2024 State Championships Update

The votes have been tallied. The Elmhurst Cycling Classic on June 8, 2024 will be our State Criterium Championship.

We have added a State TT championship as there is now 1 TT scheduled under USA Cycling for the year under the Autobahn Omnium. The following are our current State Championships for 2024

TT: Autobahn Omnium hosted by South Chicago Wheelman March 30/31

Criterium: Elmhurst Cycling Classic June 8th

Gravel: Little Apple, August 4, Manhattan, IL

A note on voting: when we have voting for State Championships we allow 1 vote per team. We do this to help balance out the state. The overwhelming majority (at times upwards of over 80%) of licensed racers in the state live in the greater Chicagoland area. At times some of the teams in that area have been so large (some of the largest in the country) that if we allowed individual votes we might as well simply ask those teams what they want as their numbers would decide the outcome on their own. By making the vote 1 vote per team we are effectively reducing the large teams into a single and equal vote.

If as an individual you feel that your voice isn’t being heard then we highly encourage you to join a club/team so that you may help that team to vote when it comes time.

Participation in this year’s vote was low enough that the board refrained from voting.

Speaking of the board we have a new Secretary: Kaiwen (Kai) Luan (Indigo Cycling)

Also here’s a reminder regarding State Championship Jerseys. USA Cycling took steps about 3 years ago to massively change the funding each Local Association receives. The old model used to include getting a portion of each license payment. Under the new system a small portion of each rider day is sent to the LA. This has effectively cut the funding of the ICA to a small fraction of what used to be received. It no longer allows for us to pay for a free jersey for every single State Championship winner and still be able to maintain the LA resources such as the reg computer, 2 way radios used at each event, finish Lynx camera system, lap counter, etc. As such we are slowly working through the remainder of the jerseys we have in inventory. When they are gone they are gone. Working with Pactimo we will occasionally have an open “store” where a jersey in the needed size can be ordered by any winner who wishes to purchase one on their own.

If you ever win and want to purchase a jersey on your own then please let us know so that we can include you on an email when that store is opened the 1 or 2 times a year it will open. You can email us at ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com

Final Illinois Cup schedule is near completion so please look for it here when it is available.

2024 Criterium Voting and Board News

There have officially been 2 races that have submitted applications to be the 2024 Illinois State Criterium Championship. As of now all voting is open. Each Race’s statement will be at the end of this post. Each registered club with USA Cycling will be allowed 1 vote as a club. The board of the ICA will be allowed to vote as a “club” with a total of 2 votes (discussed and confirmed during the last open board meeting). Clubs may officially submit their vote via email to ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com. Voting has been extended to Feb 13 so that we may decide/announce at our next board meeting on the 14th.

The Annual Race Director’s meeting is being held at the Chicago Winter Bike Swap THIS Sunday Feb 11 from 1-3. Please use the following link to RSVP for the event so we are prepared. http://tinyurl.com/ICA-RD-Meeting At these meetings we usually cover upcoming changes in store for race directors in 2024, answer questions and generally share ideas and contacts, etc. All are welcome to attend in person or virtually. In person will be held at the bike swap venue in a meeting room on the second floor.

This year we had one individual nominated to run for the role of Secretary of the ICA. This individual will be replacing Kevin Pietka and we will formally welcome them at our next board meeting.

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Candidate 1 – Elmhurst Cycling Classic – The following is their submission in their own words:

We respectfully submit the June 8, 2024 Elmhurst Cycling Classic for Criterium State Championship venue.

We believe the State Championship designation is important as we relaunch our event post-Covid and post-Intelligentsia, and we feel we have created a schedule, arena and reputation worthy of the designation.  Our all-volunteer team is working hard to make this a fan-packed, exciting day of racing and family fun.  Some highlights:

  1. Payouts – We have attractive payouts that make Elmhurst an exciting, competitive venue.  Please note, as of early January, we are already at a $250 crowd prime for P 123 men and women each.  We expect that to grow significantly.
  2. Schedule – We generally mirrored past State Championship schedule for cycling, and have added the Elmhurst Twilight Mile so competitors can bring family or friends who want to compete on a 1 mile course in front of the same crowds.  It is a FULL DAY of activity.  We end the day with a Family Fun Ride in front of the crowds.
  3. IL Cup – We have been accepted by Chad Briggs in to the Illinois Cup and adjusted our schedule to reflect necessary categories.
  4. Venue – The race circles scenic Elmhurst University and is next to Wilder Park.  Families will have plenty to do, including park attractions and a Beer Garden at Wilder Mansion (Beer, and yes, an actual garden).
  5. Spectators – The return of the Elmhurst Cycling Classic has been met very positively by the City and residents, and there will be thousands of fans throughout the day watching the races.  For teams with a corporate sponsor, this is a fantastic opportunity to highlight their sponsor’s brand in front of spectators.
  6. Residents – The residents on the course want the race back and hope for a great turn out.  We have identified some homes that want the racers to stop by their party after they race.  We may print signs (or the residents will) for teams that send multiple racers, especially in the latter events.  Personal cheering sections!
  7. Logistics – We are easily accessible off 294/290, and have a ton of parking on the course (Elmhurst University).  There will be food, neutral support, hotel blocks at a discount, and we are working on a hospitality tent for athletes.  We anticipate this being a draw from all of Chicagoland, but also WI, MI, IN, IA and more.

Our mission – The Elmhurst Cycling Classic is the premier event of DuPage Cycling Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  We seek to:

  1. Offer a healthy lifestyle event for the area, whether bike racing, running, or fun ride
  2. We want to bring the community together, and that includes the cycling community and the residents
  3. And ultimately, we do this for charity.  If we are able to have any surplus funds after hosting the event, we drive that back in to the community through charities that help those in need.  Nobody on EMC2 nor DuPage Cycling Foundation takes any compensation.  We are doing all this to give back.

They also included the following Preliminary Flyer

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Candidate 2 – Edwardsville Rotary Criterium Festival – The following is their submission in their own words:

Our Criterium is late season, always the 3rd Saturday of August, this year August 17.   This is our fourteenth event.

The attached flyer, while not 100% final nor permitted, will allow you to visualize our event and races.

Our Criterium has a great history of an event that is safe for racers/spectator, and a very lively/large crowd.  Our course is challenging.  There’s something for most any racer.

We were pleased to host our first IL Cup in 2023 and will host another this year.  We learned a few things from last years event and have made adjustments.  We are always willing to adjust.

One change is we’ve gone from 5 minutes between races to now 10 minutes.

We are adding an award stand with a backdrop near the S/F line.  This will allow for awards, that due to time constraints, aren’t possible to be podiumed between races.

We will continue to use our mobile platform to recognize the top finishers between races, under the S/F line banner.

Edwardsville is a vibrant, growing community.  Edwardsville has ample hotel accommodations and great dining options.  Edwardsville is also surrounded by an amazing network of bike trails.

Checkout this great video of the 2023 Criterium:  https://youtu.be/sdqD9VuQTXw

Our website is in the final stages of being update/freshened.  Please don’t get the wrong impression due to last years information still being present.    https://edwardsvillecriterium.page/

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Again each registered club is allowed 1 vote. Each club may submit their vote via email to ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com until midnight on Feb 13.

2024 Early News

With the 2024 season quickly approaching we have quite a few things to go over.

Applications for the 2024 State Championships are now open. Races can put their name in the hat for selection by sending an email to ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com and including their race name, date of event, a flyer if available, and a couple of paragraphs that will be sent to all voting teams for consideration. The following championships are now open for application through Jan 27, 2024:

  • Criterium
  • Road Race
  • Mtb
  • Gravel
  • Time Trial

Voting will then take place from Jan 28 through Feb 9th. Each registered club with USA Cycling will be allowed 1 vote as a club. The board of the ICA will be allowed to vote as a “club” with a total of 2 votes (discussed and confirmed during the last open board meeting). Due to the ongoing low number of races applying we will once again forego having a State Championship Committee for 2024.

Track championships will once again be a part of the programs at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome. Refer to https://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/ for any pertinent information as it develops throughout the season.

We will open applications for the 2024 Cyclocross State Championship in June 2024.

Speaking of the board we have 3 board positions that are currently up for vote:

  • Treasurer: Currently held by Brenda Feehrey (South Chicago Wheelmen) who will run for the position again.
  • Vice President: Currently held by Michael Kelly (South Chicago Wheelmen) who will run for the position again.
  • Secretary: Currently held by Kevin Pietka who has stated he will continue to fill the role if no one steps up but would like to see someone new step up to take it over.

To nominate someone please send your nomination in to ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com through Jan 27, 2024. Do us all a favor and please discuss your nomination with the individual you are nominating before submitting it and save everyone some time and refrain from submitting it if that individual has no intention of filling the role. Voting will take place at the same time as the Championships voting.

All Clubs must be in currently good standing with USA Cycling and a member of the Illinois Cycling Association as their Local Association designator in order to place a vote.

Our annual Race Director Meeting will once again be held during the 2024 Chicago Winter Bike Swap. Interested parties may attend in person or virtually. Please use the following link to RSVP for the event so we are prepared. http://tinyurl.com/ICA-RD-Meeting At these meetings we usually cover upcoming changes in store for race directors in 2024, answer questions and generally share ideas and contacts, etc.

Speaking of race directing a new web series is being hosted by USA Cycling for all who are interested. Topics and dates are as follows:

  • Tuesday, January 23: CHAMPIONING USA CYCLING’S SAFE SPORT PROTOCOL AT SANCTIONED EVENTS
  • Tuesday, February 20: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION 101
  • Tuesday, March 19: EVENT INSURANCE
  • Tuesday, April 16: STRATEGIES TO ELEVATE YOUR EVENT
  • Tuesday, September 17: STRATEGIES FOR MARKETING YOUR EVENT
  • Tuesday, October 15: STAFFING YOUR EVENT FOR SUCCESS
  • Tuesday, November 19: BUILDING ROBUST CLUB AND COLLEGIATE CYCLING PROGRAMS

More information about the series as well as registering is available at https://usacycling.org/2024-event-organizer-webinar-series

Illinois Cup is being finalized but may see as many as 7 events take part in this years series so keep your eyes open for announcements.

State Cyclocross Championships 2023

Montrose has won the voting for State cyclocross Championships for 2023. Look to their race flyer for State Championship information.

Cyclocross State Championships 2023

After a long process we have 2 races that have requested to be the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships for 2023. As such we will post a statement from each race here and open voting up to the teams in Illinois. Each team gets 1 vote. In order to vote a team has to be a currently registered club with USA Cycling. Voting opens 8/14/23 and will close at 5pm on Monday 8/21/23. Votes may be submitted in email to ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com or via the contact form on this site. Please spread the word to all you know.

Option 1 – Pumpkin Hop Cross – Beardstown, IL Oct 7
“Greetings, cycling teams of Illinois and beyond! I’m Nathan Carls, and I’m the race director for Pumpkin Hop Cross in Beardstown, IL. In 2021, we were fortunate to be able to host the state championship races. I was so pleased to have such a great representation of riders from across the state. It was a privilege for me to be able to show and share this event that I love so much with a lot of new folks. We held two days of races, making the trip a little more worth it for those traveling longer distances. This year will be no different, and in fact even better. Night races will be on offer again (after being off for a few years) on Friday evening, followed by full days of racing Saturday and Sunday. We are running October 6th through the 8th this year, on multiple courses, and plenty of race opportunities for everyone! Since 2021 was still a little iffy regarding distancing and such, we didn’t offer food. But last year we brought that back and fed everyone! And our facilities are the tops, as well. Not luxurious, of course, but, “hot showers,” surely says a little something. For lodging, there are several AirBnB properties around, as well as hotels/motels in and around Beardstown (and camping at the park). Last year, I offered a one-price-race-all-day entry fee, and I am working on a similar model for this year, likely a weekend rate. If selected as the host venue for the Illinois State cyclocross championships, those races will be held on Saturday, October 7th. Pumpkin Hop Cross: if you know, you know. If you don’t…you should. Thanks so much for considering adding us to your CX racing schedule for 2023. Be sure to visit the Pumpkin Hop Cross Facebook page and @mid_life_cxrisis on Instagram.”

Option 2 – Montrose Harbor – Chicago, IL Dec 3
“The Montrose Beach CX race committee  is asking to be considered for the Illinois State Cyclocross championship event. The event last hosted the championships in 2018. As the largest cyclocross event in the state year-over-year, both by overall participation and by Illinois residents, it is an ideal event to crown worthy champions.

As well, the December date, the week before nationals and the end of the domestic racing season, gives participants a sense of finality to the season. The event itself has both high production value and a challenging course. The natural sand dunes provide a challenge not found at any other venue in the region. Since it last hosted the State championship the event has served as the Midwest Regional championship, and in doing so added a pavement start and expanded the pit to upgrade the racing experience to be in line with international standards.

For these reasons, along with its history as the state championship, the race committee will ensure a competitive and high-quality experience for all racers.”

Voting is now open. Please submit your votes as quickly as possible.

State Championships 2023

The ICA is currently accepting applications from races to be the 2023 State Championships in the following disciplines:

Cyclocross

TT

Road Race

Track championships will be carried out by the Northbrook Cycle Committee.

If interested please forward on a request to be considered to the ICA at ilcyclingassociation-at-gmail-dot-com

We have so few events events in many disciplines so in the case that there is multiple entries for the same championship consideration we will open up a club/team vote as we have done in the past. That said the ICA board reserves the right to pick by open board vote if the situation necessitates it for reasons such as last minute or other timing issues for situations beyond consideration.

The 2023 Criterium Championships is Cobb Park on July 9 – Gravel will be Little Apple on August 13.

2021 Early News

Let’s start by saying that any racing that is planned for 2021 is being done so “tentatively” at best.

State Championships

Applications are now available for 2021 State Championships. If you are interested in hosting a State Championship this year then please apply. The current deadline for applications is by our board meeting on Tuesday March 9, 2021. That deadline may be extended, by discipline, if we don’t receive any applications.

The 2021 Illinois State Cyclocross Championships will be contested on Saturday October 2, 2021 at the Pumpkin Hop Cross (#resurgenCX2021) at Roy Roberts Park, Beardstown, IL 62618. The race is a 2 day event but State Championships will be contested on the first day – Saturday – to help avoid conflicts with Sunday race series out of St Louis and Chicago.

From the promoter – Nathan Carls – “Wheel Fast Cycling Team is privileged to be hosting the Illinois State Cyclocross Championship in 2021 at Pumpkin Hop Cross, in Beardstown, Illinois.  The championship races will run on Saturday, October 2nd, the first of two days of racing.  In addition to the 6 daytime runnings, Pumpkin Hop Cross has also hosted 4 years of night races, and at the moment is planning on a fifth year!  These will commence in the final hours of the day once the sun has set on the State Champs.  Free camping will be available at Roy Roberts Park on Saturday night, with racers rising to a new dawn of racing on Sunday the 3rd, when a cross-series day will unfold.  Points will be awarded for both the Heart of Illinois Cyclocross Series (HICX), and the St. Louis area-based Bubba Memorial Cyclocross Series.  A beautiful geographical mash-up in the heart of our great state!  We’re excited and delighted to be hosting the state races this year.  And what a culmination this could be, as great promise is in on the horizon.  We are full of optimism for the summer and fall months and will continue to persevere.  Today’s announcement from the Illinois Cycling Association has just made the light at the end of the tunnel that much brighter!”

Pumpkin Hop Cross was the only application received for the 2020 season and was awarded the Championship then but was not formally announced. Because racing was cancelled last year their bid and award was carried over to 2021.

We need individuals to serve on the State Championship Selection Committee. We need 5. Please let us know by emailing the ICA at ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com

Board Elections

Three years ago the ICA Board split up elections for board positions so that we could eliminate having a completely new board that has to start from scratch after elections. As such 2 of the 5 positions are up for election this year: President – currently held by Robert Curtis, and At-Large – currently held by Chad Briggs. Nominations are open now. Submit nominations in writing to ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com . In order to save time please confirm the individual you nominate is interested in filling the role before you nominate them. Self-Nominations are acceptable. Nominations will be accepted on our monthly call Tuesday February 9 at 8:00pm CST (detailszoom link). Nominations will close by the subsequent meeting – Mar 9, 2021 08:00 PM. Voting – Each team registered with the ICA receives 1 vote for each office. Voting will be conducted the following week and results announced by or before our meeting Apr 13, 2021 08:00 PM.

Robert Curtis is planning to run for the position again but would like to say, “I love the sport and if I’m the best person to keep advocating for it then I am happy and honored to keep doing so. If there is someone out there who can dedicate more time, or thinks they’d do a better job then I’d welcome them to run as well. I want what’s best for all of us whether or not that’s me and I will help make that a reality either way.”

Chad Briggs feels similar about his position, “I would be willing to run again if there are no other candidates. I do enjoy organizing the IL Cup, but willing to defer to someone coming in with new ideas and enthusiasm for carrying that on.”

2019 State Criterium Championships Voting Results

A new system was used to determine our State Championship Criterium. The full explanation as well as all of the votes and comments are included below. To save time the final result is that the Winfield Criterium has won the voting.

Committee Vote (5 votes total): Winfield 4, Cobb 1, Lake Bluff 0
Board Vote (1.5 votes): Winfield 1/2, Cobb 0, Lake Bluff 1
Team Vote (3 votes total): Winfield 4, Cobb 6, Lake Bluff 1

Total vote Count: Winfield 4.5 , Cobb 4, Lake Bluff 1

Continue reading for the full story.

The system of voting used to determine the outcome for the 2019 State Criterium Championships is a pilot program designed to test revising the existing system of selection. Main focus of revision was to achieve the following:

  • Make the selection a transparent process. All votes are public.
    • Helps everyone see how the voting developed and see that the decision was made through general trend and majority – not through special purpose or agenda.
    • Allows for a simple record to direct others to in the future when they question race selections
    • Allows promoters of all races to begin to understand what the racers and the committee and board finds beneficial in a State Championship Race.
  • Involves the voice of the ridership
    • Makes all of the information regarding all of the possible choices available to all members and allows all teams to vote to have their opinion heard.
    • Takes the decision out of the hands of a few and places it into the hands of many.

The vote is made up of separate voting structures that allocate points to each race.

  • Selection Committee
    • More traditional system of nominated individual association members that work to review and discuss the races individually and make a decision
    • Required to vote as individuals while providing justification for their votes.
    • Each of their votes counts as a single full vote to the race each member selects.
  • ICA Board
    • Members that do not recuse themselves due to conflicts of interest with any of the races are allowed to vote
    • Each board vote counts for 1/2 of a vote
  • Team Vote
    • Each team is allowed to vote 1 time.
    • The race with the majority of team votes is selected as the “Team Selection”
    • That Team Selected race receives 3 total votes

Results:

  • Committee Vote
    • Maria Larkin – Chicago Cuttin’ Crew – Winfield Criterium (1 Vote)
      • Cobb Park, Lake Bluff and Winfield are great races and are put on by stellar teams and have made for a tough decision which we debated over two calls. Lake Bluff was ruled out early due to it’s participation in the Intelli Cup series, which already hosts the road state championships. We had heard push back from many racers on the impact of outside racers on the IL state champs. We also did not want the series to have a monopoly on state championship races. Considering the excellent course, quality competition and party atmosphere, we did not think that Lake Bluff would be adversely affected by not being awarded the crit state champs. That left us with Cobb and Winfield. Initially my vote was for Cobb based on it’s central Illinois location, the excellent SCW production and it’s affordability, Cobb Park is also benefiting from being an IL Cup race. Upon further deliberation I believe that all these reasons will ensure that Cobb Park is a well attended race in 2019 irregardless of if they host the state championships. I think that in the interest of getting encouraging attendance of more racers at more races I will be voting for Winfield Crit. While the late date on the calendar is one factor that gives me pause, I believe that Winfield will would benefit the most from hosting the state championships and have the best venue and race course to encourage dynamic and exciting racing. As a lower attended race in 2018 I believe bestowing the Crits Champs will boost their attendance and hopefully mean that we will see a Winfield crit in 2020 and beyond. The length of the season is long, but with five months between the start and the end of the season, that give enough time for people to peak for early season races, recover and then peak again coming into Memorial weekend and the final race of the season.
    • Bill Barnes – PSIMET Racing – Winfield Criterium (1 Vote)
      • I voted based on three main points of view: Promoter reputation/quality of “putting on an event”: While all three are well respected and experienced promoters, the nature of Lake Bluff’s being part of Intelligentsia cup would no doubt mean it comes with more fanfare and technical support. Course quality: Course quality is obviously subjective. I find the elevation change, and proximity to festivities at Winfield to be something a little more special than the others. Lake Bluff being part of a series could be considered either a negative or a positive, again, being subjective. Cobb Park is a fun course, but not as fun to race as Winfield in my opinion. Timeliness and how it fits into the season: Each of these has an advantage as far as the date goes, depending on your point of view. They are spread out over the peak months of the season, so the only one with a potential disadvantage in my mind is Lake Bluff – and not because of the race date itself – but because it’s compressing both the State road race, and the State Criterium championship into an already targeted week of racing (The Intelligentsia Cup). To me, it feels like it makes that week of racing more important than the rest of the season, and I would rather see racers have multiple chances to fight for a title throughout the season, even if it’s just separated by a few weeks.
    • Lisa Hilleren – BFF Bikes – Cobb Park Criterium (1 Vote)
      • Cobb Park, Lake Bluff, and Winfield are all great races and are put on by excellent teams. This certainly made it a difficult decision which the committee debated over two calls. Lake Bluff was ruled out early due to its participation in the Intelligentsia Cup series, which already hosts the road state championships. We had heard push back from many racers on the impact of outside racers on the IL state champs. We also did not want the series to have a monopoly on state championship races. Considering the excellent course, quality competition and party atmosphere, we did not think that Lake Bluff would be adversely affected by NOT being awarded the crit state champs. When it came to be time to choose between Winfield and Cobb Park, I was very torn. Both have unique advantages and great race atmospheres. My ultimate decision ended up being 100% about when in the season the races fall. I think Winfield and Cobb are both great venues and put on by great teams, but I think Winfield is just too late in the season. There are a number of folks who would be interested and in contention for state that are also geared up right now to race the early season April races. I know from my own race experience last year that trying to race in September when you geared up for April is very, very difficult. A June race gives folks time to plan a build if they want to and a fair shake to people who are also hitting the early season. Perhaps with more notice to racers going forward a September race would be more acceptable to me, but I think doing that this year doesn’t give people the chance to be fully informed when making their season plan. This is in addition to my own personal extreme mental fatigue when I think about racing a highly competitive race the week after Gateway Cup. I definitely think Winfield is a great course and would be worthy of a state championship, but the timing of events in this particular year has made Winfield a less ideal choice for the state championship in 2019.
    • Anna Affias – Spidermonkey Cycling – Winfield Criterium (1 Vote)
      • Before joining the IL Crit State Championship Committee, I anticipated choosing an IL State Championship crit race would be fairly easy. However, after much debate, turns out, narrowing it down to just one race was far too hard. Therefore, my proposal would be to allow each race to run as their own separate IL State Championship. JK. JK. JK. In all honesty, it was a really hard decision. Lake Bluff, Cobb Park, and Winfield are all great races in their own regards and each bring unique factors to the table. That said, Lake Bluff was the easiest to eliminate off the bat as we wouldn’t want both road State Championship titles given out in the same series. The real debate came down to Cobb Park and Winfield. While my initial vote was for Cobb Park, after numerous discussions with the committee, it became apparent that while both are great courses ran by respected teams, choosing Winfield as the State Championship race might help bring their numbers up and protect us from losing another race in our community. This is definitely a gamble, as we know numbers at Cobb will likely be down this year (due to loss of Glencoe racers in town), but we figured it’s our duty to give it a try. On top of trying to boost numbers, the Winfield Crit is set on a dynamic course that provides excitement for both racers and spectators alike. Therefore, my final vote for the IL State Championship race is with Winfield.
    • Andrew Zens – Burnham Racing – Winfield Criterium (1 Vote)
      • It will result in more people on bikes more often. Extension of season. Best course
  • ICA Board Vote
    • Robert Curtis – President – PSIMET Racing – Winfield Criterium (1/2 Vote)
      • I love all three of these races. It was not an easy choice. I chose Winfield because I believe the later date int he calendar will help to start to reverse the trend we have been having of ending the road season at the end of  July. I also selected it because the ABD club has been an anchor in local racing for a long time but has not been hosting as many USA Cycling sanctioned races, choosing ABR instead for many different reasons. While it was common for most in the road racing community to have deep knowledge of both sanctioning bodies and therefore heavy attendance at all races regardless I have felt that has not been the case for quite some time. ABD has made repeated efforts to help bring USA Cycling and its racers back to its events and honestly I think we in the USA Cycling community of racers have really fallen short. I personally believe the time has come for us to re-unite our racing communities and show our love and appreciation for these promoters by having their race represent what we feel to be the pinnacle of criterium racing for racers in our state. While I am gutted that by choosing Winfield I must also NOT choose Cobb Park and Lake Bluff. I trust though that everyone involved in all of these races understands that I view all of them as critically important to the racing community here in Illinois.
    • Michael Kelly – Vice President – South Chicago Wheelmen – Abstain (0 Vote)
      • Michael is currently a member in good standing of the South Chicago Wheelmen team – the named promoter of Cobb Park. As such he has decided not to participate in the vote.
    • Brenda Feehery – Tresurer – ICA – Abstain (0 Vote)
      • Although not technically on the team Brenda’s husband is a member of SCW – the team promoting Cobb Park. Brenda often helps with the race and therefore decided not to participate in the vote
    • Kevin Pietka – Secretary – CWEC – Lake Bluff Criterium (1/2 Vote)
      • I believe it is the best run race of the 3 options as well as the highest attended. We have always struggled with State Championship attendance when the race has been small or distant from Chicago. Lake Bluff is close to Chicago and is a large event with large turnout. I feel this will give the best option for large turnout as well as a challenging course.
    • Chad Briggs – At Large – Christian Cycling – Lake Bluff Criterium (1/2 Vote)
  • Team Voting – (3 Total Votes to majority winner)
    • The Cyclery – Cobb Park Criterium
    • Tower Racing – Cobb Park Criterium
    • PSIMET Racing – Winfield Criterium
    • Wølfpack Bike Racing – Winfield Criterium
    • Midwest Masters Cycling Team – Winfield Criterium
      • 1. great, challenging crit course 2. long standing crit venue 3. ABD always presents a classy event for both riders & spectators.
    • Bloomington Cycle and Fitness – Cobb Park Criterium
    • CDF Cycling – Winfield Criterium
      • Lake Bluff is awesome, however since it’s part of a series, there will be lots of out of state racers and that can “mess up” the results in terms of how the race plays out, etc.
    • xXx Racing – Cobb Park Criterium
      • While we would love to change it up from previous years, we aren’t keen on having both the State RR and Crit as part of Intelli. That said, the Lake Bluff course is a great one. Winfield would be a great courses well, but that’s too late in the season with CX dropping/burnout, etc.
    • Spidermonkey Cycling – Lake Bluff Criterium
    • Chicago Cuttin’ Crew – Cobb Park Criterium
      • Although all the listed venues are amazing, we as a team voted in favor of Cobb Park.
    • BFF Bikes – Cobb Park Criterium

Teams who didn’t vote:

  • ASU Junior Development
    Beverly Bike
    Bike Surgeon Cycling built by The Korte Company
    Bonkers Cycling
    Bouledogue Tout Noir
    Burnham Racing
    Chicago Womens Elite Cycling
    Club Bicicletta
    Comrade Cycles Racing
    DIRTy Squirrels Racing
    EMC2 / Elmhurst Masters
    George Garner Cyclery Track Team
    Half Acre Cycling
    Heckawee
    INTENT
    KLiCK Cycling
    Little Ade’s
    Main Street Bicycles Sasquatch Squadron
    Meteor-Allied
    Mox Multisport
    Northbrook Bicycle Club Inc.
    Northbrook Cycle Committee
    Northwestern University
    Pact- DISH Network Cycling
    Peoria Bicycle Club
    Plus Cycling Team
    Polish & Slavic FCU International Cycling Team
    Skunkworks Racing
    SLF Motion
    SRAM Factory
    Team Bicycle Heaven
    Team Mack Racing Assoc. LTD
    Team Veloz
    Team World Bicycle Relief
    Ten27 Cycling Club
    Tenspeed Hero
    The Bonebell
    Tuxedo Thunder Cycling
    Union Cycling Team
    University of Chicago
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    UPB Cycling
    Velo Club Roubaix Inc / VCR
    Vision Quest Coaching
    Wheel Fast Racing
    Wild Card Cycling

 

State Criterium Championships – Team Vote

As a part of determining the 2019 State Criterium Championship venue we have decided to hear form all of the teams. Each club/team that is a member of the Illinois Cycling Association is allowed to vote 1 time. Each club should select one member to vote on their behalf. Usually this should be your club or team president/leader, etc. Your choice.

Below is a brief statement from each venue:

Cobb Park, June 2, 2019.  Kankakee, Illinois

The South Chicago Wheelmen are one of the oldest, most respected bicycle teams in Illinois.  Many club members have been with the team for 20 years plus.  Three members are currently, or have recently, sat on the board of the Illinois Cycling Association.  Three members are USAC Officials.

The South Chicago Wheelmen have a long history of hosting bicycle races, averaging four per year: including the two day cyclocross racing at Pheasant Run.

The South Chicago Wheelmen have hosted many State Championship races in their long history: including the first National Cyclocross Championship in 1963.

The South Chicago Wheelmen have cultivated an excellent relationship with the community surrounding Cobb Park.  Many homes turn the event into a holiday and have large parties and cheer on the races.  Former Governor George Ryan lives on the course.

Cobb Park is a lovely park alongside the Kankakee River.  It has many amenities for the whole family making it an ideal place to spend the day.

The .7 mile course is mostly oval with a few “narrowing” spots on the backside.  It is not overtly technical.  It is, essentially, a racers course which favors the strongest rider of the day.  It offers few places to hide and cannot be finessed.  To win at Cobb Park, one must be the best rider of his category: making it an ideal course to crown a State Champion.  “

 

Lake Bluff – July 27

Thank you for the opportunity to state how holding the 2019 ICA IL State Criterium Championships in Lake Bluff, IL on Saturday, July 27, 2019 would be good for Illinois bike racing.  As you know, the Lake Bluff event is part of the Intelligentsia Cup series.  Here are some of the benefits of the Lake Bluff venue:

The Lake Bluff racecourse is tried and true. Several NCC/PRT events have been held on this course.  It is a fast, challenging six-corner course – worthy of the state crit championships.

The Lake Bluff event draws an average of 4,000 to 5,000 spectators each year in good weather, with many lawn parties around the course. A big, lively crowd of spectators makes for better bike racing.

Holding the state crit championships near the end of the crit season is an advantage in that competitors will be in good racing shape then.

Ample food and beverages (ie, beer) will be available in the vibrant Block Party area in Lake Bluff adjacent to the racecourse and live music is also scheduled there after the racing. Kids and adults will enjoy BMX stunt rider Chris Clark who will do several shows in Lake Bluff. So, competitors and family and guests will all have a good time.

Truly excellent first aid facilities are provided at the Lake Bluff venue by Northwestern Medicine, including experienced ER doctors and nurses.

Holding the state crit championships in Lake Bluff serves the Illinois cycling community by providing nearby access to many Illinois racers who live in the Chicago Metro Area and northern Illinois.”

 

Winfield Criterium – Sept 7

Founded over 37 years ago, Athletes by Design originally focused on the development of young junior riders but has now grown to include riders of all ages and abilities, including paracycling.

We host several events throughout the year beginning in January with our indoor time trial series. We also host a 3 day criterium series specifically geared towards masters racing on memorial day weekend, an end of season series known as fall fling which runs over two weekends and includes a circuit race, two criteriums, and a time trial; and our Sunrise park cyclocross race which has been a staple of the Chi-cross cup series for over 10 years.

Our biggest race of the season however has always been the Winfield criterium. For the past 21 years it has been a staple in the Chicagoland area’s road racing calendar and brings to the table a proven venue and top notch production, as well as an ability to integrate riders who are traditionally ABR Criterium racers into the mix as well.

Tied into the Winfield Good Ole Days festival, the Criterium is one of several attractions that brings out crowds and participants of all ages. It’s the perfect backdrop for hosting the State Championship and exposing the community to competitive cycling.

The course itself is very different than the flat, four corner crits commonly found in the Chicagoland area. Consisting of 9 corners, a moderate uphill on the front section of the course, and a fast winding descent before the flat and wide open finishing straight a racer at the Winfield criterium must bring more than just big sprinting legs to the table if they want to win.

Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood just east of Oakwood park in Winfield the course offers minimal traffic, ample parking, public transportation from the Winfield Metra station which is located less than a mile from the course, multiple different viewpoints for spectators, and the park itself makes the location extremely family friendly. Families living in the neighborhood have taken a liking to the race as well, often inviting family and friends over to barbecue and watch the race.

Strategically placed on a Saturday the first weekend in September it will be a perfect ending for many rider’s road season or tune up for final races like the Gateway cup. Not being a part of a series also allows us an opportunity to focus on elevating the prestige of each individual State Championship victory.

Please take a minute and vote. We wish to receive all votes by March 22, 2019

Team votes can be placed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/87KQQQP

Early 2019 News

We are attempting to test a new process for determining State Championship venues. The process will now include 3 parts – a Committee nominated by members and selected by the board form those nominations, a vote of the board, and votes of the club/team members. We are using this process to determine the 2019 State Criterium Championship venue. As such we are opening up nominations for committee members. We will need enough nominations to allow us to fill the 5 positions.

All nominations must be from a ICA licensed member (if you have a 2019 USA Cycling License that is valid and in good standing and your listed address on that license is Illinois then you are automatically a member of the ICA) in good standing and the nominated individuals must be members also. Please submit your nominations to the ICA via email at ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com

Last year the ICA board voted to shift the terms of some of the officers in an effort to allow gradual change as new officers come on board instead of a completely new board after an election as has happened in the past. It can take a long time to find all of the logins, accounts, information, files, etc so it is easy to understand why that decision was made. What that means is that the election last year for Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President were for 2 year terms and will be up for re-election next year. The position of President (currently held by Robert Curtis) was only a 1 year term. The At-Large position held by Chad Briggs was held over from the previous board and will join the President in being elected in off years.

This means that these two positions are now open for election. Robert and Chad have both expressed that they both would like to serve in those positions again and will run. That being said we are still holding an election and are now stating that this will be the open nomination period for the positions of President and At-Large for the ICA-Board. As above if you are a licensed member of the ICA in good standing you are free to nominate any other member in good standing to run for either position. That member must accept that nomination in order to participate in the election.

As in years before – once the nominations have been made all teams will be allowed to cast a single vote in each race – as a team.

The nomination period for both the committee for State Championships and for the election will be open until Monday 3/4/19.