News

Hi Everyone!

Last night was an important meeting. A lot of items were covered so we wanted to post the highlights!

• Michael Kelly has resigned as VP. We thank Michael for his years of dedication and service.
• The board nominated and elected Kai Luan to fill the role of VP until the end of the current term. Kai was previously elected as the Secretary.
• XXX Racing will host the Illinois State Time Trial Championship, June 1st. Location will be the Kankakee area. TT bikes and Merckx style.
• WORS will host the Illinois State Mountain Bike Championship, July 20th. Border Battle will be hosted at Atwood Park, Rockford. Categories TBD
• State Championship Jerseys available for purchase April 15th. The store will be open for 2 weeks.

The full minutes will be posted to the website.

Hi All,

Thank you to everyone who voted

The Illinois State Criterium Championship is returning to Elmhurst in 2025!   After an incredible event in 2024, the fast, technical, and crowd-filled streets of Elmhurst will once again host June 7th. Please visit this link to learn more: https://www.elmhurstcyclingclassic.com/.

Elmhurst will also be day one of a two day omnium held with Cobb Park June 8th.

Also, here is the link to register today!

https://www.bikereg.com/68273

Race promoters – the application period for the 2025 Illinois Cup is officially open! Please review the 2025 Race Director Guide and submit your bid at the link below.

Applications will be accepted through March 17, 2025.
Submit your race here: https://forms.gle/uUrhtvJaFfqhy4XG9

For more information, please visit the Illinois Cup page.

Hi Again!

We have 2 submissions for the 2025 Criterium Illinois State Championship. All registered teams get one vote. Voting will be today Feb 19th, and last until Feb 27th. The two submissions are:

Edwardsville Rotary Criterium

Elmhurst Cycling Classic

Please see their submissions below. Please have your team captain vote by emailing the ICA Board – ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com

Edwardsville:

Edwardsville is excited to host its 3^rd IL Cup event August 16th, 2025.   Our 2024 race was much smoother sailing including the addition of a dedicated awards area with a backdrop.   I only see continued upside for racers and officials with our participation.

I would like to throw our hat in the ring for hosting the Criterium State Championships, Saturday, August 16. This is year 15 for the Edwardsville Rotary Criterium.

I have an exciting update for this year’s Edwardsville Criterium. Due to construction on Main St., our normal course is not available for 2025.  That said, I have been working closely with the City of Edwardsville on an alternative course.  We have been granted permission to move ahead by IDOT on the detour.  We have the blessing of Police and Public Works for the new course. It is a relatively flat course with wide turns. It is highlighted by the City Park in the NE corner.  This park is the host to most Edwardsville festivals and is capable of holding thousands of spectators who will be enjoying the racing, live music, family activities, food/beverages. As you know, Edwardsville is know for having one of the best spectator environments for Criterium racing.

Edwardsville for many years was known for providing evening and night racing.  We are bringing that schedule back for this year and I’m sure it will be well received from both the racing community, and spectators. Last years geo fencing data showed 5,500 people in and around the course during racing hours.  I would expect that number to increase given the shift in the schedule.   I’m anticipating a 3:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. race period.

There is an egress as noted on the map in red.   This will have full time police monitoring allowing traffic to pass in and out of the course.  We normally have ample course marshals and this year will be no exception.   This egress will be necessary with several businesses within the course and a few residential units.  This will also allow racers and their support crews access to interior parking lots closer to registration.   Kansas runs through the course, and I’m anticipating establishing a Team Street where tents can be pitched in a closed off corridor. It should be a great gathering area.   The park itself is filled with large shade trees and the lawn will make for an ideal cooling area.

Racing is counter clockwise with the start/finish noted in red on Buchanan. This is a great spectator viewing spot.  It’s over 200 meters from turn 4 to the finish line, and plenty of distance from the finish line to turn 1.

Frankie Andreu returns as the race announcer.

Finally, as I noted during the Race Directors meeting on February 9^th, we will purchase jerseys for the winners.

Thank You,
Brian Mulhall
2025 Edwardsville Criterium Race Director

Elmhurst:

We respectfully submit the June 7, 2025 Elmhurst Cycling Classic for Criterium State Championship venue.

We believe the Elmhurst Cycling Classic represents a great venue and location for the State Championship designation. We have created a schedule, an arena, and a 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:

• Payouts – We have attractive payouts that make Elmhurst an exciting, competitive venue. And we kept our registration fees substantially below that of other big events.
• Primes – As of early January, our crowd prime for P 123 men and women each is $375, and other races have exciting primes as well. Great partners engaged Elmhurst including NASCAR Chicago Street Race whose sponsorship includes 2 primes valued at $400 each!
• Field equality – We seek a balanced schedule and we do not discount our payouts based upon racer attendance.
• Schedule – For 2025 we added two elite races to the Elmhurst Twilight Mile so competitors can bring family or friends who want to compete on the same 1-mile course. Plus, our goal is to have cyclists racing in front of big crowds!
• IL Cup – We applied to be in the Illinois Cup and adjusted our schedule to reflect necessary categories.
• 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).
• Spectators – The return of the Elmhurst Cycling Classic has been met very positively by the City and residents, and we increased our advertising budget to draw fans throughout the day. For teams with a corporate sponsor, this is a fantastic opportunity to highlight their sponsor’s brand in front of spectators.
• Residents – The residents on the course welcome the racers. We have identified some homes that want the racers to stop by their party after they race.
• 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, OH and more.
• Omnium – We are pleased to announce we have combined efforts with South Chicago Wheelmen’s Cobb Park Criterium again. That race is Sunday June 8.
• Jersey’s – We will supply State Championship jerseys as well as field winner jerseys again in 2025.

Our mission – The Elmhurst Cycling Classic is the premier fundraising event of DuPage Cycling Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Nobody on our board, race committees nor Team EMC2 take any money from this event. It is a fundraiser that seeks to:

Offer a healthy lifestyle event for the area, whether bike racing, running, or fun ride
Bring the community together, and that includes the cycling community and the residents
Raise money for charity. Any surplus funds are put back into 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 to the athlete community and to charity.
On behalf of EMC2, the DuPage Cycling Foundation, and Elmhurst, thank you for your consideration.