– #AfterglowCX Preliminary staging will be posted here on Thursday.

– The Afterglow team has once again partnered with the Chicago Park District to bring the ‘Glow Douglas Park Golf Course! When registering to race, please consider donating those extra dollars you’re saving on the cheaper reg to the wonderful and very important programs at Blackstone Bicycle Works and West Town Bikes right from the registration page. Look for all the Blackstone and WTB kids in the Juniors and 4’s, and cheer them on! We will also have a donation jar at registration for you to throw in your change.

– If you’re coming in from somewhere that doesn’t have easy public transportation (hint),  be sure to check the map for available spaces. There will be parking along S Thompson Drive (leading toward the fieldhouse). Please leave the fieldhouse parking lot for volunteers and park patrons, as we aren’t the only ones at the park on Saturday. There’s also parking along Inner Ogden Drive.

– The fieldhouse will be open from 9am-5pm, but since it’s not officially part of the event, we ask that you respect the other park users who may be using the facility. Leave no trace!

– RpbL & the Cuttin’ Crew WILL be accepting credit cards for on-site registration and one-day licenses. They’ll be using Square, which charges 2.75% for every transaction. That will be added to the charge and rounded up to the next cent (so $10 becomes $10.28).

– There may be food on-site, but maybe not enough for 250 people. Douglas Park is in a bit of a food desert. Learn about food deserts and what’s being done to help solve this problem here.

– The weather forecast is 30′s with some snow. While some of us have been reminiscing and training after last year’s mud, be sure you bring appropriate clothing!

– Please avoid warming up on the fairways and greens! There’s plenty of park around.

– Podiums will be presented shortly after each race, and Blackstone Bikes and West Town Bikes have hand crafted prizes for our winners! You’ll definitely want to vie for these metals!

– As for the course, note the location of parking, the staging grid, and the equipment pit. Give yourself plenty of time to get your bib number, put your gear in the pit, and get to staging on time. The course runs ANTI-CLOCKWISE and numbers will be going on the RIGHT.

Photo: Lou Kuhn

– Thanks again to Robots <3 Love, Beverly Bike-VeePak, and The Pony Shop for hosting the MidWest Regional CX Championships p/b Intelligentsia. Lap times are here.

– Up next, your last chance to officially race CX in Chicagoland in 2013 on Saturday. Robots <3 Love and The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew host Afterglow another year at Douglas Park Golf Course! When registering, please consider donating to our friends at Blackstone Bicycle Works and West Town Bikes right from the registration page. Look for all the Blackstone kids (along with our friends West Town Bikes!) in the Juniors and Cat 4s, and cheer them on! Registration closes Wednesday at Midnight! More details here and look for all the Sweet Jucy Justice details on Thursday Wednesday.

– The CCC Awards Party is Sunday 12/22/13 at EJ’s Place in Skokie. Won’t you join us? Tickets are for sale on BikeReg. Overall series cowbells, beer, food, fun, beer, door prizes, and did we mention beer?

– USAC CX Nationals are 1/7/14 – 1/12/14 in Boulder, CO. Check out Pro Bike Express to help with the logistics.

– And finally… having met Anthony Clark several years ago and having him race at the first CCC New Year’s Resolution, we’re more than excited to see Behind THE Barrier TV featured him in not 1, but 2 recent episodes. Congratulation on all of your successes Anthony, and keep livin’ the #SWL!

 – Thanks again to Ten27 Cycling Club and Spidermonkey Cycling for yet another fantastic event at Montrose Harbor and such a great way to close out the CCC series. Temps were cold but the racing was again hot with a day and a half of action. Laps times from One2Go Results are here.

– Congratulations to the 15 new IL State Cyclocross Champions. We hope to see you all wearing your new jerseys over the next two weeks and next season, unless of course you upgraded… kudos to all of you who already have.

– Also a hearty congratulation to the 16 Overall Series Winners. We’ve got cowbells with your names on them (literally) and we look forward to seeing you all at EJ’s Place on Sunday 12/22. Please get your tickets on BikeReg here!

– Chicagoland CX action is not over though… not by a long shot. The Midwest Regional CX Championships (MWRCXC) are this weekend in Dan Ryan Woods. There’s still time to register over on BikeReg, Intelligentsia Coffee will be serving up a full espresso bar starting at 8am, Eastman Egg Company will be there with their food truck, timing and scoring by One2Go services, and Neutral Support by SRAM NRS. There will be a fully paved start/finish straight, lots of power sections, tricky technical sections, the downhill singletrack and a really wicked runup some people might remember from a few years ago. Look for the full course preview on Thursday.

Photo: Luke Seemann

– #MontroseCX

– One more to go! Ten27 Cycles once again and now with Spidermonkey Cycling host the last stop in the 2013 Chicago Cyclocross Cup… which is also the Illinois State CX Championships at Montrose Harbor. Yes, its going to be cold, but we here at the CCC, Ten27, and Spidermonkeys ask everyone to bundle up, bring your cowbells and cameras, and make a day out of Montrose… which means BOTH DAYS. 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 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. The only combined categories are the Juniors, but all categories have a field limit of 100 riders. After No-Shows are removed we put in the online waitlisted riders, then its first come, first served until we hit the 100 rider limit. Online pre-reg closes tonight for both days of racing… so if you’re not yet reg’d, do everyone (yourself included) a favor and reg now!

– Montrose would not be possible without the generous support of the race sponsors below. Please find a way to thank them at the events this weekend:

• Goose Island’s 312 Beer
• EJ’s Place in Skokie
• Wheel & Sprocket
• Autobarn VW
• Chicago Chiropractic and Sports Medicine
• The American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure
• The Multiple Sclerosis Society

– 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 on Friday.

– State Champion Requirements: Ten27 Cycling, Spidermonkey Cycling, and the ICA will be presenting 15 CX IL State 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 15-18 AND Juniors 10-14… boys AND girls, Women Cat 3, and yet even the 60+! 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 or permanent resident, and hold a valid and unsuspended 2013 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.

– All races are championship races except the Cat 4/5 on Sunday and the Cat 2/3/4 on Saturday. The Saturday race is an opportunity for Category 2 riders to win some good cash prizes without the usual competition from the Category 1’s.  It also affords the Category 3 riders a unique opportunity to race against the next level up, without taking on a bunch of Category 1 riders.  For those who’ve been resting this week to “taper” for the State Championships on Sunday, it is a good opportunity to test themselves in a shorter race, to make sure all systems are firing, before the big one on Sunday.

– 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 the Juniors races when the podiums will be awarded at 2 pm.

– Ted Burger hosts the “Kid CX State Championships” at 1pm (not 2pm) on Sunday. Note the quotes, we’re having fun here and there is no such thing as a kids state championship jersey. But we do have cool #1 bib numbers for everyone!

– Payouts: 5 deep per the 2013 CCC minimum payouts.

– The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew will also be awarding extra prizes and trophies for Junior categories. The (other) CCC will be giving out junior girls awards as usual (5 deep, medals and ribbons) for the race as well as trophies (3 deep) for final CCC overall standings in Boys 15-18, Girls 15-18, Boys 10-14, and Girls 10-14.

– The Cuttin’ Crew will also be awarding trophies for the top 3 women in the Single Speed category on Saturday. A few rules apply.

– While a few riders have already locked up their CCC overall titles (see riders in yellow), there are quite a few very, very, very close categories still to be decided on Saturday AND Sunday. Overall titles will be  posted Saturday and Sunday, but all official overall series awards will be presented at the CCC Awards Party on Sunday December 22nd at EJ’s Place. We look forward to celebrating with all of you.

– Speaking of parties… Saturday evening all Montrose racers and spectators are invited to a Montrose Cyclo-Cross Celebration at 4:30 pm at Holiday Club Chicago, on the corner of Sheridan Rd. and Irving Park Road, a half mile south of the race venue.  Everyone attending will get a free Goose Island beer.   Sign up to attend on the Facebook; search for Montrose Cyclo-Cross Celebration.

– Food: The Big Star truck will again be serving tacos both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Nom nom nom.

– For the last day of CCC racing, series sponsor NovaCare Rehabilitation will have physical therapists on hand providing complimentary injury screens. Anyone (racers or spectators) can stop by to get any injury (cycling related or not, new or old) checked out (for free!) for advice on how best to manage it. Look for the green NovaCare tent on Sunday 10:30 – 12:30. Or stop by for a complimentary granola bar for snacking or to ask us about our bike fitting services and physical therapy services. Can’t make it then? Injury screens are available at no charge at any of our clinics. Go to www.novacare.com/chicagoland.htm for the clinic nearest you.

– More than any other factor, the weather usually makes Montrose the legend it is. Right now the forecast is cold with sun on Saturday with a 50% chance of snowy awesomeness on Sunday. In any event, the weather can always change on a dime, especially next to the lake, so bundle up, dress appropriately, and come prepared with extra warm (& dry) gear.

– Chris Zigmont will be announcing the race.

– Parking: Parking will be on the street only along Simonds Dr. Simonds Drive will be closed to through traffic on both Saturday and Sunday 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 Type III “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, One2Go results trailer, BigStarTruck, etc) will be allowed within the road closures.

– Bib Numbers: On your LEFT SIDE as always.

– One2Go Results (the same as DRW & ILR) will be back and providing camera timing and results. However, if your bib number is on the wrong side, you will NOT be scored nor will you receive lap times. So pin those numbers correctly.

– The equipment pit is in the best place to put it given the layout of the course. Please do NOT leave your spare bikes and wheels in the pit after your race. The next category needs to use the pit too. Neutral race support will be provided by Wheel and Sprocket near registration.

– Tents: Feel free to set up your tents to the West of registration and the sand pit. 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. If you’re setting up on Saturday, there will be a security guard watching the venue Saturday night, but teams are responsible for their belongs… meaning you should pack up your tents and not leave them at the venue overnight.

– The Course: Ten27 Cycling’s course designer Chuck Judy brings back several of Montrose’s classic features while reinventing other parts of the course yet again. The course runs anti-clockwise, beginning at the staging grid which will now be on the South side Simonds Dr. The finish line and registration tent will be in nearly the same location as years past, just off the road to the North and near the main sand pit, however the finish line will now be on the paved path. Riders will 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 the first paved flyover ever in the CCC. Yes the main sand pit will be back, where spectators are all but guaranteed a great view of all the action. As always the final course track will be determined Saturday morning and may be altered from the map below.

– Thanks again to Rob Curtis and his PSIMET crew for another great NORGE Ski Jump CX. We hope you all enjoyed the race and had a great Thanksgiving beforehand.

– Up next, the last race of the series at Montrose Harbor in downtown Chicago hosted by Ten27 Cycling Club and Spidermonkey Cycling. Course preview at the normal time on Thursday, but a bunch of info is already over here on the preview page. Also, on Sunday leave your beers at home… Goose Island will be on site to sell 312 beer and E.J.’s Place will be selling Italian sausages. All beer must be consumed inside the Beer Garden, which will be set up between the finish and the sand pits in a large heated tent, so you can see all the action.

– A few other events on the horizon…

– The Bonebell crew is hosting the CCC 10th Anniversary Party this Friday night. Buy tickets now over here and RSVP via FB.

– The Midwest Regional CX Champs p/b Intelligentsia (@MWRCXC) will be held Sunday 12/15/13 at Dan Ryan Woods.

– And lastly the Afterglow is Saturday 12/21/13 at Douglas Park, as is Sweet Justice.

– The CCC Awards Party is Sunday 12/22/13 again at EJ’s Place in Skokie. Tickets are for sale on BikeReg. Overall series cowbells, food, fun, beer, & door prizes.

– USAC CX Nationals are 1/7/14 – 1/12/14 in Boulder, CO. Check out Snyder Cycling Services and Pro Bike Express to get your gear there and back again.

Tipping Point Photo

– Looking to deck your walls with the perfect gift? Consider purchasing a print from long time CCC series sponsor Tipping Point Photography! Tipping Point’s travel and art photography–including a few cyclocross landscapes–will be on sale at the Peterson Garden Project Holiday Market beginning this Friday, Dec. 6 and running through Saturday, Dec. 14. The market is being held at the PGP Learning Center, 4642 N. Francisco, just off the Francisco Brown Line stop in Ravenswood Manor–not far from Montrose Harbor, which means you can stop in before or after your race! 15% of all market proceeds go to support PGP’s educational community gardening programs. More info, including a full market schedule: http://tinyurl.com/PGPHolidayMarket.

– There are still a few 2013 CCC Series t-shirt available. We’ll call it PlainOleInternetTuesday.

– As of this past Sunday (12/1/13) you can start renewing your annual USAC license. Annual licenses purchased on or after 12/1/13 are good until 12/31/2014. We highly suggest renewing/purchasing your license online at USACycling.org as this is the easiest (for everyone) and most efficient method.

– And finally… This Saturday evening, all Montrose racers and spectators are invited to a Montrose Cyclo-Cross Celebration at 4:30 pm at Holiday Club Chicago, on the corner of Sheridan Rd. and Irving Park Road, a half mile south of the race venue.  Everyone attending will get a free Goose Island beer.   Sign up to attend on the Facebook; search for Montrose Cyclo-Cross Celebration.