Photo: Eric Goodwin

• #MontroseCX
• Ten27 Cycles and Spidermonkey Cycling host the last stop of the 2015 CCC… the Illinois State CX Championships at Montrose Harbor. We ask everyone to bundle up, bring your cowbells, cameras, drones, noise makers (leave the vuvuzelas at home please) and make a day out of Montrose…
• Registration: We’ll be running reg the same way as every other CCC race. Please allow all 35+ racers to pick up their numbers first since they have to get ready first. Several fields are either already full or very close. Online waitlists are on BikeReg. After No-Shows are removed we put in the online waitlisted riders, then its first come, first served until we hit the field limits. Online pre-reg closes tonight… so if you’re not yet reg’d, do everyone (yourself included) a favor and reg now!
• Montrose is once again sponsored by Goose Island’s 312 Beer which will be awarded on the podiums to everyone of age (or their parents).
• Staging: Staging will follow the same protocol we’ve been using all season long in the series. See the procedure here.
• Preliminary staging will be posted here. Email us at ChicagoCrossCup at gmail if you have problems.
• State Champion Requirements: Ten27 Cycling, Spidermonkey Cycling, and the ICA will be presenting 19 Illinois State CX Champion Jerseys (on the podiums) to the first IL rider to cross the finish line in every category (excluding the 4/5’s). This means Juniors 17-18, 15-16, 13-14, AND Juniors 9-12… boys AND girls, Women Cat 3, and yes even the 65+! Remember that in order to win the state championship you must be a permanent Illinois resident (we’ll be checking state/federal ID’s), a US citizen or permanent resident, and hold a valid and unsuspended 2015 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 in any category.
• The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew will also be awarding medals and matching cash dollars +$1 for the top 3 women in the Single Speed category in the same way they have been doing since 2013.
• All races are championships except the Cat 4/5’s.
• 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, Kenny Labbe may be calling your name!
• Payouts: 5 deep per the 2015 CCC minimum payout schedule.
• The Pony Shop and Chicago Cuttin’ Crew will also have their usual extra prizes for Junior categories.
• While 5 riders have already locked up their CCC overall titles (see riders in yellow), there are still 10 very, very, very close categories still to be decided on Sunday. Overall titles will be  posted Sunday, but all official overall series awards will be presented at the CCC Awards Party on Sunday December 20st at EJ’s Place. We look forward to celebrating with all of you.
• The weather usually makes Montrose the special event it is. Right now the forecast is for sun and highs in the upper 40’s! In any event, the weather and wind can always change on a dime, especially next to the lake, so bundle up, dress appropriately, and come prepared with extra warm & dry gear.
• The Big Star food truck will be serving their famous tacos and other food at the curb between 11am and 3:30pm.
• A few series and race sponsor tents will be gathered into an Town Square/Expo Area between registration, the finish area, and the podiums where the state champion jerseys will be awarded throughout the day of racing.
• Team Tents: Given the ever present potential for strong winds, bring weights and stakes. Also, Ten27 will have an expo area near registration with designated tent spots for race sponsors, so please do not set up your tents in these spots or you will be asked to move.
• Parking: Parking will be on the street only along Simonds Dr. Simonds Drive will be closed to through traffic between the staging grid and finish line.  You may approach the race course on Simonds Drive from either Wilson Avenue or from Montrose Avenue, but you will have to turn around and leave the same way you came in.  Please do not park adjacent to the road closure barricades, as Ten27 is required to leave enough room for all cars to turn around at the barricades.  Only authorized vehicles (i.e. officials, CCC staff, event organizers, BigStarTruck, etc) will be allowed within the road closures. Please do not give the traffic marshals a hard time about this, they are just doing their job. No Parking at all on the grass, anywhere, period (except for the SRAM NRS car).
• Team trailers: Plan to arrive early between 6:00-6:30am to park your trailer. The streets will be closed at 6:30am. Please drop your trailer and move the tow vehicle to the general parking area. We are trying to keep the barricade area as car free. It is possible to park your trailer Saturday evening by 5:00pm. Security watching the area overnight. Please contact the race directors through BikeReg to make any other special arrangements.
• Alcohol is prohibited in the park without permit, so please act appropriately and responsibly.
• Pack out what you pack in. A large trash dumpster will be provided in the street for any refuse.
• Bib Numbers: On your LEFT SIDE as always. All riders with longer hair are reminded that their hair MUST be pulled up and can not obstruct your bib # while racing. Riders are reminded to not sit up while coming across the finish line, this is especially noted for Juniors – wait to post up until AFTER you’ve safely finished and have been properly scored by officials. Numbers must also be clearly visible to the officials checking you in at staging. Failing to have numbers visible slows down and delays starting fields on time.
• One2Go Event Services will again be providing camera timing and lap times. However if your bib number is on the wrong side, you will NOT be scored. So pin those numbers correctly.
• Speaking of scoring… Montrose being the State Championship and the last race of the CCC series, the USAC officials will be pulling out-of-contention riders so the race leaders have a clear course. However, everyone will be placed, even if you are several laps down. The only way riders will be listed DNF (did not finish) is if they stop voluntarily. So keep racing until the chief referee tells you to stop. Riders will only be asked to exit the course near the finish line.
• Speaking of the finish line, SRAM Neutral Service will be in the equipment pits helping you get there in the case of a mechanical.
• The equipment pit is on the other side of the road from the start and finish lines. Please do NOT leave your spare bikes and wheels in the pit after your race. The next category needs to use the pit too.
• The Course: Ten27 Cycling’s course designer Chuck Judy has tweaked last year’s course again while retaining all of Montrose’s classic features. The course runs clockwise this year, which is the opposite from year’s past, beginning at the staging grid which will now be on the North side Simonds Dr. The start will be long, and wide, and without sharp turns. The finish line and registration tent will be in nearly same location as years past, just off the road to the North and near the sand, however the finish line will now be on the paved path. Riders will again have the full width of the tunnel heading southbound under Simonds Drive.  The course will then cross back over the tunnel on Simonds Dr to complete the loop, resulting in essentially a paved flyover. Yes the main sand pit will be back but backwards, where spectators are all but guaranteed a great view of all the action. As always the final course track will be determined Saturday afternoon and may be altered from the map below.
• Also, with yesterday’s snow showers the ground is a little wet, so please NO GROUP PRACTICES on the course. We want to leave the grass in as good of shape as we can after Sunday so we can come back and race next year. Thanks!

As usual the season flew by. Montrose is going to be a blast as always and especially nice with the weather that the Cup has ordered up.  Once it’s over, and still fresh in your head, lay out your annual training plan (ATP) as the first step in realizing your potential next year.

The first phase of importance is the transition phase, which is easy because it consists largely of nothing!  Taking time off the bike can feel odd though after such a sudden STOP. Your body craves it and your mind misses it.  Hang in there because while it can take some time to process this phase of your training is an important part of the equation.  It’s good to be active, including some cycling, but let your mind and body take a break from the grind and just have fun.  More on that here.

The 2015 ChiCrossCup has once again been a blast!  Thanks to everyone out there who is reading what we love to write about.  The coaches at Training Bible Cycling have experience in all disciplines and specialize in taking the time and tools at your disposal and helping you get the most out of the effort you put in. Shoot us a note, set, repeat and better than ever…

See you Sunday.

Rob Kelley

TRAINING BIBLE CYCLING

• 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

Since we couldn’t race today, please share your pics/vids of what you did on your CX day off. On the bike, off the bike, whatever… Just please keep it PG-13 or less.

UPDATE: Due to the significant amount of heavy, wet snow the Chicagoland area received on Saturday and freezing temperatures forecast for all day Sunday… the Melas CX Basin Racin’ event is CANCELLED. Details are forthcoming so please check your inbox.

• #MelasCX and more here. Preliminary staging will be posted here.
• Chris Henning and Ted Berger (Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club and Flatlandia) take us racin’ through the basin.
• Parking:  There is no parking at Melas Park. We need to keep the lot clear for the locals using the dog park.
• Parking will be at Multi Pack Solutions @1804 W. Central Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL which is behind (to the north of) Robert Bosch Tool Corporation.  Registration and S/F are adjacent to the Multi Pack lot.  There is a pedestrian gate to access Melas Park from the Multi Pack lot.  The Multi Pack lot is located to the West of the Melas Park entrance, just east of S. Arthur Ave.
• Team Trailers.  Please e-mail Chris Henning if you’re planning on bringing out a trailer, he will try and coordinate a setup location for you.
• Food truck: The Chicago Pizza Boss food truck will be onsite serving brick-oven pizzas.
• Warm Ups:  Please stay off the ball fields while warming up and if you do use the walking paths please making sure to yield to any pedestrians / other park users.
• Speaking of cars, no parking on the grass – anywhere.  There is plenty of parking available.  This includes team vehicles intending on dropping off team tent and compound equipment.
• Park rules: Sorry, we don’t make them but we do have to follow them… no alcohol allowed. Please be respectful of the park.
• Dog Park:  Unfortunately you must have a membership to get inside the fenced dog park which is available from either Mt. Prospect or Arlington Heights and unfortunately they don’t sell daily passes. Dog park membership
• Breakdown: Please help tearing down the course after the Cat 4/5 race. 
• Weather: It’s going to be chilly on Sunday, so please bundle up and bring appropriate clothing for before, during, and after your race(s)!
• Cleaning up: The race does not have access to a hose. There is a self-serve car wash (Z Auto Wash) just west of the Bosch lot @ 820 S Arthur Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 less than a half mile away.
• No kids race this weekend.
• Volunteering: Melas CX is still looking for a few volunteers spots to be filled. Volunteers race for free & lunch is provided. Please sign-up here.
• The Course: Similar to last year. Same tough hill(s) getting out of the Basin. Please remember the course might change based on conditions encountered during setup.

It’s looking like Melas is going to be a muddy and possibly snowy affair.  So first off our thoughts go out to the Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club and Flatlandia Cycling Team for as painless a course set-up process as possible.  When you see these people on Sunday give them a big thanks cause as much as you might not like racing in foul weather, promoting a race in it is about 100x worse.

MORE

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