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.

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

 

June Events

Thursday, June 2
Madison Night
http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/
Discipline: Track

Friday, June 3
CWEC @ Glencoe
https://www.usacycling.org/register/2016-1901
Discipline: Clinic

Saturday, June 4
2016 Glencoe Grand Prix p/b Illinois Bone and Joint Institute
https://www.bikereg.com/2016-glencoe-grand-prix
Discipline: Criterium

Sunday, June 5
Cobb Park Criterium
https://www.bikereg.com/wwwsouthchicagowheelmencom
Discipline: Criterium

Thursday, June 9
Keirin Night
http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/
Discipline: Track

June 11-12
HILLinois Omnium (part of the Midwest Flyover Series)
https://hillinois.com/registration
Discipline: Omnium comprised of  an Individual Time Trial, a Circuit Race and a Road Race

Sunday, June 12
Spring Lake Singletrack Classic in Macomb, IL
https://www.usacycling.org/register/2016-1784
Discipline:Mountain Bike

Monday, June 13
Monthly Call-In Meeting

Thursday, June 16
Elaine Nekritz Trophy Race
http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/
Discipline: Track

June 17-19
O’Fallon Grand Prix Omnium
https://www.bikereg.com/ofallon-grand-prix-omnium
Discipline: Omnium comprised of  an Individual Time Trial, a Criterium and a Road Race

Saturday, June 18
IL State Junior Track Championships  ** At Ed Rudolph Velodrome**
http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/
Discipline: Track

Thursday, June 23
Tomasz Pac Points Race
http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/
Discipline: Track

Saturday, June 25
Sprinters’ Omnium
http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/
Discipline: Track

Thursday, June 30
Amy Tremelling and Franco Panveno Memorial Points Race & Ladies Night
http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/
Discipline: Track