Photo: Bill Draper

– Well you’ve asked for it for years and this past weekend you finally got some real CX weather worthy of those long sleeve skinsuits. Thankfully it wasn’t too cold, but the rains came and went and came again… and then it rained some more. Even through all of muckity muck over 680 of you toed the line to start the CCC series. The CCC has never concentrated specifically on increasing CCC rider counts, but even we were amazed by how many of you came out to race, heckle, and have fun… especially in the rain.

– Thanks again to xXx Racing for hosting such a great event and specifically race promoters Brian Parker and Blayne Greiner and their right hand man and CX Relay promoter Alan Treuthart. Hosting such a big race is tough enough much less in the soaking rain, and all of xXx pulled together to make the first stop of the CCC a great success.

– Some of you loved her, most of you not so much… but we ‘d like to say a very special thank you to Victoria Seliger for helping us pick numbers for the top 10 call ups all day long in the rain.

– Next up in two weeks is CCC stop #2 Hopkins Park in beautiful Dekalb, IL. All categories are still open, but the Cat 4A’s and B’s are starting to fill up. See below for more exciting details about this year’s race that just can’t wait until next Thursday’s course preview.

– Is your CX bike durty after Jackson Park? Of course it is. Thankfully 2011 CCC Series Title Sponsor Iron Cycles comes to the rescue with a super duper cleaning special.

$45 CX-specific clean includes:
– Chain and cassette removed and cleaned (customer may need a new quick link depending on chain, slight upcharge)
– Bottom bracket and headset bearings cleaned whenever possible (sealed bottom brackets are limited somewhat)
– Clean/true wheels
– Clean frame
– 48-hour turnaround time or less

This is essentially Iron Cycles’ “Paceline” tuneup for 40% off with added removal of the chain and cassette for cleaning purposes. Rider must have raced a CCC race in the last week. Iron Cycles will take your bike in on Monday or Tuesday and get it primed for the next weekend’s racing, or your favorite CX practice on Wednesday.

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

– The next race in the CCC series is Hopkins Park  hosted by North Central Cyclery, Half Acre Cycling, and Robots Powered by Love. In addition to the full CCC schedule of races Hopkins Park will again be the venue for the OUILSSSCXC immediately after the Cat 4B race. This race is NOT USAC sanctioned but will be loads of fun. See details here. As an added bonus the men’s and women’s SS winners earn a complimentary entry into the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship weekend being held November 18-20 in San Francisco, CA. In addition to their entry, the OUILSSSCXC organizers are providing round-trip airfare to the winners, all inclusive! See more details here.

– The trio of Hopkins Park promoters are also upping the ante with payouts in a fun way. The prize for top men and women Cat 3’s in the Cat 1/2/3 races will sort out like this:

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

– Speaking of race announcements, late last week we received an email from our friends up North extending a welcome to this weekend’s USGP in Madison, WI. Apparently word of the CCC’s brand of fun is spreading far and wide. From the USGP Planet Bike Cup Regional Director Renee Callaway:

The USGP’s Planet Bike Cup would like to invite all the Chicago Cross Cup racers and fans to cross over the Cheddar Curtain and head to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin to race, spectate, heckle and generally bring your brand of merriment to the event.  The USGP brings together many of the world’s top racers with US riders like Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers, Georgia Gould, Kaitie Antonneau, and Jonathan Page racing against Europeans like Bart Wellens, Christian Huele and Caroline Mani.  Watching the best in the world duke it out here in the Midwest is a great way to get the season going as is racing on the same course as the pros!  The USGP Race Directors know Chicagoland racers bring their own style of fun to cyclocross and we think nothing could make the weekend better than having Wisconsin, Chicago, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota all together in Sun Priaire showing the rest of the country that the upper Midwest isn’t flyover country.  Instead this is where you’ll find great cycloross scenes with their own fun loving style of cross racing.  Bring your buses, your spam, pancake and bacon hand-ups and make this a USGP everyone will remember.  For more info check out http://www.usgpcyclocross.com/races/planet-bike-cup.html or www.madcross.org.

– Also up North… My Wife, Inc. and Crank Daddy’s Bicycle Works in Milwaukee are promoting the WCA Cyclocross Series kick-off race – Cross the Domes the day before Hopkins Park. MWI is again offering IL riders an $8.00 discount off of reg fees when they pre-reg. Use discount code “ITR” for: Illinois Toll Rebate.

– And finally… after this crazy past weekend we figured we could have told you about people falling off their bikes… or just leaving them behind… or movies about bikes… or how excited we were to see Flannel Mike back in action… or all the hand-ups we didn’t see… or how ecstatic we were to see 5 rows deep of Women Cat 4’s… and the same number of juniors… or record numbers of Cat 1/2/3 women… and Cat 3’s… and Masters… or that The Hemme revealed his newest Blue Steel.

But unless you were on the start line of the Cat 4 Women you probably didn’t hear that Vanessa Buccella (Iron Cycles) won the 2011 series T-Shirt design contest and Katie Mann (Tati) designed the series socks. Congratulations to both ladies! It now up to the rest of your to cheer heckle these ladies and all of their fellow Cat 4 women competitors as they race throughout the season. Both shirts and socks are currently on pre-sale on our Store Page. Shirts will be available at Hopkins Park and socks will be available at ABD Sunrise Park. Shirts will only be on pre-sale through next week and when they are sold out… they’re sold out. So if you want a shirt you need to order it now!

Please post links to your photos, videos, and race reports here.
Send feedback to the CCC in the comments.

– 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!

– We are still accepting Series Sponsorships, but we have to send the tshirts to print, so any any further series sponsors will not show up on soft goods or flyers. We are however still working on sponsors for the New Years Resolution. Contact us if you’re interested.

– UVEX – Although CX season here in Chicagoland tends to be dry that, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect your eyes and melon. UVEX comes on board this year as a series sponsor to do both. UVEX, Protecting people.

 Higher Gear – Opened in 1993 Higher Gear has always reached out to both families and enthusiasts. They strive to make visiting Higher Gear an enjoyable experience. They don’t care what your cycling credentials are, they’re just interested in finding the right bike for you to meet your goals.

 Jewell Event Catering – ‘Cross racers are always hungry. A leader in Chicago Catering Jewell has proudly served top business leaders, royalty and every U.S. President for the last 30 years. No matter how small or large your event, know that it will be handled by the best. We wonder if Jewell ever served up a bacon wrapped Twizzler stuffed Twinkie to Bill Clinton.

 Micheal Heagney Professional Real Estate Services: Koenig & Stray – Got a house to sell… or looking for a nice one to purchase. Mike’s your guy (and a darn fast bike racer as well).

 Dan Wellisch: Hebalife Independent Distributor – Changing people’s lives by providing the best nutrition and weight-management products in the world.

– Now that we have all that out of the way (our series would not happen without all of our generous sponsors)… let’s get down to racing!

– Looks and sounds like everyone had a great time at Patriot CX. We hope the event grows over time and is a great addition to the Chicagoland cyclocross calendar.

– The Half Acre Cycling women’s and trans clinic sounds like it went well too. We can’t wait to see all of the ladies racing throughout the season.

– Jackson Park starts up the CCC series this coming Sunday in… you guessed it… Jackson Park, Chicago, IL. JP is one of the original CCC races (from way back in 2004), is hosted by xXx Racing, and is always a show. With >487 pre-reg’d riders, including sold out Cat 4A and 4B fields, not to mention one of the largest Cat 3 fields we’ve ever seen, this year looks to be no different. As always check back here on the CCC site Thursday morning for the usual course preview.

– Speaking of Jackson Park, West Town Bikes will be bringing several racers, and more than a few spectators/hecklers out for our first race. Aside from spreading the word of getting kids (and non-kids too) on bikes and looking for partnership opportunities, WTB will be accepting tax deductible donations on site. See cousin Mikey at the race for details.

 – The riders have spoken, and by the narrowest of margins we’ve ever seen the design to the left has won the 2011 CCC Series t-shirt design contest. We won’t reveal the winner’s name until the start line at Jackson Park… but if you want to know who it is you’ll need to be near the start line around 12:45pm when the designer will receive their call-up. The shirts are going to print as we write this, will be available for pre-order on the store page later this week, and should be ready at Hopkins Park in beautiful Dekalb, IL.

– Speaking of call-ups… if you were at the CX Relay Race way back in August (has it been that long?) at the start of the Cat 4 race xXx Racing announced a special prize. The winners of the Cat 4 relay race would receive call ups at the CCC Jackson Park race… but in the Cat 3 race. We are happy to announce that both of xXx Racing’s own Tracy Dangott and Chris MacFarland have accepted the “challenge” of upgrading to the Cat 3’s and will receive call ups at 11:45am in front of their 72 peers. Good luck guys!

– Embro & Tshirts & Socks… oh my! Pre-order all your CCC goodies (okay, except for the t-shirts) now on the Store Page. You’ll need a PayPal account or have a friend who does. The Pome d’Émbre is here and orders received before Saturday will be at each Sunday race. We have to work out colors, cotton blend, pricing, etc… so the shirts will be ready by Dan Ryan Woods and distributed by the Spidermonkeys. The socks are being stitched up right now and will be ready by ABD Sunrise Park. All items will be available for pick up at CCC races. We will ship by mail, but postage is extra and on you, and please contact us directly if you live in Illinois and need your goods delivered by mail.

– Not CX but cycling related, the League of Illinois Bicyclists needs our help to reach the required 1,500 reservations to make the IL “Share the Road” license plates a reality. See their reservation page here.

– For all you metal heads out there… Dream Theater‘s new album comes out today. Good stuff. That’s all.

– Interbike and Cross Vegas are both this week and many of the members of the CCC community will be in Nevada taking it all in. Please ‘cross responsibly and we’ll see you all on Sunday.

– And finally… just in case you juniors our there aren’t excited about the series leader jerseys (to be revealed on Sunday), the Spidermonkeys have whipped up some fantastic looking medals as well and will be distributing Goose Island soda to the podium.

– The last few series sponsors are coming. If you’d like to be a 2011 series sponsor (or at least have your logo on the t-shirts) we need to know this week.

 
 – MNO Chiropractic joins the CCC sponsorship family after doing a few races and grabbing a few hand ups in the Cat 4’s. Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician Alan Stoughton with his partners offer the best in diagnosis and natural treatment of sports injuries in Kane and McHenry Counties. Life is a sport, stay in the game with MNO!

– Online pre-reg for all 2011 CCC races are now live on BikeReg.com except for the as-yet-to-be-rename/relocated Northbrook race. We have good word from promoter Chris Henning that a location is just about locked in and we’ll let you know as soon as more details and pre-reg are available.

– Speaking of pre-reg, our friends to the West in Iowa have opened reg for Jingle Cross and our friends to the North have opened reg for Badger CX.

– Also in “other CX races in the area” Patriot CX promoter Karl C has an incentive for all of you on the fence about visiting Rantoul this weekend in the form of a “Bring a friend special“… sign up for Patriot CX on Bikereg.com and bring a friend… they race for $5. Email Karl your name and friend’s name and racing category. Pay the $5 at the race. Emil Karl at [email protected].

– In still other pre-reg news, registration closes at 11am on Friday for Half Acre’s Womens’ & Trans Cyclocross Clinic. The beginner session is filled but there is still room in the Intermediate/Advanced session. The CCC will likely stop by to say hi and we hope as many ladies as possible show up to sharpen their CX skills with American U23 CX champion Kaitlin Antonneau and French national CX champion Caroline Mani.

– Speaking of ladies, our buds at Thought You Knew (TyK) are working on their 2012 pin-up calendar and are on Kickstarter.com (with a kick arse video) to help fund their venture. Donate a few dollars (they’re half way already) and get yourself a calendar. Several CCC riders are again involved with the project. If you’ll be at Interbike next week TyK will be taking part in the Chrome/Momentum Fashion Show.

– A few of you have asked about when the CCC’s signature Mad Alchemy Embrocation blend… Pome d’Embre will be ready. We are happy to report (and if you’re on twitter you already know) that the stuff is done and en route to the midwest… and as soon as we figure out how to configure our PayPal account we’ll open up sales on the store page here.

– Speaking of CCC paraphernalia… don’t forget to vote for your favorite 2011 CCC Series T-shirt design. Voting ends this weekend and we are working with Spidermonkey Cycling and Think B!G Creations to have the shirts ready in time for distribution at Jackson Park. Like the embro we’ll open online sales soon on the store page here.

– Speaking of Jackson Park… there are less than 15 pre-reg spots still open in the Cat 4A race. All other categories are wide open… but please pre-reg to save us all time and hassle.

– In other CCC races news, a few updates from Psycho CX promoter Ted S for both the CCC series race on Saturday and his Friday night race. See the Psycho CX website here.  Ted also encourages all racers on Friday night to bring their own lighting system(s). In other news, Ted also plans to host a nighttime Time Trial next summer and a bikini pageant for the ladies this coming February at CX World Championships in Koksijde, Belgium.

– And finally… they won’t be ready until mid season… but the 2011 series SockGuy socks will be black wool with a 9″ cuff and look approximately like the image below. Online sales for <120 pairs will be on the store page here… but when they’re gone… they’re gone.

Photo: Nathan Schneeberger

– Thanks to everyone who came out and raced, heckled, etc at xXx Racing‘s CX Relay Race on Sunday. This “race” is quickly becoming not only a great way to start off the season on the right foot (literally… the lemans start makes sure of it) but a great way to make new friends, catch up with old ones, and get new people interested in the sport (even if they’re not sure what a hand-up really is or why in the world we would want to take one). Thanks to xXx Racing, all their sponsors, the officials, and of course the racers for making it all happen. Photos and videos are here.

– Up next on the racing front, Wild Card Racing brings CX to Rantoul, IL on 9/11/11 with their new race Patriot CX. Please pre-reg as soon as you can as the promoter needs to get a good handle on how many racers to expect. If pre-reg is too light they may be forced to cancel the event.

– Ladies, don’t forget about Half Acre‘s Womens’ & Trans Cyclocross Clinic taking place on 9/10 in Humboldt Park.

– Voting for the 2011 CCC series t-shirt design has begun here (or just see below). Please pay attention to the rules, but by all means vote for your favorite design.

– We only received one sock design for the CCC SockGuy socks. We’ll reveal what they look like shortly (after we decide on the cuff height and color) and the winner will be introduced at Jackson Park where s/he will receive a call up.

– Our CX buds just North of the Cheddar Curtain are hosting the MidWest CX Regional Championships on 12/10/11-12/11/11 on the same course that will be used for the CX National Championships just one month afterwards (in January).  Find details and more at BadgerCross.com. Registration was quietly opened last week here. Saturday’s start order is based on the order of registration and Sunday’s start order is based on Saturday’s results.

– And finally… then there’s this. Yeah, we’re speechless too.

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!

You all know what to do. Please post links to your photos, videos, and race reports in the comments below.

– This Sunday is the 2nd incarnation of xXx Racing’s CX Relay race. Pre-reg closed last night but there are still spots open in all categories except the Co-Ed Open (last race of the day, which will also have a wait list). Day-Of reg incurs a $15 late fee… so bring your cash dollars. See your competition here.

– Also, be sure to read the tech guide for all the specific rules that apply to this unique event. We know of a few of you are still looking for buddies to high five, so if you need a partner, email us or leave your request in the comments below.

– Remember the parking lot at Jackson Park is metered, but only costs about $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 Chicago Triathlon will 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. If traveling by car, you should probably try another route besides LSD.

– 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!

– The weather looks delightful for Sunday, and almost CX list. Bring your arm warmers for after the race.

– Podiums will be awarded immediately after the conclusion of each race and before the start of the next race. So if you finish in the top three head straight to the podiums (look for the CCC flags) after your race so we can stay on schedule.

– Before we start racing… let’s review a few rules of engagement. Yes, we’re all racing, yes many of us are aggressive, yes you will fall down, yes the officials might not get your placing correct, and yes tempers might flair here and there… but remember first and foremost we’re all out there to have some fun and enjoy each other’s company. So please smile, have a lot of fun, and enjoy this precious time we have together. Oh, and don’t forget the high fives and handups… even if you’re not racing.

– The CX relay course will be similar to last year with a few new twists and turns, but more importantly it will be slightly shorter to allow everyone to race more laps. Check xXxRacing.org for more info.

– At the beginning of the summer we were worried we might only have a few sponsors this season due to the weak economy. Not only have nearly all 2010 sponsors returned but we’ve added a few new members to the CCC family as well. Please see our series sponsorship proposal here or if you’d like to be a part of the big show, see our New Year’s Resolution proposal here.

 – Rob Curtis, founder & owner of CCC series sponsor Psimet Wheels was interviewed in CX Magazine. He discussed wheels, CX, racing, and how during his first ever CX race he “… wasn’t even a full lap in before I found myself feeling like a kid who just found out that girls smell nice.” We wonder what flavor of embro Rob was thinking of? In any event, big thanks to Rob and Psimet for supporting pedal bike racing in IL and giving the CCC a nice shout out.

 – The biggest name in bikes (get it?) Giant puts it name in the ring for the 2011 season. RIDE LIFE. RIDE GIANT.

  – Back again after spending a summer on the road ripping rider’s legs off at will, Enzo’s Buttonhole Chamois Cream returns to please everyone’s hinter regions. Look for Enzo and his Psimet masters crew to tear up the old guy fields this year as they prepare for CX Masters Worlds in Louisville in January.

 – New to sponsoring the CCC but no stranger at all to a hops fueled 5 o’clock Happy Hour, Smart Bike Parts officially joins the CCC sponsorship family.

– A few more races (Hopkins Park, Dan Ryan Woods, & Carpentersville) are now open for online pre-reg on BikeReg.com.

– Half Acre Cycling hosts their Ladies Cross Skills Clinic on Saturday 9/10/11 in Humboldt Park. In addition to Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld.com’s Kaitie Antonneau, French CX National Champ Caroline Mani will help lead the clinic. Reg is open on BikeReg here.

– We know many of you have been diligently practicing dis/remounts, riding endless circles in the grass, shining your shiny steads, and working on your heckling… so get ready for the first real CX race of the season. xXx Racing unofficially opens the CX season here in Chicago with their Cyclocross Relay Race in Jackson Park (just South of the city). The CoEd Open main event has filled up but there are still plenty of spots in other categories. We’ll have a full course preview at the regular time and place on Thursday morning, but make sure to read through xXx Racing’s official flyer for a few specifics about this unique race.

– Speaking of course previews… NCC, HAC, and Robots <3 checked in this week to tell us that at CCC #2 Hopkins Park in Dekalb they will once again have the NCC/HAC flyover with some improvements to help those that are not confident with the descent. Anyone that wants to come out Saturday night is welcome to join the setup crew in having a beer and riding a mechanical bull Saturday night.

In addition, NCC/HAC will again host the Official Unofficial Illinois State Single Speed Cyclocross Championship, which will go off AFTER the 4B race at 4:15pm. It will feature a 30-minute race on a shortened course with some *interesting* features. Note this is NOT a USAC-sanctioned race. Allowed bicycles must have at least two wheels, at least one rider, and no more than one usable gear. Registration is on-site only and $15… The “race” is open class, men and women of any age are eligible.

– And finally… this is absolutely the last call for 2011 Series t-shirt and sock designs. Remember the winner of each design gets a shirt/pair of socks with their winning design, free entry into one race of their choice, a much sought after call up, and most importantly… adoring admiration (read: heckles) from the entire CCC populous. We’ve received a handful of entries but will continue to accept designs until Midnight this coming Sunday (8/28/11).