– The Afterglow lived up to its name yet again and was a great (if not extremely muddy and sandy) time had by all. Thanks to Robots powered/by Love and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew for hosting the event. Also congratulations to Jeff “Rooster” Perkins for bringing ‘Sweet Justice’ back to his rightful home.

– For the first Sunday in months there was no CX racing to be had, so the CCC hosted a party for 60 people at EJ’s Place in Skokie to award the CCC Overall Series Winners their coveted cowbells and a whole bunch of schwag to everyone else. Thanks to everyone who shared the afternoon with us, and if you missed it, you’ll have to wait until the end of next season to be there again!

– CX Racing picks back up today at the first ever Highland Park High School Training CX Rumble. This event is for high school students ONLY and a way for the Illinois Scholastic Cycling Association to introduce cycling and more specifically cyclocross racing, to the youth of Illinois. If you can make it out to HPH to watch or help, please do so and get in touch w/ the race director through the BikeReg page.

– We’ll take this coming weekend off to spend some much needed time w/ family & friends and open lots of presents… but the last CX race of the Chicagoland area and definitely the last race (and UCI race too) of the season before CX National Championships will be the New Year’s Resolution at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, IL. All the details you need to know are over on the NYR page and/or on BikeReg including the course map and a delicious tech guide. Please, please, please make sure to renew your USAC license BEFORE the race. We’ll have more info next week and then our normal course preview next Thursday at 9am.

– USAC Cyclocross Nationals in Madison needs a few volunteers for all dates Jan. 4-8th. Anyone interested in helping should contact Butch at: [email protected].

– The Friday of CX Nationals Machinery Row Bicycles is hosting Veldrijden Nacht at Machinery Row Bicycles. Meet the stars of American cyclocross racing including Jonathan Page, Katie Compton, and Ryan Trebon. The party is from 6PM to 10PM w/ free food and drinks provided by Great Dane and Sardine restaurant!

– And finally… This evening the CCC will make its annual donation to World Bicycle Relief from all of your donations throughout the series. During the 2011 season we raised $715.25 and thanks to a generous anonymous donor who is matching dollar for dollar until the end of the year the CCC’s net contribution will equal $1,430.50… enough for nearly 11 bikes! Check out WBR’s holiday and thank you video to everyone who has volunteered and donated to such a worthy cause. Thank you all!

– 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

– 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.

– From what we heard and saw it sounds like many a CCC’er had a great time at Jingle Cross Rock. A little mud, rain, and cold weather isn’t enough to scare away midwestern CX’ers and many CCC’ers earned excellent podium finishes. Congrats to you all!

– This coming Sunday marks the end of the 2011 CCC series at Montrose Harbor which also serves as the Illinois State CX Championship hosted by Turin Cycles. Online reg closes Thursday evening.

– Although anyone can race, just a reminder of the three IL State CX Champ qualifications required to win the jersey. You must be an Illinois State Resident (we’ll check drivers licenses… or your parents), you must be a US Citizen, and you must have a valid, unsuspended 2011 annual USAC license.

– Speaking of licenses, you can start renewing your annual USAC licenses this Thursday 12/1/2011 on USACycling.org. UCI license holders you should know what to do too. If you do so your license 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.

– Similar to last year (but this year for all starters) staging at Montrose will incorporate CrossResults.com points for those riders (especially from downstate) without CCC series points. Riders who do NOT have 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. More details in Thursday’s course preview.

– 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. Have we mentioned the bar will be open all afternoon.

– What to do after the party? Our friends to the North are hosting Badger Cross on 12/10 and 12/11 near Madison and then closer to Chicago the Afterglow is hosted by Robots Powered by Love and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew on Saturday 12/17 in Humboldt Park.

– The CCC’s New Year’s Resolution takes place on 12/31 AND 1/1 at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. Reg is open here. There are a very limited number of discounted rooms still available at the Indian Lakes Resort on New Year’s Eve. Call or click today and use the Group Code (not the promo code) “CYC“. One of the ILR’s sister hotels (Holiday Inn Elk Grove, 10-15 minutes away) has also opened up rooms for $79 per night (including NYE) and will transport guests to and from ILR. There’s also an indoor pool and a lively bar.

– CX Nationals take place in Madison between January 4-8.. and then Masters World Championships are in Louisville January 12-15.

– Any finally… the auction for SRAM’s pART PROJECT benefiting World Bicycle Relief closes tomorrow, Wednesday 11/30. Bid on the art on eBay here or better yet… attend the gala pART PROJECT exhibition and auction at Chicago’s Gallery 1028. All proceeds go directly to WBR.

– 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.

– 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 [email protected].

– 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.

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: Jason Knauff

– One of the original CCC races, Campton Cross returns for another year hosted by race promoter Rob Kelley and Bicycle Heaven. Being held the day before Halloween and ‘cross being the spectacle that it is, we’re looking forward to all the costumes you all bring to the party. Just remember to make sure you can still ride you bicycle (safely) and wear a helmet.

– Payouts have be increased $1000 spread out across the board, including to the Cat 4B’s. Note however that registration still closes down 30 minutes prior to each race.

– Rob Kelley will be the decider of the winner of the costume contest. You must race to win and based on the prize, hopefully you are of legal adult beverage imbibing age.

– Campton is one of the “further away from Chicago” venues, so give yourselves plenty of time to get there.

– Campton’s food vendor will be T-Dogs BBQ Inc. who will have a couple different types of soup, turkey legs and BBQ pork. Rob Kelley tells us “I do not like turkey legs and it’s hard to describe how good the one was that they made for me.  The guy built his own smoker!”

– If you don’t like turkey legs there are plenty of food and caffeine vendors along Randall Rd on the way out, so stock up as there isn’t much food close to the park.

– The weather forecast for Sunday looks like chilly by delightful.

– The best spectating area will again be near the kids playground equipment… but as always we’ll let you decide. There is however more than enough legal parking for everyone, and spot-a-pots… so please use both.

– A bag of lost and found jackets, gloves, sweatpants, cowbells, and glasses will be near registration.

– Due to the new staging procedure we unfortunately will not be making special call-ups for anyone in costume. However, if a majority of riders decide on the start line certain costumes are in fact worthy of a call up we will be happy to oblige. Note that Cat 4B’s are NOT subject to staging procedures beyond the top 10 in the CCC Overall… so we will make call ups for riders in costumes for the 4B’s!

– Preliminary staging will be posted here.

– The Campton course is very similar to the last two years although changed slightly to accommodate the staging grid. Note the position of the staging grid on the NE side of the baseball diamonds. At the start of the race the course goes around the out fields of  the two Eastern ball fields before the first hard left turn near the walking path. Upon the completion of each lap after passing the finish line and going behind registration the course turns right at the Eastern edge of the ball fields to continue the laps. Note the equipment pit is a fair distance away from the start, so please pay attention to the time and announcements for staging. As always, the course can change on race day depending on conditions. The course goes anti-clockwise.

– You high fived and raced at the CX Relay (also hosted by xXx Racing)… you road tripped and raced at Patriot CX… now its time for the big leagues. This Sunday starts off the 8th season of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, once again in Jackson Park and hosted by xXx Racing.

– Remember the parking lot at Jackson Park is metered, but only costs about $9-10 for all day. We don’t want anyone getting a ticket, so you’ve been warned. If the lot right next to the course fills up, there is parking to the west of the course on Hayes Drive.  However, the lot south of Hayes Drive south of the main parking lot is off limits.

– Please note that the CARA 20-mile run will again be taking place along the Lakefront Path on Sunday morning. xXx and the CCC urge all CX’ers riding down to Jackson Park for the race to exercise due caution and courtesy when traveling along that route.

– The CCC is trying to be green… take a look under the floor mats of your car, dig into to seat cushins and bring your own safety pins to properly attach your bib number. But how will you remember to bring pins each week? We suggest visiting one of your favorite local bike shops and purchasing a patch kit… we like the Genuine Innovations large patch kit in the green plastic boxes. Whether you use the patches is up to you, but we like to put a handful of safety pins in the plastic container and always keep it in our race bag. Mother earth thanks you!

– Online pre-registration on BikeReg.com (say it with us… Bik Rej… like REGistration) closes tonight at midnight. Entry fees increase $5 on race day. Huge thanks to the 567 of you (most # of CCC pre-reg’s ever) that have already pre-reg’d. If you show up early in the morning, please let the 40+ racers pick up their bib numbers first since they start promptly at 8:45am. Also thanks to the 14 of your that donated to WBR when registering. If you’d like to donate your race winnings to our WBR drive, please see us after your race.

– Series sponsor CarboRocket will be out on Sunday with big coolers of CarboRocket mix and coffee (in the morning). Swing by and fill up your bottle, mug, or canteen. Temps are forecast to be in the upper 60’s with an 70% chance of awesome, but we all need to stay hydrated.

– This year we are running 100 rider field limits in all categories. In combined fields (Women 1/2/3 & Masters 50+/60+ and Women 4 & Juniors) that means only 100 riders are allowed on course at one time. We don’t anticipate hitting 100 riders in these fields, but if we do please understand there are USAC rules we must follow. Both Cat 4 fields are filled and the Cat 3’s and 30+ are in the 80’s. So if you want a spot in a non Cat 4 field please pre-reg now!

– Concerning waitlists… we’ll start waitlists for each filled category (Cat 4A & Cat 4B) when registration opens at 7:45am. First come first served. 20 minutes before each race is scheduled to start (yes, even if we’re running a little behind we will still close reg at the scheduled time)(we will be running on time though) we’ll close out the race and reassign bib numbers to those on the waiting list. If you are pre-reg’d and show up after this time your bib will already have been reassigned and you will NOT be allowed to race. Period. If you are racing more than once and would like to give your number up to someone else so they have a chance to enjoy the thrill of heckles and whatever else goes on, thank you, and we certainly can accommodate that. Just make your way to registration as soon as possible and the reg staff will switch you in start list (just don’t give your number to the other guy/gal).

– Please remember to register for the correct category/age group. We cannot allow you to race outside your cat/age group and the reg staff will be checking licenses thoroughly all day long. If you have a question, please ask us or a USAC official.

– Concerning call-ups… we will again randomly pull numbers out of a hat for the first 10 call ups and then after that you will be lined up like any other CCC race, 10 wide in the starting grid. We’ll have a nicely painted starting grid for you and both we and the officials will be making sure all fields are only 10 wide… so please do the right thing. However, if you want to be on the 2nd row, you’ll have to get there yourself. Last year’s placings have nothing to do with it. That being said, please do not fight over starting positions… after all this is just bike racing, its a long season, and karma can be a b!@tch.

– Concerning the 80% rule… we ask the USAC officials to leave as many riders in the race for as long as possible. However, pulling riders is still at their discretion in line with USAC rules. If you are told you are being pulled (always near the start/finish)… please exit the course immediately. You will still be scored and given a laps down designation.

– If you decided not to finish the race on your own volition, please let a USAC official know so you can be marked as DNF. This makes scoring the entire race a lot easier.

– Full results will be posted on the CCC Results Board at the race (somewhere near registration) and online at usacycling.org/results later Sunday evening. Series standings will be posted here (please bookmark it) following each race. Remember we’re presenting podiums to the top 3 in each race immediately before the next race. So if you’re in the top 3, head to the podiums right after you’re done ripping legs off. The Spidermonkeys will be presenting awards to both Juniors categories.

– We are also awarding Series Leader Jerseys by Pactimo to the Women 4’s, 15-18 and 10-14 Juniors, as well as the Cat 4A’s. Determining the series leader after the first race is easy and we’ll present the jersey on the podium. So if you won, please be present.

– The CCC will of course be on Twitter all day… so feel free to follow us for up-to-the-minute updates. We may even have a LIVE surprise.

– The CCC is supported by many, many, many generous series sponsors (29 in all so far!), many of whom will personally be attending and racing at Jackson Park. If you see one, please make sure to stop and say thank you for their continued support. Our little series would NOT be possible without them.

– The Mad Alchemy Pome d’Embre CCC custom embro is here and we’ll have all pre-orders available for pick up on Sunday. T-shirts and Socks will be available soon but you can pre-order both on the store page.

– Below is the tentative 2011 Jackson Park course brought to you by the twisted minds of xXx Racing and the Bonebell.com. Please remember the map below is only an approximation as we may need to make adjustments on race day. The course runs clockwise. The wheel/bike pit is dual sided and currently near the finish line but may be moved to be more in the middle of the entire course. Please see you friendly USAC officials (and say thank you) for the actual location on Sunday.

– And finally… thanks to everyone for coming out and racing the Chicago Cyclocross Cup… again! 2009 was a banner year… 2010 was enormous and great… so we’re not even going to guess what 2011 will bring. If the pre-reg numbers are any indication 2011 is going to be even more gihugimouser than 2010. So let’s race, cheer, heckle, and have a great time! See you Sunday!

The 2011 t-shirt entries are finally in and its again time for you, the riders of the CCC to vote for your favorite! Thanks to everyone who submitted designs, but as we all know, just like in a race, only one design can win.

See the designs below or follow this link to our Picasa page.

Please review the 7 designs carefully and pick your favorite… and obviously the one you’d want to wear. Then vote below or in the side bar to the right –>. Please only vote once (yes, just like the last 2 years if you figured out a way to get around the super-secure interwebs security we want you to do the right thing and still only vote once). Polls will be open until midnight next Sunday (9/11/10) and we’ll announce the winner at Jackson Park.

Remember to click the yellow “Vote” button when done to save your vote. Anyone can vote, but if you get all of your friends, shop owners, quasi-random strangers, long lost aunties, and pet greyhounds to vote… they have to buy a t-shirt and wear it too!

We’ll have the shirts for sale here on the CCC website’s store page for $15 (opening later this week) and the first batch should be ready for pick up at Jackson Park. We will ship shirts but you’ll have to pay for the shipping so please contact us first before purchasing.

Our friends at Think B!G will be printing the shirts on supple American Apparel t’s… colors and model to be determined depending on the winning design.

Our friends at Spidermonkey Cycling will be taking care of distribution at the races and as in years past the CCC will donate a majority of all profits to our year end donation to World Bicycle Relief. So buy a shirt or 3… as it all goes to a great cause!

Good luck to all of the contestants and Happy Voting!

Photo: Amy Dykema

– Thanks to everyone who came out to EJ’s Place and for the 2010 CCC Awards Dinner. Special thanks goes out to the entire staff of EJ’s for inviting us in and letting us use their restaurant during non-business hours on a Sunday for our little event. Everyone here at the CCC enjoyed seeing you the riders, racers, hecklers, supporters, etc one last time for the season… especially in a nice warm restaurant (we didn’t even need embro to stay warm). Amy Dykema was in attendance and nice enough to grab some snaps of the awards presentation. You can see them all here.

– Better late than never… the ChiCross Photo Collective (Liz Farina Markel, Chip William, and Luke Seemann) recently made a $70 donation to World Bike Relief from the profits of the 2009 coffee table photo book. Books will continue to be for sale on Blurb and now that the CCPC is in the black $10 from each purchase will go directly to WBR: Visit www.chicrossphoto.com for more or head right to the online store here.

– As we head into 2011 remember now is a great time to renew your USAC license and/or apply for that pesky upgrade. The fastest and easiest way to do both is in the My USA Cycling section of the USAC website. Just look for the “Purchase/Renew License” link in the upper/middle left.

– Yes, the rumors are true… no one at the CCC won the recent $350 million Powerball jackpot… but we do have some exciting things in the works for 2011 AND 2012. Those of you at the awards dinner heard a little bit about it, but the rest of you will just have to wait until we hear back from certain people in a small neutral country in Europe.

– And finally… this will likely be the CCC’s last post for a while (yes, realize Brian Conant’s image will be the first thing people see when they visit the site for a few months). We’ll have some news to share at certain points in the spring and early summer, but you’ll have to wait until at least July (maybe even August) for regular weekly dates. So until then, ride safe and have fun… and we’ll see you all soon!