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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.

Hi Everyone!

Thank you to the teams/groups that have submitted for State Championships.

We will have a vote starting tomorrow for the State Criterium Championship. See tomorrows post for details.

For the following other disciplines, here is where we currently stand:

Road Race: No submission. ICA is looking and working with cities to host in August/September time frame with the intention this will be the State Championship. If you know of any teams, promotors, or venues that may work, please reach out.

Gravel: Little Apple is the only submission. We will proceed with them hosting the State Championship.

Time Trial: No current submission, but we have a team and location that wants to put on a State TT.

Mountain Bike: Highly likely we have a venue, date, and organization prepared to host in summer. Stay posted.

Track: Ed Rudolph Velodrome. Please refer to their website for details and schedule.

Cyclocross: We will look for submissions this summer. Stay tuned.

Please reach out with any questions. An email will go out plus post here and on socials for Criterium vote.

Thank you!

Hi Everyone,

As you may know, we do not receive the same level of funding to provide State Championship Jerseys to all winners. However, we recognize the interest in purchasing a jersey to commemorate your achievement.

We’re excited to announce that we are working with Pactimo to open the Illinois State Championship Jersey Store for a limited time this April. This will allow past winners from all categories to purchase a championship jersey. The store will reopen in the future after more championship races(end of 2025).

If you won a state title and would like to order a jersey, please email the ICA board with the following details: ilcyclingassociation@gmail.com

• Your name
• Category and race you won
• Desired quantity of jerseys

Both short-sleeve and long-sleeve options will be available. Once the store opens, you will receive a link to place your order. We empower you to wear your jersey in the category you won until the next Championship takes place!

Thank you for your patience and support!

The 2025 season is quickly approaching!

Applications for the 2025 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 Feb 17th, 2025:

Criterium
Road Race
Mtb
Gravel
Time Trial

Voting will then take place from Feb 19th through Feb 26th. 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 forego having a State Championship Committee for 2025.

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 2025 Cyclocross State Championship in June 2025.

Illinois Cup races will be discussed at the Race Directors Meeting Feb 9th. Participation in the Illinois Cup will be opened at a later date. Stay tuned!

Hi Everyone!

We are excited to announce the ICA Race Directors meeting for 2025. It will be hosted at the Kane County Fairgrounds during the Chicago Bike swap.

All are welcome. We will cover information that race directors will find useful for the upcoming season. New or perspective race directors or even club members looking to learn information to take back to their club are welcome. This will also act as the Monthly meeting for the ICA. No normal meeting 2nd Wednesday. Bike swap link: https://www.chicagowinterbikeswap.com/

Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St.Charles Illinois 60174
Prairie Events Center, Upstairs, Main Room.
“As you enter the building, turn left and take the elevator or staircase to the second floor. The meeting will be held in the main room on the second floor.”

Topic: ICA Race Directors Meeting & Monthly meeting
Time: Feb 9th, 2025 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Illinois Cycling Association is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84802395579?pwd=SUpQcGU4U2srYXo4N1k2VUcwcitBQT09

Meeting ID: 848 0239 5579
Passcode: 312847

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kn3dd1PQu