‘Nough said… see you all on Sunday!
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Just another reminder that online registration for Jackson Park closes tonight at midnight.
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– Just another reminder that online pre-reg for Jackson Park closes tonight at midnight. Thanks for the more than 225 of you that have already pre-reg’d… you’ll make things run a lot smoother on Sunday. The 4As are almost full (75 rider max), but there is still plenty of room in all other fields. If you haven’t pre-reg’d… what are you waiting for? Do it now!
– Please note, you can always see who’s pre-registered for each race by going to the ‘Confirmed Rider‘ link at the top of each race’s main BikeReg page. If you’re wondering if a race is still open, see how many riders are pre-registered (number at the bottom of each field) and then check the field limit column on the main reg page. When a race is full, its full.
– If for some reason you really don’t like pre-registering, remember there is an additional $5 late fee for day-of registration. Save time and money… register now. Tell all of your friends who don’t have computers.
– Number pick up and day-of registration will open at 8:30am for all races in the series… that gives the masters 30+ and 40+ 1.5 hours to get their numbers and warm up. However, if you are racing later in the day, please let the earlier fields register first so they can get ready. Thanks!
– There will be no call ups at Jackson Park since no one yet has any series points. Top 10 category call ups will begin at Dekalb/Hopkins Park.
– Results will be posted as quickly as possible after each race and there will then be a 15 minute protest period. If results need to be changed due to a protest they will be fixed and reposted. However, after results are posted and considered final they will NOT be changed. If you need to leave and can’t wait around for final results, then make sure you have someone else checking for you. We will NOT change results after they are considered final on race day, so please do NOT email us next Tuesday (or Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, etc…) asking for your placing to be changed.
– And finally… please be respectful of your fellow competitors, the park, spectators, and random people walking by trying to figure out what the “H E Double Hockey” stick we’re all doing out there. Use the trash cans, porta-potties, and designated parking spots. We’re all out there to have a little fun, so don’t do anything silly that would prevent us from coming back next year. Thanks!!!
– Don’t forget that online pre-registration closes at Midnight Thursday night for Jackson Park. You can still register at the race on race day, but its much, much easier for everyone if you reg ahead of time. If you’re registering day-of, you will likely have to wait in line while you watch guys and gals who pre-reg’d grab their number(s) and go. Also remember cash is preferred on race day, we’ll take personal checks, but absolutely NO credit cards. Thanks!
– Also at Jackson Park… xXx Racing team shop Get a Grip is providing nice raffle prizes to the tune of ONE bike fit ($325 value) and ONE deluxe bike tune-up ($150 value). Raffle tix will be $2 each or $5 for 3 with all money going directly to World Bicycle Relief. Win some great service while helping out a worthy cause.
– Another reminder for Juniors… you race entry fee is free, but if you do NOT have an annual USAC license you will still need to purchase a One-Day license for $10.
– In other online registration news, you can now register for the IIT Swap and Hop clinic here. Space is limited. Please note the date change to October 31st.
– We’re very excited to welcome three new and returning sponsors to the CCC. Kenda, Mad Alchemy Embrocation, & Sheila Moon Clothing will be supplying schwag to the series. What’s embrocation? Find out more here. More sponsors are still in the works, and we’re always looking for additional sponsors to help with the CCC.
– The CCC has a standard payout schedule. You can see it here. However, some promoters are able to source more prizes and money, so make sure to check after your race to see if you won anything. Here’s a hint… ask the promoter, not the officials.
– Team Names: Please note the registration system we’ll be using this year will display the team name on your USAC annual license… not necessarily what you enter in BikeReg or on your day-of registration waiver. So if you’re switching teams from Road to CX, please make sure to make the switch in your USAC profile here. Also, please be aware that USAC has both Team AND Club designation and some of you have not designated a team name (which can be different from your club name). If you don’t have a team name we will use your club name. The overall team classification will based on the team name in your USAC profile (one-day license riders will not count).
Masters categories are for 30+, 40+, and 50+ riders of any category… so there are some Cat 1/2/3’s in there as well cat 4’s. The Cat 1/2’s might be winning these races and they are held earlier in the day, but the field sizes are smaller and the courses are just as much fun… even if you aren’t the winner.
Cat 4B is for true beginners, guys (and gals) riding mountain bikes or converted road bikes, foam-core helmets with spandex covers, and US Postal Team jerseys (we love you guys!).
The Cat 4As are for new or somewhat experienced Cat 4 riders, those other riders that are maybe just not ready yet to move up to Cat 3, or guys who show up in Super Girl outfits.
If you’re brand new to the sport (awesome, thanks for racing!), it makes sense to start off in one of the Cat 4 fields. Note however that points are NOT transferable from the 4Bs to the 4As, or from age group to category races… so if you plan on going for the overall you’ll need to stay in the same category. That being said, if you’re in the 4Bs and winning every race… you should probably move up to the 4As for a better challenge and to let some of the other new riders try and win. ; )
Also, some of you studs might want to race the 4As AND the 4B, but we have limited field sizes in the 4’s, so if the fields look like they’re going to fill up, please try to stick to just one race to give everyone a chance to participate.
– Juniors! You are again enjoying free race entry this year thanks to EJ’s Place in Skokie. However, if you do not have an annual USAC Road/Track/CX license you will still need to purchase a one day license at each race for $10. Still, not a bad deal!
– Just a reminder, any and all upgrades need to be done through the our local technical director (Dave Fowkes). You can apply for upgrades on your USA cycling rider profile page. You will only be allowed to race in your designated CX category. USAC rules state that you are allowed to race down one CX category from your Road category. However, cross is technically considered a road category, so unfortunately annual USAC mountain bike racing licenses do not count too… and you’ll have to either purchase a road/track/CX licnense ($60) or race on a one day license ($10). Either way, we highly recommend purchasing an annual USAC license if you don’t already have one. You also will NOT be eligible to win the State Championship jersey without an annual license. UPDATE: Sorry for the confusion, both road AND mountain bike annual licenses are good for racing cross!!! But you’ll still have to race in the CX category on your annual license.
– We anticipate yet another growth spurt in our rider base for 2009 and are planning on challenging our riders again by creating courses that will prepare them for the national and other regional races. Even though nationals are in Bend, OR this year one of our goals is to encourage as many riders as possible to participate in the USA Cycling National CX Championships (Dec 10-13) to show the rest of the country that midwest cross is just as competitive as East and West coast.
– CX practices: We’ve heard of others, but these are the CX practices we “officially” know about. Please remember to respect all parks and fellow recreators when practicing!
Pony Shop (Wednesdays, 6pm) in James Park, Evanston.
Bicycle Heaven (Tuesdays, 6:15pm) – Starts Sept 15th. The shop is at the corner of Rt 25 and Rt 38 in downtown Geneva (12 East State St., Geneva, 60134). It is all bike path with a course on grass at the ½ point as a kind of pseudo and very short race. It’s a tempo ride other than the grass course section and the whole shebang lasts for about 1:45. Find the route here.
MOX (Wednesday, 6pm) in Chicago. New bike shop MOX has introductory sessions… see the website for more info.
– Got Single Speed? The Hopkins CX race in DeKlab hosted by North Central Cyclery and Half Acre Cycling will have a Single Speed/Fixed Gear category run at the same time as the women Cat 4 and Juniors races (high noon). We’ll call it the “Unofficial” IL State SS CX Championship. However that the SS/FG race is not a part of the CCC and will not be scored for the overall. NCC will have separate prizes for the SS/FG crowd… NCC also has some other goodies in store for us including boots, t-shirts, and cowbells.
Some (more) fun from the East Coast.
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hat tip: Newt
Categories: Video
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– If you missed the earlier announcement last week… xXx Racing received all of their permits for the first CCC race of the season at Jackson Park and registration is live and open on BikeReg.com. Please pre-register as it makes all our lives a lot less hectic on race day and help the officials tabulate results much more quickly!
– Other races including North Central Cyclery’s Dekalb’Hopkins Park and ABD’s Barlett/Sunrise Park races are also online. Holy cow the CCC just threw up all over BikeReg’s midwest CX calendar!
– North Branch Cycling’s Carpentersville and Bicycle Heaven’s St. Charles/Campton races should be up soon. Will anyone bring their Halloween attire to St. Charles this year?
– The South Chicago Wheelmen are moving their venue from the South Chicago Lansing venue to the North West suburbs Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. That’s right… crossing it up on a golf course! Fairways, sand pits, rough, maybe some hybrid Kentucky Bluegrass, but hopefully no gophers. While final details are still in the works, the Wheelmen promise to have lots of fun in store for us this year, including a title sponsor of Fat Tire! Registration is live and open here on BikeReg.com.
– More big news… Beverly Bike Vee-Pak (of professional CX video fame) have stepped up and will be hosting a race at the newest CCC venue on 10/11/09 in the Dan Ryan Woods. We unfortunately lost our Hawthorn Woods venue but are very excited for BBVP to be the newest CCC promoter. Look for more details soon. Online registration will of course be on BikeReg and will be up and running soon.
– In still more venue news, Garner Northbrook & Flatlandia continue to meet with the folks up in Northbrook to try and bring the November 8th date back to that park. Promoter Chris Henning tells us however that if the race is approved to expect even bigger and better things than last year!
– CX Magazine ran a great article last week on gluing CX Tubular Tires, written by none other than New England CX Junior Phenom Nick Keogh. Of if you want to go the Belgian way, Stu Thorne of CyclocrossWorld.com offers his tips and tricks. But if you’re not up to the task yourself, we know a guy up in Evanston who glues a lot of tubies. Then again, for many of you, “thinking before you glue” might be a good idea. But if you still want a set of sew-ups, Rob Curtis from Bicycle Heaven has some killer deals on hand built tubular wheel sets… check them out at Psimet.com.
– Speaking of, we haven’t heard directly from any of you with pix of your new or refurbished CX rigs, but it seems more than a few people are getting some fancy new bikes. We can’t wait to see them all in action in just a few short weeks!
– The Illinois Institute of Technology will be hosting a Swap and Hop on Saturday October 24th. Admission is $5 at the door. Sell your old gear, pick up some new (or “pre-owned”) stuff, and learn some cross skills. Details at SwapandHop.com.
– Still wondering how to get on and off your bike properly? Looking for a little competition to test yourself? Or just looking for some more CX fitness (read: puking on your handlebars)? Burnham Racing holds informal cross practice in Humboldt Park on Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting ~5:45pm complete with barriers. Stop by if you want a nice mid-week ride.
– And finally, there’s a new team in town called Rhythm Racing and they are our newest CCC family member. Rhythm Racing, headed by Lew Chin & John Villena, will be providing neutral support at all CCC races throughout the season starting after Jackson Park (where Get A Grip will be wrenching). Please note RR’s neutral support is free of charge before and after your race but NOT during your race. All CCC races are run under USAC CX rules which state you can NOT accept help from others during a race… so the pit is always wheels in, wheels out (or bikes in, bikes out for all you Masters and P12 racers). Rhythm Racing will help you get ready for your race, or help to assess any carnage afterwards, but they will NOT be supplying spare wheels, pedals, seat posts, stems, bars, or anything else that happens to jiggle loose during the race. Also, please do not show up on race day and except the Rhythm Racing guys to rebuild your bike. Please be friendly and thankful, and remember these guys are helping all CCC racers. Many thanks to Lew, John, and the entire Rhythm Racing team!
Good luck to all those ‘crosser racing in this weekend’s Palos Meltdown!
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