUILSSSCXC (Officially Unofficial IL State Single Speed CX Championships) immediately after the Cat 4B race. This race is NOT USAC sanctioned but will be loads of fun. See details here. As an added bonus the men’s and women’s SS winners earn a complimentary entry into the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship weekend being held November 18-20 in San Francisco, CA. In addition to their entry, the OUILSSSCXC organizers are providing round-trip airfare to the winners, all inclusive! See more details here.

– The Hopkins Park promoters are also awarding a prize for top men and women Cat 3’s in the Cat 1/2/3 races:

– M123: Top Cat 3 that also raced the regular Cat 3 race gets a $250 gift certificate courtesy Johnny Sprockets.
– W123: Top Cat 3 gets $250 gift certificate courtesy Johnny Sprockets.

– If that wasn’t enough payout for the Cat 1/2/3 and Women 1/2/3 races will be doubled. See the CCC standard payout schedule before increases here.

– We look forward to seeing our Women Cat 4 (Kim Brokhof – Spidermonkeys), Junior 15-18 (Mitch Bogardus – Williamson Bikes), Junior 10-14 (Max Hall – Verdigris-Village CX) series leaders in their new Pactimo Series Leader Jerseys. Note, our Cat 4A leader from Jackson Park (David Bowers) has already upgraded to the Cat 3’s so no one will be wearing the leader’s jersey in the Cat 4A’s at the start. Who will grab the bacon this weekend? You’ll have to be in Dekalb on Sunday to find out.

– Also, remember that the Women Cat 4 and the Cat 4A fields are both racing for the Mad Alchemy First Lap Hot Legs Sprints. You will receive instructions on the start line for where the sprint line will be, but we’re told it may be at the bottom of the other side of the flyover… so you have to get up and over the wooden monster first!

– The World Famous Half Acre Cycling Bake Sale is going on in the morning, and HAC will be grilling food (both meat and veggie) for purchase in the afternoon.

– The Spidermonkeys will be in Dekalb not only cheering and heckling but will also have the 2011 CCC t-shirts and Mad Alchemy Pome d’Émbre for distribution. If you ordered either item on line you can pick it up on Sunday. Sorry but we cannot sell CCC merchandise on site… so don’t even bother asking… although you’re welcome to swing by to look at the shirts and smell the embro.

– The transition out of the flyover will be “softened up” for those who might hesitate. Promoter Chris Jensen reminds us all however that none of the 12-15yr girls hesitated last year. So man up!

– NCC, HAC, and R<3 want to very clearly note that bullying riders in mixed fields on course to get out of the way will not be tolerated. We have lots and lots of guys and gals coming out to race this year and each rider has a right to be on course while having a safe and enjoyable race. In CX racing it is up to the rider who is passing to communicate and pass SAFELY, even if it means moving off the racing line. The rider being passed does NOT hold the onus of moving out of the racing line, especially at the cost of their own positioning/split in the race. Note USAC rule 1Q6:

1Q6. Abuse.
(a) No rider or licensee may be disrespectful toward organizers, officials, riders or spectators [warning for minor offense; possible relegation of rider; and/or up to a $50 fine]. (b) No rider or licensee may use foul or abusive language or conduct during a race event [disqualification and 15 days suspension].

– Start Grid: NCC/HAC/RpbL will have 10 lanes in the staging area, long enough to handle 100 riders (10×10). Everyone needs to line up inside a lane and NO overlapping other riders.

– Callups: As with all other CCC races the top 10 riders in the overall standings get call ups.

– Course Opening: N/H/R will be opening the course for riding at 7:30am. Please no riding the course before that time.

– Waitlist: Waitlists are only on-site on Sunday. Get there early if your want a spot!

– The great thing about CX and especially here in the CCC is that we have rivalries between our closest competitors. We can’t all be at the front winning, but we can certain try and beat those 2 or 3 guys or gals near us. Our friends at CrossResults.com have picked up on this and have introduced their Cross Clash. Check it out and challenge your friends or mortal enemies to a season long competition. There’s even prizes!