Happy New Year!!!

While we haven’t been racing and high-fiving here in the states, CX racing has been taking place, albeit less frequently, in Europe. The culmination of the season takes place this Weekend at the UCI World Cyclocross Championships in Ostend, Belgium. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like NBC SportsGold is broadcasting the event, but we’re sure there are other ways to watch online (please post links in the comments), and you can always bet fake money on the event. Note also there will only be elite/senior Women’s and Men’s events as the U23 and Juniors were cancelled, because… COVID. But hey, at least Štybar is racing!

We like to think there is a silver lining to every situation, and the past year’s global pandemic is no exception. For example, we’ve been looking for a way to offer CCC merchandise in an easy and non-wasteful manner that directly benefits the series for everyone. So with a bunch (okay a ton) of extra time on our hands this past Autumn we put the pieces in place to have readily available merchandise all year long. Nothing super fancy (right now) and we don’t expect to finance the entire series… just having some fun with it.

We are partnering with Triad Logo Company to offer CCC branded merchandise, but all profits will go to the CCC and our affiliated programs. We want to be 100% clear here, no individual is profiting from this CCC merch. All proceeds will benefit the series (paying for website hosting, replacing broken step-in stakes, etc.) or the programs we support (Blackstone Bicycle Works, West Town Bikes, etc.).

Links to the CCC store on Teespring is here and on the merch page of our site. We currently have a handful of designs, starting with the soon to be classic CCC design, but there are many, many more designs in the pipeline and we will post on the merch page and Tweet when new deigns are available. We’d like to point out that all profits from the Blackstone Bicycle Works and West Town Bikes designs will directly benefit these two groups and not the series. We’ll also being doing several collaborations with CCC participants/groups/teams/memes, the first of which is the PMA design with Morning Bird Studio. We’ll be reaching out to other groups/teams over the next several months, but if you’d like to do a CCC collab, drop us an email.

We hope you like the designs but more importantly the ideas and fun of it all. And if you have an idea or suggestion our email inbox is always open, for merch or anything else. We miss you all, so cheers and here’s to 2021… maybe?

Hi all, its been over three months since our last update here on the site. Normally we’d be providing results from the previous week and getting ready for the next week, but… Covid.

Yesterday USA Cycling announced they are officially cancelling US Cyclo-cross Nationals, which had originally been scheduled to take place here in Chicagoland and then re-scheduled to take place in Iowa City, IA. This cancellation should not be a surprise to anyone. But in any event, while no one is racing this year in the US, we hope everyone is staying safe & healthy and still riding bikes.

Speaking of riding bikes, while most of us have not been racing and traveling, and spending that money fixing up houses or new bikes, not everyone is that lucky or has that luxury. So, if you have spare parts or money just burning a hole in your pocket, why not help out our friends at Blackstone Bicycle Works and West Town Bikes. Last season’s rain & mud did a number on everyone’s bikes, and the young men and women in these programs are still replacing worn down parts on their bikes. Both locations are still accepting donations (obviously with necessary face coverings and social distancing) so if you have anything to donate, please stop by and help these folks out.

Additionally, Ride Spot, along with the Newberry Library and the CRR1919 Commemoration Project, invite you to join their virtual event to benefit Blackstone Bicycle Works. Their goal is to get 300 riders to complete the 10-mile route before October 31, 2020. 

If successful, generous sponsors (and CCC series sponsors), SRAM and ABUS, will donate $7,500 to Blackstone’s work providing resources and opportunities to Chicago’s BIPOC youth through bicycle education and mentorship. 

The 1919 Chicago Race Riot Route, created by the Newberry Library and the CRR1919 Commemoration Project, visits 10 historical sites through the Bronzeville and Bridgeport neighborhoods of Chicago relevant to the riots and the events that followed. Download the free audio tour or purchase a limited edition 1919 CRR Route Guidebook to complete the educational experience and learn more about this historic Chicago event. 

Learn more about the route at crr1919ride.com and download Ride Spot to join the 1919 Chicago Race Riot Route challenge.

Hi all,

We here at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup hope everyone is safe, healthy, and doing fine. Cyclo-cross racers are no strangers to health issues, struggling, and adversity, but even by our standards 2020 has been a rough year and we’re not even half way through yet.

By now all of you are hopefully aware of the ‘Restore Illinois’ plan developed by the state government and Illinois Department of Public Health. The state of Illinois is currently in Phase 3 and under this plan groups of 50 people or more (i.e. CCC events) are not allowed until the state/region is in Phase 5.

“Phase 5 – Illinois Restored: With a vaccine or highly effective treatment widely available or the elimination of any new cases over a sustained period, the economy fully reopens with safety precautions continuing. Conventions, festivals and large events are permitted, and all businesses, schools and places of recreation can open with new safety guidance and procedures in place reflecting the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

We obviously cannot predict the future and we have no way of ensuring when we’ll get to Phase 5. But you know we love numbers and stats and we’ve been paying close attention since early March and find it hard to believe we’ll have a vaccine or Illinois will be COVID-19 free by late September.

So with all that in mind, as of today we are cancelling the 2020 Chicago Cyclocross Cup series. Without a vaccine or widely available highly effective treatment there’s just no way we could guarantee everyone’s safety. And we would need to be putting the finishing touches on lots of details right now in order to ensure the series is kept up to the standards you all have come to know, expect, and deserve. So postponing any longer would not allow us enough time to effectively organize the series.

We know this news will be sad news for everyone, and we never thought we’d have to write these words. But like several times in the past, we’d much rather write them now than an apology letter to someone’s loved ones later after they get sick or worse. Its a sucky decision but actually an easy one.

Most of you are probably unaware that the CCC doesn’t actually run any of the events in the series. Instead each event is hosted and run by separate race promoters/directors that agree to the same schedule, rules, scoring, etc. So with all that being said, there is a very, very outside chance some of the individual race promoters may still be able to host their events later in the Autumn if conditions and regulations allow. If that becomes the case we will of course post news here for everyone. But until that time the site will be mostly silent. Feel free to drop us a line at [email protected] if you have any questions or need additional info.

Until then, and most likely until 2021, take care of yourselves and each other. Stay safe, stay healthy, smile under your face mask even if other people can’t see it, and keeping riding your bike!!!

• Hey, we’re having our end of season Awards Party at the Rapha Chicago Clubhouse this coming Saturday 2/1/2020 starting at 6:30pm-ish CT. We’ll have tacos from Big Star, hopefully some locally made beers, prizes from SRAM, ABUS, The Pony Shop, and of course lots of good times. Word on the Internet is the best damn bike race announcer in the country and a national champion will be there too. Come join us!
  • 6:30pm-7:00pm: Food and mingle
  • 7:05pm-8:00pm: Awards
  • 8:00pm-8:30pm: Drinks and mingle
  • 8:30pm-9:00: Close down
• Speaking of ABUS, remember that Squid painted lock raffle/sweepstakes from mid-season? Turns out we raised $500 for Blackstone and West Town Bikes. Well done everyone.
• And speaking of our series charities… from your donations all season long we raised $683. The CCC will match that amount for a total of $1,366 to be split 3 ways between Blackstone, West Town Bikes, and Big Marsh for a total of $455 to each charity.
• And finally… On behalf of Blackstone Bikes and West Town Bikes, the Cuttin’ Crew would like to extend an extra warm hug for your donations at Afterglow – A Cyclocross Race. Year after year, the Cuttin’ Crew has been able to organize the funnest races on an exciting course, all in the name of the best youth cycling programs in the city. With your help, the Chicagoland CX community raised over $7,000 to split between Blackstone Bikes and West Town Bikes (including the two MEGA checks from the DuPage Cycling Foundation!!). You also helped add $800+ to support our good friends PAWS Chicago and Working Bikes. Thank you so much for making our cycling community great, and if you thought 2019 was good, wait to see you what 2020 has to bring!

• Happy New Year!
• Did you know we have an email address where you can directly reach the series all year long? Just drop us a note at chicagocrosscup at gmail dot com and we’ll get right back to you.
• Please join us for the Series Awards Party at the Rapha Chicago Clubhouse at 7pm on Saturday February 1, 2020.
• And finally… HOLY MOLY!!! The CCC’s very own Maria Larkin won the Irish National Championships over the weekend near her home county of Connacht. CX Magazine has more and a link to the race video. We can’t wait to see Maria flying the Irish national colors next season here in Chicagoland. CONGRATULATION MARIA!!!

• Hi everyone. We home you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and/or danced around the Festivus Pole with vigor last week.
• There’s been lots of great CX racing in Europe over the last few days so hopefully you have been able to watch at least some of it.
• While it may seem far away now, don’t forget the last USA Cycling national championships of this decade will take place here in Chicagoland in just over 11 months in Cantigny Park. We’re looking forward to seeing you all there.
• And finally… speaking of seeing you all there… the 2019 CCC Series Awards Party (don’t call it a banquet) will take place Saturday February 1st 2020 at the Rapha Chicago Clubhouse in Wicker Park. We’ll have cowbells, awards, tacos, juice boxes, and some adult beverages as we celebrate and award our Series Overall Winners. We hope you can make it there if you can to officially finish off the season.

• AFTERGLOW CX was a success. Thanks to everyone who came out to Douglas Park on a cold December day to race and support West Town Bikes and Blackstone Bicycle Works. Results are over here.
• Congratulations also to everyone who traveled to Tacoma for USAC CX Nationals this past week. We saw a few great results from CCC regulars as well as a few alumni. Excellent job everyone. Results are here.
• And don’t forget one year from now US nationals will be here in Chicagoland, technically Cantigny Park in Wheaton. Get ready, its going to be fun!
• The CCC series awards party will be held at the Rapha Clubhouse in Wicker Park, Chicago. We’re still working out the final details, so please stay tuned.
• Plenty of 2019-2020 CX racing still to come in Europe. Grab a live stream, maybe even fake bet on a ridiculous proposition, and stay warm through February for CX Worlds.
• And finally… we’ll be shutting down the site for the winter and posting few if any weekly updates going forward. But before we go… thanks again for making 2019 another unforgettable and fantastic CX season here in Chicagoland. We had a great time racing and hanging out with all of you, and despite all the rain, and mud, and more rain, and more mud, and oh yeah, more mud, at the end of the day its you the riders, supporters, family, and friends of the CCC that make the series so gosh darn awesome. This really is the best amateur CX series in the country because of all of you and we’re so lucky to be a part of it. A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!!

• SUNDAY, December 15, 2019
• Please use #AfterglowCX, very important to remember the “CX”.
• Afterglow is what lingers when the ChiCrossCup concludes and you’re not ready to quit. Chicago Cuttin’ Crew throws a great race at Douglas Park Golf Course in Chicago to collect funds, cycling parts, and clothing for our youth cycling programs from the South and West sides. 
• We are a DECADE in, and so SO proud to continue the pledge drive for Blackstone Bikes and West Town Bikes. This year, we will also host a buncha fun chaos with the midday Working Bikes’ Run What WE Brung Hot Lap, along with the cutest race of the season, DoggoCross to benefit PAWS Chicago! 
• To add, the Relay Hot Lap is bound to be STACKED. Choose two to three friends, grab matching non-spandex outfits, and Bring Your Own Baton. We’ll give you two numbers to fight it out.
• Afterglow always has equal payouts for men and women (zero dollars). And while it is the most affordable race on the calendar, bribes in the form of donations are always accepted in exchange for a spot on the front row. 
• Registration is at www.bikereg.com/afterglow. We will have a donation box on-site to collect your gently used gear, clothing, and cash money.
• Can’t race? Feel free to fiscally compete at www.pledgereg.com/afterglow! Half Acre Cycling and Comrade Cycles are currently leading the board with their $1,000+ donations! 
• Day-of registration and number pickup opens at 9am near the start/finish. Bib numbers will go on your RIGHT side, and course runs counterclockwise. Best place to park is on Inner Ogden Avenue, just on the outside of the course.
• A wheel/equipment pit will be available. Wheels/bike in, wheels/bikes out. 
• Podiums will be presented shortly after each race, and we will have limited edition 2019 Cuttin’ Crew prizes for those victorious.
• Thank you for continuing to support the young people of our city — their programs not only provide transportation to the races and food and snacks, but also a sense of home and accomplishment for the beloved young people of our community. 
• See you Sunday!
• Course:

• And there you have it… the conclusion of the 2019 Chicago Cyclocross Cup. Montrose Beach / MidWest Regional Cyclocross Champions were great, in a million ways. Thanks to Spidermonkey Racing for hosting, and for everyone… racers, parents, family, friends, supporters, sponsors, Alderman, food trucks, dogs, Carl Jeppson, Divvy bikes, etc. for coming out and ending the series in the best way possible.
• Links to all series results, lap times, and CrossResults.com are over here.
• Photos from SnowyMountain are here and Mike Nauman will have his up soon. See Mike’s photo’s here.
• Speaking of results, we’ve asked Siri and double checked with Alexa and have the final series standings tabulated and posted here. Congratulations again to all series winners and everyone who came out in 2019, pinned a number, and competed.
• We’ll again be hosting the 2019 Season Awards Party at the Rapha Clubhouse in Wicker Park, sometime in January. Look for details soon for when we’ll be ringing the victory cowbells. Expect Big Star tacos and both adult and kid friend beverages again.
• If you want to make the CCC season last longer, series sponsor Mark Payares is producing ChiCrossCup t-shirts over on localitee.clothing. Pick up one today and a portion of the proceeds go towards making the series even more awesomerer.
• The series may be over the CX season is not. Good luck to everyone heading out to Tacoma, WA for the 2019 USA Cycling National Championships starting today through Sunday 12/10/1019-12/15/19. We’ll be keeping an eye on One2Go Results and USAC’s twitter feeds for any and all CCC’ers with results. And remember, next year in 2020 USAC CX Nationals are here in Chicagoland at Catigny Park in Wheaton.
• And finally… the CX season is not actually done yet here in Chicago. This coming Sunday 12/15/2019 the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew hosts ‘Afterglow – A Cyclocross Race’ in Douglas Park to benefit Blackstone Bicycle Works and West Town Bikes. Its still a race, for the most part, but Afterglow is always a great, low-key, fun and relaxed way to end the season and help support 2 rad organizations. We’ll see you there!!!