t)
|
Washington Park a
spooktacular success
Sunny skies and warm temperatures marked a great day of racing in Milwaukee at Washington Park. This perennially popular race had even more costumed racers than years past and awards for the top 10 races. Photos: Photos by Robin: Gibbs Lake race sunny and dry In a vast departure from the snow, mud and cold of 2006 this year's Gibbs Lake Cyclocross race was held under sunny skies with temperatures in the 70s. Although the course had many of the same features it felt like an entirely different race experience. Photos: Photos by Robin: Whitewater Trash DashWarm temperatures and sunny skies greeted racers at the UW Whitewater Cycling Team's Trash Dash cyclocross race. Unlike last year's mud fest this year's race was fast with lap times of only 3-4 minutes in most races. Photos: WCA Racing Set to Resume Oct 20-21WCA Cyclocross Racing Resumes Oct 20-21 with racing first at Whitewater and then at Gibbs Lake outside Janesville. The race in Janesville will be handing out 75% of the registration fees in prize payout. This year's Gibbs Lake race should have a different feel if it isn't once again hit with snow showers. With the weather looking dry on Sunday it should be like a whole new race. Whitewater's race will once again be held at the dump/aero modeling field. Gibbs Lake Cyclocross Race flyer now available. Whitewater Trash Dash flyer now available. Madison Cross weekend a huge success
Badger Cross Results Badger Cross Photos:
Badger Cross Raises Funds to Send Collegiate Racers to CX Nationals The Capitol Velo Club and Homegrown Cycling are pleased to announce that $1 from each race entry at Badger Cross will be set aside to fund UW collegiate racers to attend Cyclocross Nationals. UW students interested in attending Cyclocross Nationals and needing financial assistance will need to apply by November 12 to be considered. Winners will be notified on or before November 19. MORE INFORMATION Lapham Peak Kicks Off WCA Cross Season Sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted cyclocross racers for the start of the Wisconsin Cycling Association series. Saturday's events included a hill climb and a time trial to challenge racers. Sunday's race featured a typical cyclocross race on the classic Lapham Peak course. On Sunday the elite women's race was won by last year's series champion Kristen Wentworth (Team Kenda Tire). Brian Matter (PCW) held off a hard charging field to take the elite men's win. Look for full results on the WCA webpage.
Photos: MN/WI Challenge Race Cancelled The promoters were unable to gather the necessary resources to make the MN/WI Challenge races to be held in Eau Claire happen. They decided it would be better to cancel now so that people could make plans to attend other races. The MN series may add new races to their schedule on that weekend. Schouten joins the Planet Bike Cyclocross Team Madison, Wisc.- September 21, 2007 - Planet Bike, a leading manufacturer of innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories, is proud to announce that it will be sponsoring Tristan Schouten for the 2007 cyclocross season. This announcement comes in addition to the company''s title sponsorship of the Wisconsin State Cyclocross series, and the founding of the Planet Bike Cyclocross team.
Last season Schouten,
a Wisconsin native, left a strong impression on Planet Bike as
he was named a member of the US Cyclocross team and spent
several weeks racing in Europe, culminating with the UCI World
Championships in
"We''re very excited
to sponsor Tristian for this season," said Bob Downs, founder
and CEO of Planet Bike. "He brings a lot to the table as a
national caliber racer, and we''re proud to tell folks he''s
from Planet Bike designs high quality bicycle accessories that make it easier and safer for people to ride their bikes. Since its inception in 1996, Planet Bike has believed that the bicycle can improve our environment and our quality of life. Therefore, each year it has donated at least 25% of profits to causes that promote and facilitate the use of bicycles. By the end of 2007, Planet Bike will have donated more than $500,000 to the grassroots advocacy movement. Cyclocross Training Class Announced at Zoned4Fitness Zoned4Fitness
will be offering a 5 week training session on Tuesday nights
from Oct 2-Oct 31. The cost is $50 for all 5 sessions or
$15 per session. The classes are at 6:30 pm and are
geared to improve skills and cyclocross fitness and performance.
The class will cover: • Ride a pace faster than you ever thought possible • Develop power and speed • Experience a decisive difference in climbing strength, endurance, power, recovery rate and overall cycling performance • Time-effective, no guesswork training solutions to fit your individual cycling goals. • Coached by Angie Sturtevant, USA Cycling Elite Level 1 & Power Cycling Coach • Ride the CycleOps 300PT Indoor Cycle, offering a custom fit, sleek bike geometry, computer with download capability and PowerTap equipped! OR bring your own bike & use the CycleOps Fluid Trainer or eMotion rollers. Power Tap wheel rental also available. See the Zoned4Fitness for more information. |
Clif Bar Development Team promotes sustainabilityThe Clif Bar Development Team
is about more than just racing cyclocross as they are also
working to further their mission of sustainability.
VeloNews TV has several features with team manager Ben Turner
and with team members Danny Summerhill and Brady Kappius.
Check them out online at:
|
The
Saturday Cam-Rock race was held under partially sunny skies and
riders were treated to fast, dry conditions. Sunday,
however, brought cloudy skies and intermittent rains showers and
mud, mud and more mud.SPCS #4 started with more of the same, dry gusty winds and a bumpy course but more hungry racers came out to the first-ever UCI cyclo-cross event in Southern California. It started early with the grass roots racing. Racers were happy that the course had flattened out a bit from Saturday's races but the winds gained strength from the day before reaching up to 60mph. The wind was ridiculous. During one of the long straight-a-ways, the racers who pedaled directly into the wind resembled brook trout swimming upstream.
But later as the elite UCI races approached their start times, the winds died down and spectators and competitors pooled together on and along the course. Southern California might not have a lot of mud and snow in its 'cross season but what it lacks in weather it makes up for with tall grass on long sloping climbs, fast descents that lead into sandy rollers and a dauntingly rough course. In the second day of events, more elites stepped to the line in both categories. MORE
Haskell, McLaughlin victorious in Chicago
Summer hit Chicagoland once again for the Carpenter Park, Chicago Cyclocross Cup Race #2; this marked a contrast from last year’s rainy, damp and cold day. Yesterday’s temperatures hovered around 80 degrees Fahrenheit which did not stop 200 cross racers (164 in 2006) from braving the heat to get in some cross racing. In addition, to the great racing the day was filled with music, food, and local vendors.
In the women 1/2/3, collegiate sensation Devon Haskell (Get-A-Grip/University of Chicago) continued her local domination by holding off the field of seven chasing women. June Upshaw (Verdigris Custom Homes) in 2nd followed by Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire) in 3rd. We suspect that Devon Haskell (Get-A-Grip/University of Chicago) has her eyes set for the State Jersey in the upcoming Illinois State Cyclocross Championship on December 9.
The women cat IVs was wide open because Debbie Pielet (Albertos) upgraded and will be racing in the higher category. With this in mind, the win was there for the taking. Ten women lined up at the starting line and once the whistle blew the charging field hit the first left turn. Three women were together thru lap one, however, with some women having better technical skills than others this allowed a separation and a gap was formed. The gap proved difficult to close down and in the end, Lindsay Jones took the win with Heidi Sarna and Imelda March (Team Kenda Tire) chasing.
John Tomlinson (XXX Racing/AthletiCo) dominated in the junior once again and rode away with the win.
The Pro/1/2 men saw Scott McLaughlin (SRAM Factory Team) take the victory followed by Luca Lenzi (Vision Quest) and David Sachs (Vision Quest).
Further information about the Chicago Cyclocross Cup can be found by visiting www.chicrosscup.com
UCI cyclocross weekend hits So Cal and so does Planet Bike
On October 20th and 21st cyclocross will come alive in Southern California at Hansen Dam Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley for what is sure to be one of the most dramatic backgrounds for a fun-filled weekend of UCI-level racing. The weekend forecast of 80 degree weather will surely heat up races #3 & #4 of the SoCalCross Prestige Series. CICLE Cross starts the weekend with grassroots racing as Team CICLE shows racers how to pedal their way to a greener future. Clif Bar has introduced to a Green Promoter’s Checklist. SoCalCross is working to become Certified Green by following these guidelines and reducing our impact on the environment.Dam Cross on Sunday, 10/21 will go down in history as the first ever UCI cyclocross race in So Cal. Home of last year’s SCNCA district championships, Hansen Dam Park’s bowl-like features create a perfect atmosphere for lots of dramatic racing action! And not to disappoint, course designer Jonathan Livesay is pulling out some of his course design magic to create a top quality UCI power course consisting of 60% grass, 30% pavement and 10% dirt demanding the most of its challengers! Racers will start out on a long paved straightaway as the course leads racers up the grass then down a steep hillside and into a hairpin turn that will cause most to succumb to the steep grade and forced off the bike for a long uphill run. A combination of off-camber corners will loop racers back into the expo and met by the Redline-Clif Bar double barriers. The course heads out of the expo winding uphill then into some tight off-camber corners separated by long straight-aways on dirt and pavement. One last dramatic hairpin-technical section can make or break a race before bombing downhill to the start/finish straight which will determine each day’s champions.
In this first ever UCI showdown in Southern California, this weekend is sure to create a buzz never heard before and start what is sure to become a rivalry in the State for years to come. In the elite men’s race, local heavy hitters like Brent Prenzlow (Alan North America), young Chance Noble (Cal Giant) will show off their potential while dad, two-time Nat’l CX Champion Mark Noble (Time Factory) can hold his own and new to the top of SoCal’s elite Fritz Bottger (Team Bearclaw) will challenge out of town competitors vying for UCI points. Visiting notables include Planet Bike’s Tristan Schouten. Last season Schouten, a Wisconsin native, was named a member of the US Cyclocross team and spent several weeks racing in Europe, culminating with the UCI World Championships in Belgium.
In the elite women’s race, Team CICLE’s group of 7 elite racers including CA State MTB Final Winner, Christie Pleiss and veteran Dorothy Wong will challenge Junior phemon Coryn Rivera (Kahala/La Grange) along with visitors from up North like Cal Giant’s Melodie Metzger and rumor has it Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) may make an appearance.
West Lafayette Indiana Cross
A new cyclo-cross race has been scheduled for Saturday, Nov 17th, in West Lafayette, IN. The total prize list is $3,500 with the possibility to race twice for Juniors 17-18, collegiate riders, and masters. The course does not contain steep hills, but is made technical is some parts and fast in others. This race is organized by 2wheelsports the same grop that promotes the US Grand Prix in Louisville at the end of October. Flyer.
U.S. National Cyclocross Championship Course Tough on
Competitors, Great for Spectators
The nearly two-mile-long course through Wyandotte County Park
in Kansas City, Kan., was unveiled today on the race's official
website,
www.kccrossnationals.com.
Online registration for the Dec. 13-16 National Championships
continues through Dec. 8.
Race Director Bill Marshall of KLM Marketing Solutions had a
solid blueprint for the national championship course design,
having staged several UCI races in the 360-acre park, which
features rolling terrain in the scenic setting of hillside oak
and lakeside sycamore trees.
"We wanted to make the course very hard," Marshall said.
"Cyclocross is tough, no matter what. Our intention was to make
this course both technical and fast."
The signature element is a pair of back-to-back stair sections,
each 40-feet in length, that come about a quarter-mile from the
finish line.
"You'll run up the first set of stairs, get back on your bike
for a brief time, then dismount and run up the second set,"
Marshall said. "This is going to be crucial as we found out in
Providence last year at nationals. They had two run-ups close to
the finish and it makes it very interesting if it is a tight
race."
Another crucial element of the course design was to make it as
spectator-friendly as possible, Marshall said. Nearly the entire
course is viewable from several vantage points. A barrier
section, positioned between a pair of heated spectator tents,
will also be a prime viewing spot.
Special attention was given to the start area to ensure that
competitors who do not have the most prime starting positions
have the opportunity to move up quickly before the course
narrows.
"That first grass section is extremely wide open and slightly
uphill as it leads into the first sweeping right-hand turn,"
Marshall said. "We tried to make it as close as possible to the
start you would see on a UCI course. Eventually, though, there
are a few turns to slow it up and create opportunities to get
away."
Where the course doubles back on itself in several places could
also prove particularly tricky, he said.
"This course has some decent hills - not the steep ones like you
saw in Providence for nationals last year - but ones that are
going to be tough in all conditions," Marshall said. "They're
long uphills so if it's icy, they'll be particularly
treacherous. If it's dry, the course will be rippin' fast."
Racers will also have to negotiate a section of the course that
passes close to a pond - one that was covered in ice when
four-time national cyclocross champion Steve Tilford crashed
into it during a race last year. Incredibly, Tilford recovered
from the frigid plunge to come back and win.
"We're officially labeling that pond as the 'No Tilly Zone' this
year to recognize that feat," Marshall said.
Racers will have the unique opportunity to preview the national
championship course on Sunday, Oct. 28 at the Boulevard Cup. For
more information regarding this race, go to
www.kcbike.com.
There is no admission fee for the U.S. Cyclocross National
Championships. Parking is also free, but only in designated
areas. There is no fee for pit access. Official race apparel is
on sale through the event's official website,
www.kccrossnationals.com.
ATHLETE REGISTRATION:
www.kccrossnationals.com/NEW_SITE/Registration/index.html
Madison Race Weekend Details
For all the information on the big weekend of Madison cross racing on October 13 and 14 check out our special webpage dedicated to providing all the latest race weekend information. You can make a weekend out of it by doing the Cam-Rock race on Saturday, after the race stop by Escape Coffee to watch Cyclofile and then hit the big cross party, and then racing again on Sunday at Badger Cross.
Monday, October 8th looked to be a rain soaked affair in Viroqua, but instead the weather was perfect. Muddy, but sunny, and a bit slow in the Velcro like mud and grass. People have said that the grass in the Midwest is like the grass of Europe. I don't know about that, but it did take a bit of water pressure to clean off the 'mud-shedding tires'. But again, I prefer muddy and warm to muddy and frozen with scores of hypothermic kids wandering around in the street. Anyway, it was a good day of racing here in Viroqua!
Boulevard Cup to be held October 28 in Kansas City
Do you like a bike race with live music, free beer, great food, and a huge raffle? Then head to Kansas City on October 28 and check out the Boulevard Cup. In addition, this race will give you a chance to preview the course for Nationals. The race organizers have dialed in a 3K course that has it all; power sections, sand, stairs, omigosh-I'm-gonna-die technical sections...and definitive proof that Kansas is not flat. For more information check out the race flyer at kcbike.com.
De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series Opener
Lawrence, Kansas Cross Race promoters Gerard Arantowicz and Chris Locke are getting final preparations underway for the 6th annual Chris Cross International held at the majestically scenic Clinton Lake State Park on October 14, 2007.
"We expect a big crowd in preparations for the National Event held near here in December. The local 'cross scene is buzzing here in the Midwest. People are ecstatic to have nationals once again since the 2000 event and are eager to start the 07 cyclo-cross season," says Arantowicz.
The Chris Cross International first held in 2001 offers a fast and furious course, with numerous twists and turns. "People could get dizzy on this loop," exclaims Locke, the president of Cow Town Cycling Team." We offer a variety of terrain features, with gravel sections, pavement, a sand pit, rollers and tree line paths."
This event is the first of the Paceline Products sponsored series called the De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series, offering some of the finest racing in the Kansas City region. Other events in the series include the Riverside Cyclocross Festival, Lantern Rouge CX and the Kansas State Cyclocross Championships.
"We're stoked for the new season to be getting underway. Chris Cross is a great event to show case our new series," Locke states enthusiastically.
Official event website: www.kansascitycross.comChicago Cyclocross Cup Race #2 and Revised Schedule
The Chicago Cyclocross Racing series has begun and the second race of the series, the Chicago Cyclocross Cup Race #2 will be held on Sunday, October 21. The race is presented by North Branch Cycling Club of Carpentersville, Illinois and Main Street Bicycles of Elgin, Illinois. The series will end on Sunday, December 9 with the Illinois State Cyclocross Championship.
Revised Chicago Cyclocross Cup Schedule 2007
10:00 a.m. Masters 30+ (45 minutes)
11:00 a.m. Masters 40+ (45 minutes)
12:00 p.m. (staggered starts)
- Blue Competition Cycles Women Cats 1-3 (45 minutes)
- Sun Ringle Women Cat 4 (30 minutes)
- Lake/EJ's Place Juniors (30 minutes)
1:00 p.m. (staggered starts)
- Blue Competition Cycles Cat 1-2 (60 minutes)
- Sun Ringle Cat 3 (45 Minutes)
2:15 p.m. Men's Cat 4 A “Advanced Racers” - (Licensed or One-day by
choice)
3:00 p.m. Men's Cat 4 B “Beginner Racers” - (One Day licenses or first
year racing).
Points will be awarded for each race with the winner of each category receiving an Overall Series Winner jersey.
All races in this series will use the new USA Cycling cyclocross racing category classification. A rider maybe classified from 1 to 4 respectably. Further information about our series can be found by visiting www.chicrosscup.com
Don't miss the Brookside Cyclocross Race on November 11
Find out more about the Brookside Cyclocross race on November 11 by watching their video from last year. This race is part of the growing Ohio Valley Cyclocross series.
New Look, Same Development and
Sustainable Cycling Mission for CLIF BAR Team
Boulder, CO - September 25, 2007 - CLIF BAR is pleased to announce it's
title sponsorship of the American Cycling Association's development yclo-cross team for ages 13-22. Now in it's fourth season, the CLIF BAR
Development Cyclo-Cross Team builds on the solid foundation built by the
former TIAA-CREF/CLIF BAR team, and meshes nicely with the large ACA
Mudskippers team of 8-12 year olds.
The team will be featuring a new green look to correspond to the team's
pioneering sustainable cycling mission, with plenty of green on the
uniforms
and green Salsa Chili con Crosso bikes. Thanks to inspiration and
support
from CLIF BAR, Pedro's, and many other sponsors, the team is stepping up
it's commitment to sustainable team operations and also increasing it's
ability to educate and inspire the cycling community about sustainable
cycling.
Now seventeen riders strong, the CLIF BAR Development team will be led
by
team captains Brady Kappius (2-time Worlds team member) and Daniel
Summerhill (2007 Junior Worlds silver medalist). Joining Kappius and
Summerhill - who took 1st and 3rd in an early Colorado race - will be
three
13-15 year olds, many rookie cross racers, and returning veterans Taylor
Lane, Andrew Barker, Jim Lennon, and Taylor Phinney.
The team will be competing in a full schedule of Colorado races, as well
as
the US Gran Prix Series and Nationals. Daniel Summerhill will be
focusing on
a more extensive schedule that will see him start the season at Cross
Vegas
this Wednesday, and include several other high-profile UCI events.
The team's mission is to not only help these young cross racers become
successful athletes, competing at the highest level in the US and Europe
-
but to help them develop into well-rounded, exceptional leaders ready to
make a difference in the cycling community and their own communities.
Please visit the team website,
www.sustainablecycling.com, for complete
information about the team, it's sponsors, and the sustainable cycling
mission. Stay tuned for exciting news about upcoming sustainable cycling
projects being developed by the CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team.