USA Cycling today released its 2011 National Racing Calendar and it features three Chicago-area events.

Returning is the Tour of Elk Grove, scheduled for Aug. 5-7. New to the NRC will be the Glencoe Grand Prix, which moves to Saturday, June 25, and the Evanston Grand Prix, which withdraws from Superweek and moves to Sunday, Aug. 21, a day after the USPRO national championships are contested in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Only Evanston will be NRC for both men and women. Glencoe and Elk Grove offer NRC points for only the men.

• » The Illinois Cycling Association is meeting Saturday in Lisle. Another important date to note: The annual awards banquet will be Saturday, Dec. 4, the same day as a promoters summit. Both will be held at Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale.
• » Sunday’s cyclocross race in St. Charles should be one of the more spectator-friendly, with prizes for costumes and a 4-H bake sale. Last year’s race was the muddiest of the series.
• » Chicago Athlete covers cyclocross this month.
• » Gatorade is looking for test subjects.

• » The Tour of America’s Dairyland has set its 2011 dates: June 16-June 26.
• » Ciclo Urbano and Johnny Sprockets are hosting a zombie ride next Thursday, followed by drinks and a “Zombieland” screening.
• » ABD is more than doubling the standard payout for Sunday’s cyclocross race in Bartlett, and the South Chicago Wheelmen are paying$8,100 over the two days of Indian Lakes in November.
• » Now this is how you design a proper cyclocross course.
• » And this is how you finish a race with style.

• » Many Chicago cyclists and racers are rallying for Bill Hatch (Colavita), who is fighting cancer. A fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 28.
• » Scott Rosenfield (IS Corps) landed an interview with Joe Papp.
• » The Illinois Cycling Association reports that Illinois is ranked 9th in USAC licenses, up from 14th two years ago.
• » Registration for cyclocross national championships is open. New this year: Call-ups will be based not on registration order but on previous nats results and results from an optional time trial.
• » Cyclocross nats in the Midwest?

• » Terrible news from Wisconsin.
• »The road season officially retired this weekend with the conclusion of the Fall Fling. Chris Mosora (Verizon Wireless) held on to win the 1/2 overall while teammate Brian Harris won the 40+ in a tiebreaker over Dave Pollin (WDT-Allvoi). Racing in their field was Marek Serafin (PACT/Dish Network), who wrapped up the 3’s overall. In the 4’s, Joe Berenyi (Psimet) took a one-point lead into the final race and clinched it with a 4th place on the day. Also of note is 15-year-old Konrad Witt (ABD), who won two of the three 4’s races he entered, hopefully a preview of good results to come in 2011.  Full Saturday results. Full overall results.
• » Chicago riders raced well at this weekend’s track national championships in Carson, Calif. Medals went to Val Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir), 2nd in the first-ever women’s madison championship, a day after she went down hard in the points race; Josh Ryan (Bouledogue Tout Noir) and Jonathan Fraley (WDT-Allvoi), 4th in the team sprint; and XXX Racing-AthletiCo’s squad of Liam Donghue, Dave Moyer, John Tomlinson and Randy Warren, 5th in the team pursuit. Other notable results include young Chazz Martin (IS Corps) and Al Urbanski (WDT-Allvoi), 9th and 10th in the scratch; Urbanski again with 8th in the omnium; Moyer with 7th in the individual pursuit; and finally Brostrom with 9th in the women’s scratch.
• » The Illinois Cycling Association meets Saturday in Lisle.
• » The Tribune profiles masters world champion Leigh Thompson (Vision Quest).
• » Two events for women this week: Tomorrow is a Q&A with Kristen Meshberg (Flatlandia), and Saturday is the Project 5 Kit Up ‘N’ Chat Chick Ride.
• » Registration for cyclocross national championships open Tuesday.
• » Jason Alvarado (Embrocation Cycling Journal) has arranged for “The Cyclocross Meeting” to be shown at The Music Box on Monday, Oct. 25, with pro Barry Wicks (Kona) in attendance. Seating will be very limited. Tickets are available online.
• » Wayne Simon (Verdigris) has been writing some fun, detailed cyclocross race reports on the Enzo’s Cycling Products blog, including an account of his win at a very competitive 45+ field at Madison’s Planet Bike Cup.
• » For everything else you need to know about cyclocross, consult this comic.