For the 2nd year in a row, the race will be hosted along side the Carpentersville Oktoberfest, which will have a beer garden (which is located right next to the start/finish line), great food vendors, live music, raffles, kid rides (inflatables), and much more. Full details can be found here.

Menu for Carpenter Park…

• Light jazz and donuts from 7am until 9:29 am.
• At 9:30 sharp the main entree is served with racers greeted with a new layout for 2009.
• The Start/Finish will be on Carpenter Blvd (NorthEast Side of the park) .
• Similar features as in past years with creek crossings, the sand pit, a ‘lil sled hill, and a new feature… the “pump section“. BMXr’s will know this better as a rhythm section. Check out Sven Nys flying through one here (0:11).
• Also new this year is a totally free kids race for 5-10 year olds. Register at the Cyclo Kids Course before the 12 noon start time. Note this is NOT a new CCC category but we’re all for it. Parents… you’ll still need to fill out a release form for your kids.
• The weather forecast looks fantastic again… but make sure to bring some warm, dry clothes for after the race so you can put your hand warmers to use.
• Registration will be in the small pavilion in the center of the park near the playground/sandpit. This is the same location as last year.
• There are 319 of you pre-reg’d… that’s the exact same number as Jackson Park!
• The 4A’s are closed and there are 2 spots left in the 4B’s. Just like at past races we’ll have a waitlist for both races to try and give everyone a chance to race.
• Just a reminder, pre-reg’d riders need to pick up their numbers 30 minutes before each race or we will give your number to someone on the waitlsit. Waitlisters… you need to be at registration 30 minutes before your race if you want to get in.
• Another reminder that if you do NOT have a current annual USAC license you need to purchase a one day license for $10. If you purchased an annual license at a previous race and have NOT yet received it in the mail, you need to either bring your receipt (legal pad size of paper) from when you bought the license or show proof from the USAC website. Just because your license # is listed with your previous results does NOT mean you have a current license.
• There are still several of you that have “Pending” listed as your USAC license # in your BikeReg profiles. Please make sure your profile is up to date with your current information.
• Unfortunately we don’t have a course map right now, but as always, course specifics are subject to change. North is the to left, south to the right.

Hey y’all, remember this guy?

The CCC directors want to put together another series t-shirt for 2009 but we want your input… so we’re having a contest.

From now until next Saturday (10/24/09) at midnight anyone can submit a t-shirt design (email it in .jpg, .png, or better yet .eps format to [email protected]). We’ll put all of the designs up for a vote here on the site, and let the riders of the CCC decide which one they want to grace their chests. Please keep it clean and simple, and absolutely no submissions will be accepted after midnight (central time!) on Saturday 10/24/09. The winner will get a copy of their masterpiece, free entry into one of the remaining CCC races, their name plastered all over the CCC website, and lets face it… the adoring admiration of every CCC racer, spectator, heckler, and random passerby.

So let’s see what you’re made of. The clock starts ticking… now!

We’ll have the t-shirts for sale at the Hilton Indian Lakes race and proceeds will benefit the CCC and World Bicycle Relief. We’ll also have the t’s on sale at Woodstock, Montrose, and (if they are any left) at the CCC Banquet in January.

We know this is a little old, but here’s a look into how they do cross in Portland (what, no Planet Bike course tape?)

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.3612015&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26]

Also, here’s how the Euro’s do it.

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.3630248&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26]

See ’em here.

The Pony Shop, led by “Sheriff” Lou Kuhn has a substantial lead… but never count the Verdigris men, women, and juniors out! xXx Racing is a close 3rd with Flatlandia, SRAM Factory, and Burnham Racing rounding out the top 6.

Please note the following:

• As CX team names are updated (from road and mtb) the team standings are likely to change quite a bit. We know there are more Johnny Sprockets, Rhythm Racing, and other teams out there than are currently accumulating points.
• If your team name is not listed correctly, please email us at [email protected] ASAP and we will get you updated!
• Our IL USAC Technical director Dave Fowkes reminds us that only Annual USAC license holders can be associated with a team name… so with the next team standings update (next week) we will be enforcing that rule. That means if you don’t own an annual license you can’t score points for your team.

– Thanks again to Beverly Bike Vee-Pak for putting on another great new race in the Dan Ryan Woods. We’ve heard plenty of stories of pain, suffering, and dry-heaving (not due to the free ‘cue!)… so we’ll consider the course and competition a success. BBVP tells us they’re already making plans for next year and we’ll be happy to have them back as part of the CCC. Also big thanks to our USAC officials Nikki Cyp, Steve Feehery, Loch Miwa, Chad Cole, and Dan Labovitch for getting all results up so quickly and accurately. Full results and overall standings were posted by 9:30pm Sunday night!

– Up next this weekend is Carpentersville. Online pre-reg is open until midnight Thursday night here. Thanks to everyone who has consistently pre-reg’d for the first 3 races! As always you can see who your competition is beforehand by following the “Confirmed Riders” link… and there should be plenty of competition again this year. Carpentersville was actually the largest race (by # of riders) in 2008 and with the turnout at Jackson Park this year we can only imagine what will happen this year.

– The race is held in tandem with Carpenter Park’s Oktoberfest and there will again be food, live music, fun for the kids, and more. Look for a full preview on Friday.  Continuing the trend in CCC races this year, Race promoter Jeff Provisor tells us that he, Main St Cycles, and North Branch Cycling have more than a few surprises in store for races this year… and a totally new obstacle never before seen in the CCC… oh, and the sand pit will be back again for sure!

– Just a reminder for all of you Cat 3 Men, Cat 4 Women, and Cat 4 Men… if you want to take any of your points with you to the next highest category you must upgrade BEFORE Carpentersville as set forth in the CCC series rules here.

– Rob Curtis (who rides for Bicycle Heaven) is building, renting, and selling nice carbon CX wheels with tires already glued. Check him out at his separate business site… http://www.psimet.com.

– The MWCCC (midwest collegiate cycling conference) just released the collegiate cross schedule and Purdue’s weekend is 10/31 and 11/1. On 10/31 Purdue is putting on a USAC race along with the collegiate race. There’s no CCC race going on that day and Purdue is hosting a unique Halloween themed race. The flyer can be found here and registration is here. Collegiate riders will need to register for the collegiate races day of, but can pre-reg for the other USAC races online. Please note this is NOT a CCC series race.

– Speaking of Halloween, the St. Charles/Campton race hosted by Bicycle Heaven is the day after Halloween. Hopefully filling up on 3 Muskateers,  Snickers, and Smarties the night before will give you plenty of energy to race on Sunday… but we’d like to see what you’re made of. The CCC will be awarding special callups (after the top 10 in the overall standings) in each race category for the best Halloween costumes. Please keep it clean and safe (for riding a bike), but let’s see if anyone can dare challenge Super Girl for best costume… you’ve got plenty of time to come up with something!

– Looking for a little Saturday warm-up? Burnham Racing is organizing a group (road) ride leaving from Wicker Park this Saturday at 8:30 AM, riding to the Apple Haus in Long Grove. You can see the route here. The ride is 35 miles out and 40 miles back… so bring some money for Apple Fritters and Cider at the turn-around point! A few CX’ers will be on the ride but NOT doing the full distance… CX races aren’t that long!

– And finally… a big, big congrats to Flatlandia on the newest edition to their CX team… Maxwell John Firak!

Thanks to the 344 starters who came out today to race!

Full results

Overall standings
Team standings will be updated in a day or two.

From here on out we’ll just put up blank posts for each race… you guys and gals know what to do from here.

Here’s some shots of the end of the Cat 3’s race to get you started.

Hi all,

We were going to post a note about USAC Cyclocross Nationals in Bend, OR (Dec 10-13th) later this month, but a story coming across the wires here notes that registration, at least for the masters, is opening this weekend. According to this page, registration opens at 12:01am EST on 10/10/09… which is 11:01PM Central tonight here in Chicago.

The USAC webpage is not yet updated but schedule info is here. Note that callups are based on registration date/time. Reg fees are a bit more pricey than in the CCC, but hey… its nationals and you’ll be in beautiful Bend, OR.

We’d love to see a few Chicagoland CX’ers head out west and show the rest of the country what we’re made of, so let us know if you plan on racing!