• Aaaaaand… we’re back!
• We’ve had a bunch of updates to the event calendar, see everything on the Schedule page.
• Pre-reg for all CCC series events will again be hosted on BikeReg.com. Pre-reg for most events will open at 10am on Monday 9/5/16 with LaBagh Woods opening up Monday 8/22/16.
• xXx Racing is back with their Relay CX on Sunday 8/28/16 in Jackson Park. This year there will be yet another category, the Relay Roulette, which will serve as a fundraiser for a local area cycling charity/cause of the winners’ choice. Find more details here.
• Half Acre’s CX Eliminator will be on Saturday 9/10.
• The CCC’s first race of the series will again be hosted by xXx Racing and held in LaBagh Woods on Sunday 9/11/16. Due to Jingle Cross and the Trek CXC Cup changing dates, xXx Racing moved LaBagh Woods earlier on calendar so more Chicagoland racers could experience those larger races.
• A quick note from our neighbors across Lake Michigan… Looking to get your ‘cx season started off a bit early with a quick road trip to Michigan? Check out the Snap Fitness Alma Grand Prix of Cyclocross & 5k in Alma, Michigan (about a 4-ish hour drive from Chicago) for some good early season fun. The race website is AlmaGP.blogspot.com and pre-registration is available through USA Cycling. Camping on site Friday night, as well as an early number pick up option at Snap Fitness in town. Swag coming out of your ears!
• And as if that was enough CX in September for you… xXx Racing is Bringing the Sven’s to Chicago for a CX clinic. Check out all the details here.
• Interested in being a 2016 Series Sponsor? Please review our 2016 Series Sponsorship Proposal here and get back to us ASAP.
• And finally… did you notice we spruced up the place? Thanks to the guys at Bark Design for freshening up our website and logo.

• Thanks a wrap… official CX racing is all done here in Chicagoland.
• Thanks to the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew for winding us down after a long  CX season with another great Afterglow. Results will be here. MORE

• This Saturday the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew hosts Afterglow – A Cyclocross Race… now with #INSANEDEOMNIUM2015!!!
• Then on Sunday its the 2015 CCC Awards Party, we’re not going to make up some silly story that tickets are selling fast, there’s plenty of room, but please help us and EJ’s Place plan for how much food to make. Winners get their cowbells… and everyone gets something. Come join the fun.
• With the winding down of the CX season here in Chicago the CCC will crawl into its den evile lair and updates here on the site will be few and far between until summer 2016. Have great winter and ride safely as much as you can. Given the trend in competition over the last few years we expect 2016 to be another fast CX season.
• Want to keep in shape over the holiday and race your CX bike in January??? Well luckily for you USA Cycling is having CX National Championships in Asheville, NC January 5-10. Good luck to everyone traveling and racing!
• And finally… thanks again to everyone who made a series donation this year. With donated entry fees from Melas CX the CCC will make just North of a $2,100 donation to each of our three causes… West Town Bikes, Blackstone Bicycle Works, and Big Marsh. THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Photo: Tipping Point Photography

• That was another fun Montrose Harbor and Illinois State CX Championship. Many, many thanks again to Ten27 Bicycle Club and Spidermonkey Cycling for making the event happen and to everyone, and we mean everyone who came out to make the day special. All results are online in the normal places.
• Its been another fun, exciting, and action packed CCC series with plenty of twists and turns (literally and figuratively), but we had a ton of fun and we hope you all did too. Someone pointed out to us on Sunday that every race this season (except the cancelled Melas CX) was above 45 degrees at some point in the day and we had no rainy/muddy races. Thanks el Nino! As we’ve said in the past, its the racers and community that makes a race, not the weather or even the course itself. So we are very thankful for everyone who participates in the CCC, on both sides of the tape, and look forward to hanging out with you all again next year.
• Speaking of results, congratulations to the 2015 Illinois State CX Champions (roughly in the order they were awarded, i.e. the CCC race day schedule)
  • Masters 35+ – Christopher Pike (The Pony Shop)
  • Masters 45+ – Michael Naughton (Unattached)
  • Masters 55+ – Gregory Anderson (Spin Doctors Cyclewerks CX Team)
  • Masters 65+ – Albert Weigel (Verdigris-Village CX)
  • Single Speed – Christopher Pike (The Pony Shop)
  • Unofficial Women Single Speed – Daphne Karagianis (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew)
  • Junior Women 17-18 – Audrey Ernst (EGO p/b Sammy’s Bikes)
  • Junior Men 17-18 – Juan Gonzalez (Heritage Race Club)
  • Junior Women 15-16 – Ella Neurohr (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew)
  • Junior Men 15-16 – Juan Gonzalez (Heritage Race Club)
  • Women Cat 4 – Amelia Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctors Cyclewerks CX Team)
  • Junior Women 13-14 – Brianna Urban (ABD Cycling Club)
  • Junior Men 13-14 – Evert Lindberg (The Pony Shop)
  • Junior Women 9-12 – Ellie Hosey (UPB Cycling)
  • Junior Men 9-12 – Bennett Lindberg (The Pony Shop)
  • Cat 3 – Stephen Parkes (Comrade Cycles Racing)
  • Women Cat 1/2/3 – Maria Larkin (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew)
  • Women Cat 3 – Amelia Moore (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew)
  • Cat 1/2/3 – Brandon Feehery (Unattached)
  • Cat 4 – Benjamin Schlarman (Unattached)
• And since this is the website for the CCC series, the 2015 Chicago Cyclocross Cup overall winners:
  • Team Competition – The Pony Shop
  • Masters 35+ – Christopher Pike (The Pony Shop)
  • Masters 45+ – Danny Warner (Verdigris-Village CX)
  • Masters 55+ – Gregory Anderson (Spin Doctors Cyclewerks CX Team)
  • Masters 65+ – Albert Weigel (Verdigris-Village CX)
  • Single Speed – Christopher Pike (The Pony Shop)
  • Junior Women 15-18 – Ella Neurohr (Chicago Cuttin Crew)
  • Junior Men 15-18 – Juan Gonzalez (Heritage Race Club)
  • Women Cat 4 – Amelia Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctors Cyclewerks CX Team)
  • Junior Women 9-14 – Brianna Urban (ABD Cycling Club)
  • Junior Men 9-14 – Jonathan Costin (The Pony Shop)
  • Cat 3 – Kevin Hathaway (Unattached)
  • Women Cat 1/2/3 – Maria Larkin (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew)
  • Women Cat 3 – Amelia Moore (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew)
  • Cat 1/2/3 – David Reyes (Heritage Race Club)
  • Cat 4 – Mitchell Dutczak (The Pony Shop)
• That does it for the CCC series, but there’s one more officially sanctioned (i.e. legit) CX race here in Chicagoland before the winter truly sets in… Afterglow – A Cyclocross Race hosted by the other CCC (Chicago Cuttin Crew) on Saturday 12/19/2015 in Douglas Park. Come race, stop holding grudges, and do some good with all proceeds going towards Chicago area youth cycling programs.
• Then the next day the CCC officially, officially comes to an end with the 2015 CCC Awards Party. Come raise a glass and leave with some swag. Seriously, everyone gets at least something.
• Attention Chicago Cyclocross Cup Ladies! Sad to see the season come to an end? Interested in keeping connected with your competition friends? Come out for some leg burning, lung bursting, and sweat freezing on your face good ole’ fashioned outdoor fun on January 24th for a stair climbing challenge at Swallow Cliff stairs. We will run stairs and then regroup at Imperial Oaks Brewery for some more socializing. Wait! There’s more….Ultimate Pro Bikes along with other racers/teams are donating great items for a raffle. T-shirts, hats, fitness classes at INTENT, foam roller, art work and more! Start time 11:10 am at the Swallow Cliff stairs in Palos Heights. Meet at the base of the stairs. Imperial Oaks start time: 12:55 pm. Questions? Contact [email protected] Stay tuned for more details at https://www.facebook.com/events/1672778696328212/
• In other news, the Illinois Cycling Association (ICA) has a new website… check it out.
• And finally… speaking of legit, setting goals, working hard, believing in yourself, and holding no one but yourself responsible for your own success… and having it pay off big time, we’d like to give a hearty congratulations to Anthony Clark of Squid Bikes and Psimet sponsored rider for taking his first UCI win on Sunday and earning the VERGE NECXS elite overall title. Way to go Anthony!

Photo: Tipping Point Photography

• We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend with their family, friends, pets, bikes, trails, etc.
• Speaking of being thankful, thank you to everyone who donated their race entry fees for the cancelled Melas CX event to the series donation causes; Big Marsh, West Town Bikes and Blackstone Bicycle Works. We’ll have a final total cash dollar amount number to announce hopefully next week.
• Its now the first week of December, so that means its sweeps states week. The final race of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup powered by SRAM series and the Illinois State Cyclo-cross Championships are this coming Sunday at Montrose Harbor in downtown Chicago. Looks for the course preview on Thursday at the normal time, but in the meantime check out the info on the static preview page, especially the section concerning IL State Champion requirements.
• But CX racing is not over here in Chicagoland. The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew helps us finish out the year and helps Chicago area youth cycling programs West Town Bikes and Blackstone Bicycle Works with Afterglow – A Cyclocross Race on Saturday 12/19/15. And as if you needed another reason to race your CX bike again, this year the (other) CCC introduces Grudge Match.
• A few riders have already clinched their CCC overall titles, and we’ll calculate the final standings for all categories on Sunday at Montrose, but awards for all categories will be distributed on Sunday 12/20/15 at the CCC awards party at EJ’s Place.
• And finally… the #PutaRingonIt challenge by Spidermonkey Cycling is down to the final week of fundraising before Montrose!  Half Acre and PSIMET have stepped up to the plate .. will your team?  Go to http://bigmarsh.causevox.com/ and get started now!  For more information, contact [email protected].

Melas Frozen Basin – Photo: Kenny Labbe

• Wow, this turned out to be a long post for a weekend without racing…
• Well, that was a major bummer Melas CX Basin Racin’ was cancelled. This has been one crazy weather season between flooding rivers, record snow fall, etc. And despite what some people may believe, we know neither a larger group of volunteers, fatbikes, woolly mammoths, tauntauns, nor abominable snow men could have made the track ride-able much less race-able. With 10+ inches of wet, heavy snow and the timing of the storm ending just hours before nightfall we don’t see how any team could have made the race happen. Not to mention the parking lots were still being cleared Sunday morning at 10am, the park district did not clear the walking path at all, cars were getting stuck, and roads were slippery. Obviously a bit more extreme, but if Louisville had more people setting up the course could they have stopped the river from rising and flooding the CX Worlds course 3 years ago? Nope. As we mentioned on Saturday, safety for everyone involved is always our first consideration. The way we see it a race should be held if safe and feasible, not “the show must go on at all costs”.
• Concerning “real” cross racing and what Belgians might have done… the only people in our series who can actually say what “real Belgian” CX racing is like are Brian Matter, David Lombardo, and Scott McLaughlin (once. a long time ago. he got pulled when lapped by Adri Van Der Poel). Everyone else only has an idea of what its like. Furthermore, in our opinion “real” CX racing isn’t about the weather but the course and competitors racing on it. We like watching the Namur race on our computer screens just as much as everyone else, but we’re not so sure we’d want to race that course in cold mud, and we certainly wouldn’t want a bunch of Cat 4/5’s and Juniors on such a course. At its heart the CCC is an amateur series and we have to do what’s right for the greatest number of riders, from the fastest Cat 1 down to the most novice Cat 4/5, from the 9 year old Junior to the 65+ FOG*.
• Regarding Melas CX race entry and One Day license fee refunds… for those of you who don’t know, each race in the CCC is organized and promoted by a separate group, not the series… so we can’t just transfer your entry fees to another race (i.e. Montrose). That also means each race promoter has some very real sunk costs (think not-inexpensive park permits, USAC fees, porta-poties, tent rental, supplies, Grateful Dead cover bands, etc) to pay regardless if a freak case of bad luck means the event gets cancelled. That being said, we realize some of you may have spent every last penny on that pair of sweet carbon rims and are now on a budget and need a refund. So if you need/want a refund (less BikeReg service fees) please let us know by filling out this Google Form by Monday 11/30 at 6pm CT. Otherwise if we don’t hear from you all money collected through BikeReg, minus the race promoter’s sunk costs, will be given to the series donation causes of Big Marsh, West Town Bikes, & Blackstone Bicycle Works. Please email us at ChicagoCrossCup at gmail if you have any questions.
• Now for the good stuff… Next up… TURKEY… and stuffing… and cranberry… and pumpkin pie! The CCC wishes everyone a great Thanksgiving holiday.
• Then the weekend after that we’ll see everyone at the Illinois State Cyclo-cross Championships at Montrose Harbor hosted by Ten27 Cycles and Spidermonkey Cycling. As of right now all fields are open so register now if you want to race and not be on a waitlist.
• After that, don’t forget about Afterglow and the CCC Awards Party.
• Speaking of Overall Series Awards… due to only one race remaining in the series and only so many series points available, a few riders have already locked up their CCC overall categories. There is still plenty of racing to be had and some categories are separated by only 1 point. In any event, an early congratulations to the follow riders and we’ll see you at the CCC Awards Party:
  • Masters 35+ – Christopher Pike (The Pony Shop)
  • Single Speed – Christopher Pike (The Pony Shop)
  • Women Junior 9-14 – Brianna Urban (ABD Cycling Club)
  • Cat 3 – Kevin Hathaway (Unattached)
  • Women Cat 1/2/3 – Maria Larkin (Chicago Cuttin Crew)
• Need a new bike or just looking for another to fill out the quiver? The Pony Shop is having a close out sale on four different Cannondale models. Call or email with questions: ponyshop.com
• #PutARingOnIt to win at Big Marsh – Spidermonkey Cycling is challenging ALL Chicago Cyclocross teams to put your money where your heart is to build Big Marsh! Spidermonkey Cycling invites all teams to compete for donor rings and bragging rights – and an exclusive party at SRAM HQ – by raising the most money as a team by December 6‘s IL State Championships to build the park at Big Marsh. The contest starts TODAY. To enter, go to bigmarsh.causevox.com and register your CX team. Add your team members, then use your personalized fundraising page and e-mail tools to ask your fellow crossers, your friends, and your training partners to support the park with a donation. You can watch your progress and check in on other teams. Raise $500, and your team gets its own permanent donor chain ring installed on the donor wall at Big Marsh. Raise $1500, and your team receives a larger donor ring for display. Raise the most money of any team, and enjoy an exclusive team party at SRAM’s new headquarters! Rings are also available for individuals giving $500 or more. For more information, contact [email protected]. Get the hole shot – sign your team up at bigmarsh.causevox.com today!
• And finally… Because we all need to remind ourselves from time to time that if we can’t laugh at ourselves than who can we laugh at? Thanks Greg! #SecretHandShake

*Fast Old Guys

Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

• What a great two days of racing at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort hosted by the South Chicago Wheelmen. We saw plenty of great racing with different winners both days in nearly every category. We also saw more than a few series leader jerseys change hands. The racing was so hot that even our USAC midwest regional rep and USADA came out to see what all the buzz was about. Results links are all here.
• Next up the CCC travels closer back to the city for Melas CX Basin Racin’. The weather forecast is calling for possibly some precipitation but definitely colder temperatures. We haven’t really needed them yet, so make sure those space heaters are working and dress/pack appropriately.
• Speaking of Melas CX, the race promoter is still in need of a little help. Volunteers race for free and get lunch. Sign up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0b45aca6292-melas4 
• Speaking of signing up, registration for everyone’s favorite post CCC series race, which is also a fundraiser for rad Chicago youth, and also held on a gold course… “Afterglow – A Cyclocross Race” hosted by the other CCC… The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew… is now open on BikeReg here. This is the last official Chicagoland CX race of the year and a great way to have some fun while doing good for the community.
• Also speaking of signing up, tickets are now on sale on BikeReg for the 2015 CCC Series Awards Party at EJ’s Place in Skokie at noon on Sunday 12/20/2015. Please don’t call it a banquet, there are no black ties or doilies.
• As the weather starts to turn The Pony Shop is beginning their Overhaul Special. Their special is a pro overhaul for 185.00, normally 250.00 and includes… strip the frame bare of all components, wash and wax the frame and fork, overhaul and or replace the bearings in the headset, bottom bracket, front and rear hub, and in the derailleur pulley wheels, soak all parts in our environmentally friendly ultrasonic parts washer, then reassemble your bike with new cables, housings, and handlebar tape.  This is roughly a six to eight hour job for the mechanics, which is why they choose to do this as a special only during the fall/winter when they have more uninterrupted time to work on your bike.  Parts are not included in the overhaul price. Please email or call the shop with any questions!
• Speaking of sales… take a look at long time series sponsor Tipping Photography’s new online store.
• And finally… for everyone worried about their CrossResults.com score and/or CCC points and/or the minutia of our staging protocol… if you weren’t there on Sunday afternoon to witness it first hand, we’d like to point out that Brian Matter’s plans to go mountain biking were cancelled so he decided to race CX, reg’d Day-Of, was staged dead last in the Cat 1/2/3 field, and then proceeded to ride steadily through the entire field to win the race by 11 seconds. While we’ll admit the start and first lap of a CX are very important, the cream always rises to the top.

Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

Need a wheel? I know a guy. Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

• We’re not sure how they did it, but Rob Curtis and the Psimet crew managed to find even more bumps to go along with the hills in Emricson Park for their Psi-clocross For Life event. The reversed course direction worked and the weather was fantastic. Results links are here.
• Next up the CCC has its one and only double race weekend at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort hosted by the South Chicago Wheelmen. Racing on a golf course at a resort with a bar, pool, and hot tub. Rooms are still available, so make a weekend out of it and meet us at The Cave Saturday night.
• Remember onling pre-reg closes Wednesday for both days of the Indian Lakes Resort weekend, so don’t delay and reg now.
• Speaking of pre-reg’ing… there are only 4 races left in the 2015 CCC series. The season is flying by, but there is still plenty of racing and fun to be had.
• Speaking of fun, the CCC end of season awards party will again be at EJ’s Place in Skokie on Sunday 12/20/2015 in the early afternoon. More details to follow. Good people, good food, and good cheer… and more than a few door prizes.
• And finally… the holidays are coming soon and we know you have plenty of places to spend your hard earned cash dollars. But if you aren’t giving to one of the several great local charities we’d ask you show some love to our series sponsors that help to make the CCC happened every season. Whether its bike parts, bike accessories, bike coaching, photos of you on bikes, environmental or IT services… there are plenty of great places to spend you money. The CCC greatly appreciates our series sponsors so please support them.

Yes, Andy cleared it! Photo: SnowMountain Photography

Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

• Good times all around at Campton Cross this past weekend. Thanks to the entire Bicycle Heaven and Training Bible Cycling gang. The weather was stellar with no wind which allowed everyone to show off their best Halloween costumes. Links to all the results are here.
  

  Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

• Next up the CCC travels a bit North to Woodstock, IL for Psi-clocross for Life hosted by Psimet. Look for the course preview at the normal time on Thursday.
• Just a heads up, if you do not have a Wordpress account and you post comments here on the CCC site that WordPress thinks might be spam (e.g. lots of links, etc), the comment has to be manually approved (by us). We try to approve all comments in a timely manner, so just hang tight before re-posting
• The Lost and Found bin (which is always at registration or near the CCC trailer) is getting a little big. So please, be kind to our race promoters and don’t lose your stuff.
• And finally… we kindly ask that when you are out pre-riding the course or even just spectating and if you see course tape broken, mangled, etc… please take a minute and fix it. We know mistakes happen and no one would purposely ride through stakes or course tape, but while not racing, please lend a hand and help us out. Thanks!

Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

• Holy cow was ABD Sunrise Park hard and a blast and also really hard. Its subtle, but we think ABDcx is the hardest race in the entire series. Sure there are no hills, no sand, no flyover, no wind (this year) but there is just no place to recover along the entire track. When we mentioned this to race director Jim Nowak on Sunday his reply was “Good. I want riders to finish and have absolutely nothing left in the tank.” It was the perfect race for all our newly upgraded Cat 2’s, Cat 3’s, and Cat ‘4s to test their mettle… so well done to all of you! Results links are here.
• This Saturday “Higher Gear is getting the band back together – for the third year in a row! The Rhythm and Blues Revue Cyclocross Race is back – bigger and even better! Ghouls and goblins will fill the field at the third annual Rhythm and Blues Revue, hosted by Higher Gear. Join them on Halloween, Saturday October 31 for one of the most fun CX races in Chicagoland.” More details here.
• Next up, the CCC travels just a little bit farther West to Campton (NOT Compton) CX, hosted by Bicycle Heaven and series sponsor Training Bible Cycling. Its the day after Halloween, so please dress appropriately. Campton CX is also increasing payouts for both the Men & Women Cat 1/2/3 to $700 for each field paying 8 deep.
• Speaking of payouts, please pick up your payouts at the venue! The CCC standard minimum payout schedule is here, but most race promoters will only hold on to unclaimed winnings for a few weeks before donating the money to charity.
• Speaking of charity, remember the CCC is accepting donations through each race’s BikeReg page for our end of the year lump sum donation. You can also donate your winnings back at the race or send us an email if you want to go big. This year we are directing all funds towards Big Marsh, West Town Bikes, and Blackstone Bicycle Works. Donations have been very lite this year, so we can only assume you all must be paying off all those GoPros and fancy carbon wheels you keep breaking.
  

  Photo: SnowyMountain Photography

• And finally… since we can’t seem to get through a single week without unnecessary drama about something, just a few bunch of words about heckling. Whether you love it, hate it, or don’t care, heckling is a part of cyclocross. Full stop. What makes our niche sport so great for spectating and taking photos, i.e. the slower speeds of the racers (vs. road, track, etc), close proximity to the race track, riding our bikes in the park, hanging out with all our friends, being able to read racer names on their helmets, etc… also allows for the heckling. For better or worse, we can’t have one without the other. Its part of the culture and if done correctly is a beautiful, wonderfully funny thing that helps riders make it through the race. So to the 98% of you doing it correctly, thank you. But, for the rest of you, and as we have said over and over and over and over… there should always be more cheer than jeer. If you wouldn’t say it in front of your grandmother or wouldn’t want it on the front page of the Monday morning NY Times… don’t say it in a public space where a.) there are impressionable kids, b.) everyone has a camera and is recording you, and c.) other people who have no idea what CX is will hear you and think everyone else at the event is also a jerk. All that being said, if some dude (and lets face it, its always a dude) is truly being rude, unruly, stoopid, or otherwise making a fool of himself, kindly ask him to stop… in person, right there, at the venue. Put a little skin in the game and don’t wait until the next morning to vent here in the comment section or on the Facebook, or Twitter, or your MySpace page. The CCC has not been made great or horrible by any one person. We all have a responsibility to make the CCC the best CX race series it can be, so please do your part, on both sides of the tape. Okay? This will be the last time we discuss heckling here this season. So let’s all just be cool and race our bikes, and let other people race their bikes too.
  

  Photo: SnowyMountain Photography