• » I’m a little behind in piecing together the 2012 race calendar, but here are some important updates: Registration is open for the Leland Kermesse. Registration opens Wednesday, Feb. 15, for Hillsboro Roubaix. The Gapers Block Crits — a fun and accessible race series, perfect for beginners — will return Monday, March 26.
• » The Wisconsin race calendar is online, including a return for my personal favorite road race, the Leland Grand Prix, on May 19. Meanwhile, other Illinois races can be sleuthed out on the USA Cycling race finder. ABR’s race calendar is starting to come together, too, including the start of the Kenosha Spring Training Criteriums on March 11.
• » The Illinois Cycling Association is holding a introductory officials clinic on Saturday, Feb. 11.
• » If you missed the New Year’s Resolution, catch up with Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) and Behind the Barriers.
• » How do you beat the Chicago Bulls? Riding to work helps.

• » The Illinois Cycling Association Awards banquet is next Saturday, Jan. 14, near downtown Chicago. The special guest is Freddie Rodriguez (Team Exergy), and $20 of each $50 ticket will go to the Chicago Velo Campus.
• » Speaking of awards, Mark Swartzendruber (Scarlet Fire) is back with his 2011 Druber Awards.
• » If the Chicago Cyclocross Cup’s 4B’s races have taught us anything, it’s that cross is best enjoyed in slow motion. Driving that point home is this gorgeous video from Kyle Bainter, shot at this weekend’s New Year’s Resolution races at Indian Lakes Resort. More great photos from this amazing weekend can be found in the Saturday and Sunday wrap-ups. (Don’t miss this muddy report from state champion Scott McLaughlin (SRAM Factory).)
• » It’s already time to make plans for ABD’s Indoor Time Trial Series, which begins Sunday, Jan. 22.
• » It’s bike swap season. The well-regarded Brazen Dropout Bike Swap in Madison takes place Jan. 14, followed by the Chicago Winter Bike Swap in Palatine on Jan. 21.

• » Meet Les Petites Victoires, an elite four-woman squad that will hit the road in 2012. Mark Swartzendruber (Scarlet Fire) has a fun interview with Liz So, one of its founders.
• » The Highland Park High School Bicycle Club is hosting the Highland Park High School Training CX Rumble for 7th- to 12th-grade students on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Juniors can also race free at that week’s Afterglow.
• » Registration fees for January’s cyclocross national championships go up Friday.
• » Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervélo) will appear at the Michigan Avenue Garmin store Thursday, Dec. 22.
• » Chicago’s Steve Dennis is among the artists featured in the “Bike Art” coffee table book.

• » The Tour of America’s Dairyland announced Tuesday that it is seeking Illinois venues to host races in late July to complement its week of June races in Wisconsin. It could make for a busy month: TOAD is slated for June 21-July 1, the final four days of which would be National Criterium Calendar events, and Superweek is planning for July 6-22.
• » Jeff Spencer, Lance Armstrong‘s chiropractor, is speaking at Turin on Friday, Dec. 9.
• » Turin, of course, is also hosting Sunday’s state cyclocross championships at Montrose Harbor.
• » This is a clever T-shirt to raise funds to send Lionel Rochelau (Geargrinder) to Belgium for cyclocross camp.

• » A weekend of fun at Indian Lakes Resort kicks off Friday night with the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew and its third annual Cave Catastrophe. Consider this a trial run for the New Year’s Resolution at the same location.
• » Here’s a video preview of the Madison course that will be used for January’s cyclocross national championship.
• » Here’s a taste of a forthcoming documentary about the Chicago Velo Campus.
• » One more video: A documentary from September’s Sub-5 Century Challenge.
• » A photo from this year’s Leland Kermesse is among the finalists of Velonews’ Jens Voigt Hardman Photo Contest.
• » Later this month SRAM hosts a bike art auction to race funds for World Bicycle Relief.

• » The Chicago Velo Campus is hosting a party at Rapid Transit on Saturday to launch its Cycle4Seasons, a fundraising drive to build a roof over the temporary velodrome.
• » Registration is open for the New Year’s Resolution, two days of amateur and UCI racing at Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. Note the field limits for concurrent races: Looks like the 2/3’s and 15-18 juniors are on pace to fill early.

• » The Tour of Elk Grove will again be a UCI race in 2012, this time upgraded to 2.1 status, which may help attract top teams who will be in the States for the Tour of Utah the following week. (CyclingNews notes that this change will preclude regional amateur teams, but I don’t believe any took part this year when the race was 2.2 and they were still eligible.)
• » Meanwhile, USA Cycling released its 2012 racing calendars, for the first time splitting a National Criterium Calendar from the road and stage races of the National Racing Calendar. The women’s Tour of Elk Grove and the Glencoe Grand Prix are the only Chicago race to make the NCC, the later moving even earlier to Saturday, June 2, but for the first time the Tour of America’s Dairyland will be on the national calendar with its first four races making the NCC.
• » Jim Host (PACT/Dish Network) earned masters world championships on the track in the 55-59 pursuit and points races. The pursuit set a world record, and in the points race he recovered from a crash to come back and win it on the final sprint. This came on the heels of earning three masters national championships in August.
• » In other track championship news, Joe Berenyi (Psimet) also earned a national championship in the C5 individual pursuit.
• » ABD is increasing the purse for Sunday’s Chicago Cyclocross Cup race.
• » There will be an ABR cyclocross race in Kankakee on Saturday, Oct. 29.

• » The Illinois Cycling Association is accepting nominations for its board, and its next meeting is Saturday at 2 p.m. in Chicago.

• » Some non-Chicago Cyclocross Cup races to be aware of:

  Psycho Cross After Dark takes place the evening of Friday, Oct. 14. Bring your own lights. There will be a bonfire, bubble machine and maybe a band, and there is the option to camp overnight ahead of the next day’s Cup race. Then on Saturday, Nov. 19, Psimet invites you to Fox River Grove for Norge Ski Jump Cyclocross.

• » Project 5 Racing invites women to the 4th Annual Ladies Kit Up ‘n’ Chat Chick Ride on Saturday, Oct. 8, in Westmont. Snacks provided.

• » Just a few days left for the Thought You Knew 2012 Pin-up Calendar Kickstarter fundraiser.

• » On Oct. 13, Active Trans celebrates its 25th anniversary with a gala that will include Christian Vande Velde (Garmin Cervélo).

• » Don’t let all the cyclocross buzz fool you: There’s still great road racing to be had. ABD’s highly recommended Fall Fling takes place over the next two weekends, and this year there’s a $2,000 prize for team performance.
• » The Chicago Tribune rediscovers cyclocross. (See also.)
• » After opening to record participation in Jackson Park this Sunday, the Chicago Cyclocross Cup next hits Dekalb on Oct. 2 and the 4’s fields are already filling up. The day will also include the Official Unofficial Illinois State Single Speed Cyclocross Championship, with winners earning airfare and entry to the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships in San Francisco.
• » Bike Fall looks like a fun way to spend a Saturday at the Hideout.
• » Chrisian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervelo) goes very, very fast.

• » Sunday, Sept. 11, is Patriot Cross, another pre-season tuneup for the cyclocross season.
• » Excellent work from Pony Shop and Get a Grip Cycles to nab a bike thief who struck at the Glencoe Grand Prix.
• » ABR’s four-person time trial has moved from Sept. 11 to Sept. 10.
• » Enzo’s catches up with Mike Sherer (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) as he winds down his first season as a pro.
• » Cycling-minded designers may enjoy using Velo Ipsum, a filler copy generator for bike dorks.

• » Randy Gillespie (Team Mack), the rider seriously injured in a race near St. Louis in June, was taken off life support and died Thursday morning.
• » North Branch will be hosting our state time trial championships Saturday, Sept. 3.
• » The Chicago Velo Campus’ interim velodrome is operational. Sunday there will be racing and a BBQ from 4-8 p.m. Racers must have attended a certification class at the track. Classes run daily from 4-6 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. E-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to reserve a spot. For more updates, follow the CVC Facebook page.
• » Registration closes tonight for Saturday’s Morton Classic, the final race of the 2011 Illinois Cup.
• » The art of local rider and painter Steve Dennis will be featured at next week’s USA Pro Cycling Challenge.
• » If I ever revise this list, Winfield will surely advance in the rankings. After missing it last year, I’d forgotten what a great weekend of racing this is. ABD and Winfield deliver the best that amateur racing has to offer — even in the midst of an epic hailstorm. And congratulations to Bryan McVey (ABD), who picked up his first elite win in grand style, soloing out of a break to win Sunday’s ABR national championship.

• » Registration is open for Jackson Park Cyclocross, and registration opens tomorrow for Half Acre Cycling’s women’s clinic. Meanwhile, Chicago Cyclocross Cup is soliciting T-shirt and sock designs, and Cyclocross Sitters will watch your children at races this season.
• » Chicago designer Jerome Daksiewicz did another of his Tour de France infographics.
• » The Second Annual Wrigley Field Road Tour, a benefit for World Bicycle Relief, is seeking volunteers for Saturday, Aug. 27.

• » Nico Deportago-Cabrera (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) finished 7th at this week’s Cycle Messenger World Championships in Warsaw, Poland. He recorded a video blog along the way for Comcast SportsNet Chicago. The championships come here in 2012.
• » Registration opened today for Relay Cross on Sunday, Aug. 28. (Both teammates register at once.)
• » Online registration closes Sunday for the Palos Meltdown.

• » This weekend is the Great Egyptian Omnium, a chance to do a stage race downstate. Registration closes tonight.
• » Registration is open for the July 30 Grayslake Cycling Classic.
• » The Tour of Elk Grove, a prestigious UCI event this year, needs volunteers and host housing. Contact Diane Patterson to help. Also note that this is a rare local NRC-level stage race for women, and it’s open to Cat 1’s and 2’s. In addition, there is once again significant prize money available to all amateur categories.
• » There was an effort to quickly organize an alternative race to replace the Aug. 21 Evanston NRC event, but that date is now officially off the National Racing Calendar.
• » Construction of the Chicago Velo Campus temporary velodrome continues apace, but volunteers are needed every day. Follow its Facebook page for updates and information about how to help.
• » Brian Ellison (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) continues to recover from his serious crash at the Kenosha Velodrome a few weeks ago. The Teen Dream Fund is soliciting funds to help get him back on two wheels.
• » Half Acre Cycling is hosting a Sept. 10 cross clinic for women.
• » Relay Cross will return to Jackson Park on Aug. 28. The Chicago Cyclocross Cup will start a few weeks later at the same location on Sept. 18.

• » STATS interviewed several young local racers for a story on juniors’ attitudes toward doping. One of them, Brian Ellison (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew), a promising revelation of 2011, had a bad crash at the track in Kenosha Tuesday night. Send him good vibes as he recovers.
• » Bicycle Heaven, host of Saturday’s Superweek race in Geneva, recommends taking Metra to the race. The station is close to the course.
• » Turin needs volunteers for its Superweek race on Sunday, July 17. E-mail for more information.

• » Randy Gillespie (Team Mack) has been in intensive care since Sunday after a hard crash in a race near St. Louis. Assistance for him and his family can be given by sending Pay Pal funds to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
• » Dave Moyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) and Kristen Meshberg (ABD) are your 2011 elite men’s and women’s criterium champions, finishing as the top Illinois Cat 1 riders at Saturday’s Glencoe Grand Prix. That’s two in a row for Moyer. Meshberg previously earned the elite road race state championship in 2008.
• » Superweek has moved its Wednesday, July 13, race from Lake Geneva, Wis., to Brown Deer, north of Milwaukee. Registration is open, with $7 late fees kicking in Tuesday night. Superweek is also looking for host homes for riders.
• » Chicago Athlete reported this month that the 2010 Soldier Field Cycling Series is on. The 2011 edition, however, is far from certain. Be hopeful, but don’t hold your breath.

• » Online registration closes tonight for Saturday’s Glencoe Grand Prix, our state criterium championships and a stop on the men’s National Racing Calendar. Because of low pre-registration, the men’s 2’s race is being folded into the P/1’s race, and the women’s 3’s race is being folded into the women’s P/1/2’s. The respective 2’s and 3’s will still have separate championships based on the first Illinois riders to cross the line, and I am told an effort is being made to provide separate bib-number schemes for each field within a race.
• » West Town Bikes will be collecting donated bikes and parts at Glencoe.
• » The July 2 UWW Road Race is canceled, the third Wisconsin road race to be dropped this season.
• » Superweek registration is open.
• » The Chicago Velo Campus is looking for help to construct its temporary wood velodrome. Construction is scheduled for July 8-16. Contact Ricardo Cotto to schedule a shift.
• » Meet Andrew Nordyke (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew), T-shirt model.

• » Registration closes tomorrow for Saturday’s Cobb Park Criterium.
• » The Glencoe Grand Prix will include a free women’s clinic on Friday, June 24, led by the professional racers of Tibco.
• » The Tour of Galena is soliciting feedback from riders who participated in this weekend’s inaugural edition. (There are have been many positive reports from the weekend, but my favorite may be this one from Sarah Mythen (XXX racing-AthletiCo): “Sure, the bike was big, and I didn’t have the same clips, and I wasn’t in junior gears, but I went to Galena to race, and that was just what I was going to do.”

• » Any victory in the big Memorial Day races deserves special note, and this year all our wins came Monday at the Quad Cities Criterium: Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in the 3’s, Josh Shough (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) in the 4’s and Brian Ellison (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) in the 5’s and Stacy Appelwick (ABD) in the women’s P/1/2/3’s. Meanwhile, Josh Dreyfus has some nice photos from Monday’s masters action in Wood Dale. Feel free to post links to other photos or reports in the comments.
• » Wisconsin’s state criterium championships had been slated for June 11-12 in Ripon, but those races are off, and its championships will instead be July 10 in Menomonee Falls.
• » Registration closes tomorrow for Saturday’s Illinois road race championships in O’Fallon. It’s a long haul, so use the ride board to offer or seek transportation.
• » Today is the last day for teams to get discounts to the Tour of Galena. Enter four men in a field, the fifth rides free. Enter three women, get a rebate.
• » The Chicago Velo Campus appeared on NBC this morning. A fundraiser is scheduled for Friday at the Adler Planetarium.
• » Reserve your tent space for the Glencoe Grand Prix.
• » Kenosha, Wis., firefighters have challenged riders of the Chicago Fire Department to a showdown at the Kenosha velodrome amid regular racing on June 7. Some of the them are training for September’s World Police and Fire Games in New York.
• » On July 8 there will be a Women’s Cycling Meet and Greet at New Wave Coffee in Logan Square.

• » Registration closes tonight for this weekend’s Tour of Champaign races: Saturday’s Rumble at the Reservoir and Sunday’s Downtown Grand Prix.
• » The Tour of Galena this week introduced a promotion to encourage teams. Bring five men to the same field, get a comped entry. Bring three women, get $50. The discount expires June 1.
• » Preliminary accounting puts the Fox River Grove Criterium at $322 in the black. Nice to see so many anonymous contributions to keep the race afloat.
• » This week the Swedish American Museum celebrates Tillie Anderson, a world-champion bike racer from Chicago’s past. She won all but seven of the 130 races she entered but retired in 1902 when the League of American Wheelmen barred women “due to the level of danger involved in the sport.”
• » ESPN W takes a look at Chicago product Greta Neimanas (Peanut Butter & Co.) as she prepares for the 2012 London Paralympics.
• » Bike Radar covers the 2012 Cycle Messenger World Championships, to be held in Chicago.

• » Rob Curtis (Psimet) is opening the books on Sunday’s Fox River Grove Criterium. He’s currently $3,200 in the hole. Registration remains open through Thursday night.
• » Registration closes tonight for Saturday’s Monsters of the Midway.
• » Registration is open for June’s Tour of Galena, a three-stage omnium race. Riders are strongly encouraged to guarantee their spots in the omnium by registering before May 21, when registration opens for individual stages.
• » The bar on ride previews has been raised.
• » If rain is forecast for every Thursday, it can mean only one thing: Track season starts tomorrow.
• » Rapha hosts a $200 Giro d’Italia viewing and dinner this Sunday.

• » ABD is delaying the start of its Wednesday night racing until next week, May 11.
• » ABD remembers Larry Lorenz.
• » Superweek has filled out the rest of its 2011 schedule.
• » This is a relevant read as you prepare for Fox River Grove, on whose hill you will want to move sur la plaque as soon as possible.
• » The Northbrook Velodrome has a lengthy guide to the track.
• » Lincoln Park’s Fitness Formula Club is the latest to offer CompuTrainer sessions, led by Debbie Dust (Enzo’s/Psimet).

• » Wednesday night racing will return to West Chicago next Wednesday, May 4.
• » The Leland Grand Prix, No. 4 on the CBR top 20 list, has been postponed because of road construction.
• » Wheels on Willy, No. 18 on the CBR top 20 list, moves to a research park in Fitchburg, Wis., because of road construction. It remains on Sunday, May 15.
• » The 2011 Ronald Reagan Criterium course returns to some of the streets used in the 2009 edition, which if memory serves includes some fun hills. With the finish line up on Peoria, the course resembles the much-loved Downers Grove course more than ever. Registration is open.
• » Fox River Grove registration opens Friday, including a brief clydesdale race for the big boys.
• » Meet the racers of the Northbrook Velodrome.

• » Liz So (Team Tati) is behind Chicago Women’s Bike Racing. I like her style.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen’s Tuesday night criterium series has begun.
• » Meet Tuxedo Thunder.
• » This Friday Working Bikes Collective is showing “With My Own Two Wheels,” a documentary about how bicycles improve lives around the world, including through World Bicycle Relief.
• » Francine Haas (Alberto’s) is leading a women’s track clinic on Saturday, April 30.

• » Sunday is Half Acre Cycling’s clinic for women, which in fact starts Thursday evening with a Q&A at Johnny Sprockets’ Broadway location.
• » Promoter RDS Cycling has pulled Vernon Hills and Fox River Grove from the calendar, although there is a movement afoot to save them. E-mail me if you think your team help and I’ll put you in touch with the right people. Should these races not be saved, Monsters of the Midway will be the only race within an hour of the city until Cobb Park in late June.
• » Registration closes tonight for Saturday’s Leland Kermesse. It’s like Hillsboro-Roubaix, but closer and not as easy.
• » David Veilleux (Europcar) was off the front for much of Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix and finished 25th. The 23-year-old has a strong local race history: Racing for Kelly Benefit Strategies, he won August’s Glencoe Grand Prix and the 2008 Tour of Elk Grove.
• » Northbrook Velodrome’s racing schedule is online.

• » A large collection of photos from a windy Hillsboro-Roubaix.
• » Meet Union Cycling.
• » The Glencoe Grand Prix has released information about its 2011 race. Note that there will be a separate Cat 2 race for a Cat 2 state championship. (Cat 1 state championship will go to the first Illinois Cat 1 to finish the invitation-only P/1 race.) Registration opens Friday.
• » The next race in the 2011 Illinois Cup is Saturday’s Sherman Park Criterium. Registration closes tomorrow.
• » Registration is open for Monsters of the Midway as well as for the May 21-22 weekend of racing in Champaign: Saturday’s Rumble at the Reservoir and Sunday’s Downtown Champaign Grand Prix.
• » Johnny Sprockets is hosting a Paris-Roubaix viewing party Sunday.

• » The Tour of Elk Grove will be on the women’s National Racing Calendar. This is especially significant in light of previous criticism that the race gave short shrift to women’s fields.
• » Speaking of women, an ESPN writer says we should know Jessi Prinner (ABD).
• » Speaking of ABD, this morning it announced its 2011 elite squads, which will be two of the strongest around, including former pro Bryce Mead and several riders from Verizon u25, which after a phenomenal debut will not return this season.
• » Results from this week’s Gapers Block Crits are available online.
• » Chicago Bike Racing is scaling back this year but the CBR ride board is alive and well.
• » Kenosha and Northbrook velodromes are both on the American Track Racing Association’s 2011 National Championship Series Schedule.
• » Reports like this, this and this make me happy I live in Chicago. Suck it, New York.

• » Dekalb’s Alex Bowden (Team Type 1) makes his European debut today at Nokere Koerse in Belgium.
• » Tati Cycles is hosting a fundraiser for Japan tonight.
• » Sunday there is a fundraiser to help Joe Berenyi (Psimet) qualify for the 2012 Paralympic Games.
• » Registration opened this week for the April 9 Leland Kermesse and the May 7 Ronald Reagan Criterium.

• » Sunday our season opens with the Kenosha Spring Training Races.
• » Oh, look: Snake Alley registration is open. As always, it’s by mail, and as always, your race may hinge on your start position, which will in turn hinge on your registration order, which will in turn hinge on how soon your entry is in the mail, which will in turn hinge on how soon you can find a darn stamp.
• » Sherman Park registration is open. The urban criterium will be on April 9 this year.
• » The Leland Kermesse has released its 2011 flier.
• »Tour of America’s Dairyland has updated its Web site with fliers for each race. Cat 2/3 fields! But it’s not going to be cheap: $38-$53 per race, plus any SportsBaseOnline fees.
• » WDT-Allvoi will be raising funds and volunteering for Make-A-Wish Foundation this season.

• » Tour of America’s Dairyland announced its schedule this week. The only road race will be the hill Greenbush course on Monday, June 20. Other notable venues include Madison and Milwaukee’s Schlitz Park, a fun course used in Superweek last year.
• » Speaking of Superweek, promoter Andy Garrison tells me at least five Illinois venues are planned for this summer, including Evanston, Willow Springs and the traditional Beverly opener.
• » A custom frame from Tati Cycles will be on the line for women racing the Gapers Block Crits.Tati will also be the title sponsor the Leland Kermesse.
• » A map of Chicago bicycle crash data.
• » NYC Velo interviews Evanston’s Barry Wicks (Kona).

• » I missed this when it was first announced, but the Tour of Elk Grove will be a UCI event this season. I’m not sure what implications this will have for participating teams.
• » Registration for Gapers Block Crits opens tomorrow at noon.
• » Wisconsin has posted its 2011 road calendar. (The CBR calendar will be updated soon, I swear it.)
• » Two looks at the Chicago Velo Campus: Time Out Chicago and New City.
• » Saturday is the Chicago Cycle Swap to benefit Active Transportation Alliance.
• » Some fun vintage photos from racing on Michigan Avenue, including some of Gary Doering (Team Mack).
• » Randy Warren (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) is expanding his coaching business to Italy with a 10-day trip that includes a seven-day stage race on Sardinia.
• » A local racing fan is back with another year of fantasy cycling.

• » Doing well in all three Iowa Memorial Day weekend criteriums can earn a spot in the Nature Valley Grand Prix. (Previously Hillsboro-Roubaix was a qualifier.)
• » Saturday is the Illinois Cycling Association awards banquet.
• » Registration is open for the March 26 Spring Super Criterium.
• » Half Acre Cycling is hosting a road racing clinic for women.
• » There’s still cyclocross! Sunday is the Tour de Groundhog downstate.
• » Vision Quest is hosting an indoor time trial on March 5.
• » Next weekend is the Bicycle Film Festival.
• » Interesting things are afoot at Chicago.cx. And Tati Cycles is on the Tumblr.

• » This is a big deal: The Chicago Cyclocross Cup will host two UCI cyclocross races over New Year’s Eve weekend at Hilton Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale. Amateur racing will be included, and it comes just one week before the national championships in Madison and two weeks before the masters world championships in Louisville.
• » Also at Indian Lakes Resort: The Illinois Cycling Association annual awards banquet will be held there Saturday, Feb. 26.
• » The Evanston Grand Prix is the only area race to make the 2011 USA Crits lineup.
• » Illinois Tech Cycling is is hosting Goldsprints at The Bog on Thursday, Feb. 24.
• » The mayor of Des Plaines has proposed a velodrome. This is separate from the Chicago Velo Campus idea.
• » The Northbrook Velodrome has updated its track records.
• » Registration for the Gapers Block Crits opens Feb. 21. The five-day series kicks off Monday, March 21.

• » Sunday is the Chicago Cyclocross Cup Awards Dinner.
• » It’s bike swap season. Saturday is Madison. Chicago Winter Bike Swap is Saturday, Jan. 22. Active Trans’ Chicago Cycle Swap will be Saturday, Feb. 26.
• » The Illinois Cycling Association‘s next meeting is at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5, at SRAM, 1333 N. Kingsbury St., in Chicago.
• » Half Acre Cycling has set March 21-25 for the 2011 Gapers Block Crits. These are fun opportunities for lower-category riders to shake the cobwebs out of the legs, and in a single week new riders can get halfway to Category 4.
• » And not a moment too soon. Hillsboro-Roubaix is Saturday, April 2. Looks like entry fees all went up $5. Such is the tyranny of supply and demand.
• » Endure It! is holding indoor time trials on Sunday, Feb. 6, and Sunday, March 27.

• » I’m unaware of the last time a Chicago team earned USA Cycling Club of the Year honors, but this year we have three: XXX Racing-AthletiCo for teams larger than 75 members, Half Acre Cycling for teams larger than 25 and Bouledogue Tout Noir for accomplishments on the track.
• » Registration is open for the 2011 ABD Indoor Time Trial Series.
• » Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) has invited Jason McCartney (Radio Shack), Robbie Ventura (Vision Quest) and Dave Wiens (Topeak Ergon) to join him at his Jan. 2 fundraiser for Chicago Area Mountain Bikers.
• » The Northbrook Cycle Committee has updated the Delanghe Lion Rankings to reflect he 2010 edition of one of the track’s most prestigious events.
• » FACT: Cycling saves lives.
• » OK, who has a gym we can use this winter?

• » Former Chicagoan Devon Haskell (Bike Station Aptos) took home her latest national championship Saturday in the women’s 30-34 cyclocross race in Bend, Ore. The girls 15-16 title went to Wisconsin’s Corrie Osborne (IS Corps), who this fall joined us for several Chicago Cyclocross Cup races, and U23 went to Katie Antonneau (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) of Racine, Wis., who will be racing on the road for Peanut Butter & Co. in 2011. Meanwhile, Cycling Reporter interviews Francis Parker alumnus Chris Hurst (Unattached), who has a bright future after finishing 2nd and 5th in the collegiate and U23 national championships.
• » But wait, there’s more! Saturday is Afterglow in Humboldt Park.
• » Junior track national champion Kaleb Koch (IS Corps) is in the running for Chicago Athlete’s athlete of the year.
• » Registration is open for Michigan’s popular Barry-Roubaix gravel road race in March.
• » Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervélo) will appear on Michigan Avenue on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
• » ABD is adding a few local stars to its women’s elite ranks, including Kristen Meshberg and Stacy Appelwick.
• » Enzo’s and Psimet are teaming up in 2011, including some formidable masters pick-ups from Verdigris and Alberto’s.
• » What is a pirate’s favorite cycling team? RR! In northwest Indiana, the new Region Racing will “ride together, train together and socialize together.” And with a few new recruits, Rhythm Racing will “train together, compete together and hang out together.”
• » Chicago Velo Campus is giving an iPad to a well-spoken supporter.

• » Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervélo) will appear Jan. 2 to raise funds for Chicago Area Mountain Bikers. Meanwhile, his father, John Vande Velde, is this week managing Vanderkitten as it races in Australia.
• » Wisconsin’s Cole House, recently a stagiare with BMC, joins Real Cyclist for 2011.
• »  Team Tati adds some elite strength.
• » A Tweet from Mike Sherer (Verizon u25) suggests he’ll be riding for Kelly Benefit Strategies in 2011. Director Jonas Carney must have been taking notes at Glencoe. Update: It’s official.
• » Sandra Samman (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) of Core in Motion is leading a yoga class tailored for off-season cyclists. Sessions are $12 and run 6:30-7:30 p.m. each Tuesday at Tsubo Chicago, 1821 W. Hubbard. E-mail for more information.

• » Saturday is the annual Illinois Cycling Association awards banquet.
• » The original founders of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup are raising glasses at the Globe this Friday. The fun continues Sunday with the state championships at Montrose Harbor.
• » Chicago’s Rebecca Much, mostly recently of Tibco, will race for the new Danbury Audi squad in 2011.
• » Hey, look, it’s Tomasz Boba (WDT-Allvoi) in a full-page ad for Zico.
• » The Wisconsin Bicycle Federation is having a bike swap in Milwaukee on Saturday, Dec. 12.
• » The Chicago Velo Campus is the latest effort to bring an indoor velodrome to Chicago. Follow its Facebook page for updates.
• » There is a lot to fancy at Bike Fancy. But no dudes? Some of us could use some pointers.

• » Greta Neimanas (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) has hit the big time.
• » Verizon u25 is still pumping out great videos from the road season. Here’s the latest from Kenosha. (Spoiler: It’s kind of a downer.)
• » Enzo’s Cycling Products chats up Debbie Dust (Bouledogue Tour Noir).
• » Chicago painter Steve Dennis was selected to show at the National Art Museum of Sport in Indianapolis. He’s also giving away some wool jerseys.
• » There will be a mini-race for children of all ages at Saturday’s Northbrook Swan Song, just after the traditional juniors race. For the grown-ups, there will be a beer tent and grill.
• » Chip Williams was on fire again at Indian Lakes. This photo of Alex Nemeth (Tower Racing) may be the shot of the year.
• » Cyclocross bingo. (H/T Tati.)

• » Registration closes tonight for this weekend’s cyclocross races at Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale. The South Chicago Wheelmen have goosed the prize money to more than $4,000 a day — up from the minimum $1,250 — and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew has been enlisted to provide two evenings of entertainment.
• » Oh, baby, let’s do it one more time.
• » Chip Williams has been experimenting with strobes at the cross races. The results have been fantastic.
• » Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park could be a fun way to shake off the winter cobwebs, although the opening of its Milwaukee location has been delayed.

• » Chicago cyclocross has again made the big time.
• » Cyclocross national championships will come to Madison. (What is the freezing temperature of New Glarus?)
• » Psimet introduces the Psimet Indoor Racing League to help get through winter.
• » Chicago’s Reid Schwartz (Midwest Masters) earned a gold medal at the track world championships in Portugal.
• » USA Cycling’s board of trustees meets this weekend to consider an array of rule changes, including some major equipment restrictions for juniors. VeloNews sums up some of the logic behind it. Contact the Illinois Cycling Association if you have strong feelings about any of the proposed changes.
• » The Illinois Institute of Technology is in the running for the King of Style Collegiate Jersey Design Contest.

• » 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.

• » The Fall Fling opened under cool, blustery fall conditions this weekend, but Chris Mosora (Verizon Wireless) heated things up by making the break in the combined 1/2, 3 and 40+ crit on Saturday, finishing 2nd after the threesome nursed a 15-second gap for much of the race, then finishing 2nd in Sunday’s time trial. He takes the lead in the 1/2’s omnium, trailed closely by Ryan Freund (Verizon u25) and two Bicycle Heaven mates: Patrick Fasse and Rob Kelley. On the women’s side, Stacy Appelwick (Bouledogue Tout Noir) swept the weekend and has a two-point lead over Alexandra Navas (Northwestern). Racing continues with circuit races Saturday and Sunday. Full criterium results. Full time trial results. Full omnium standings.
• » VeloNews takes a look at Verizon u25.
• » Mainstream media cover this weekend’s cyclocross races in Madison.
• » Downstate cyclocross riders — or 4’s who got aced out of Sunday’s race in DeKalb — may be interested in the Ronde Von Jakob.

• » Spidermonkey Cycling hosts a women’s racing Q & A with Kristen Meshberg (Flatlandia) on Thursday, Oct. 7.
• » The Olympics might have been nice, but word out of Guatemala is that Chicago’s bid landed 2012 Cycle Messenger World Championships.
• » A record 541 riders opened the Chicago Cyclocross Cup season Sunday. The next race is in DeKalb on Sunday, Oct. 3, and will include the 2nd Annual Officially Unofficial Illinois State Cyclocross Single Speed Championship.
• » Cyclocross magazine had kind words for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup ‘09 photo book.
• » The New York Times’ Nichoals Kristof profiles World Bicycle Relief.

• » Dekalb’s Alex Bowden (Team Type 1) has been called up to the bigs. Look for him Sunday at the USPRO road race national championships.
• » Fire has again struck Blackstone Bicycle Works.
• » Verizon u25 is wired.
• » Breaking news: Expensive bikes cure middle-age blues.

• » Chicago riders picked up several titles at this weekend’s masters track national championships in Frisco, Texas. Stacy Appelwick (Bouledogue Tout Noir) and Jon Fraley (WDT/Allvoi) won multiple jerseys: Appelwick in the 35-39 pursuit and points, Fraley in the 30-34 sprint and team sprint. On Sunday, Reid Schwartz (Midwest Masters) won the 60-64 time trial and 60-69 team sprint, and Josh Ryan (Bouledogue Tout Noir) took the 30-34 kilo, just a half-second faster than Fraley. Also earning silver medals were Chris Mosora (Verizon Wireless) in the 40-44 points and Jeffrey Whiteman (Flatlandia) in the 30-34 sprint.
• » Sunday is ABR’s four-man time trial national championships, reputed by many to be the most fun event of the year.
• » ABD has information for this year’s Fall Fling. As always, this is a highly recommended event to wrap up your season — or to get a early start on the next.
• » Project 5 is again hosting an end-of-season ride and picnic for women on Saturday, Oct. 9.
• » Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak’s Oct. 10 cyclocross race will be Elvis Cross: Free peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches and fried chicken, plus $5 off if you dress as the King.
• » Ted Ramos (Iron Cycles) and Well-Fit offer a biweekly cyclocross class.

• » Stacy Appelwick (Bouledogue Tout Noir) is a new national champion in only her second season of racing: She won today’s women’s 35-39 pursuit at the masters track national championships in Frisco, Texas.
• » 2 Bici Bicycle Shop has a photo of Laurent Fignon racing in Chicago.
• » Our city was represented well at last week’s Canadian-American Police Fire Games in Ohio, with medals going to Ronie Lopez (Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak), Jim Price (Iron Cycles), Tony Rienks (Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak) and Mike Seguin (XXX Racing-AthletiCo).
• » Enjoy some of the race reports, photos and videos from Sunday’s inaugural Cyclocross Relay Race in Jackson Park. With a capacity 50 teams in the co-ed race, I believe this may have been the most women to ever line up for a bike race in Illinois. The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew was already in mid-season form, winning two races and providing endless LOLz from the heckling couch.
• » Registration is open for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup. The 4A’s at Jackson Park are already more than half full, the women’s 4’s a quarter full, and I would not be surprised if many of the 4A’s and 4B’s races reach capacity weeks ahead of each race.
• » Team Pegasus is hosting a free cyclocross clinic for women in Humboldt Park on Monday. Next Saturday, Half Acre Cycling holds its own cyclocross clinic for women.
• » Verizon u25 gets some press in the Sun-Times.
• » The Huntington Bicycle Challenge is a two-day, 140-mile race in Indiana.

• » Leigh Thompson (Vision Quest)  won today’s women’s 50-54 time trial at the masters world championships in Tyrol, Austria.
• » It boggles my mind every year: Certain races in March and April will sell out, but now it’s the nicest weather of the year and registration is light for this weekend. People suddenly have better things to do than racing their bicycles?
• » Maybe everybody will be saving their energy and tuning their cowbells for Sunday’s Cyclocross Relay Race in Jackson Park.
• » Paul Swinand (Start2Finish) and the Northbrook Bicycle Club are hosting cyclocross training sessions for juniors starting Friday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m.
• » Registration is open for the state time trial championships in Harvard on Saturday, Sept. 4. (World champion Thompson has already signed up. Perhaps her rainbow stripes will make their debut.)
• » Some nice video from the Glencoe Grand Prix. Did you race? Check your e-mail for an invitation to complete a survey to help the race improve.
• » Tomorrow is a big night for women with the Elaine Nekritz Trophy Race in Northbrook.
• » New Belgium’s Urban Assault Ride hits Chicago on Sunday, Sept. 12.

• » At this week’s junior world championships in Italy, Jessi Prinner (ABD) finished 13th in the time trial and 16th in the road race. In her race report, bronze medalist Coryn Rivera (Peanut Butter & Co.) cites Prinner for being instrumental in keeping her in contention. Track racing starts tonight, with John Tomlinson (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) getting a late call-up to the scratch race — which he’ll have to contest on a borrowed bike, thanks to United Airlines. Update: Tomlinson finished 13th in his scratch heat, just missing qualifying for the final.
• » VeloNews previews Saturday’s Glencoe Grand Prix. A local cycling blog gets a shout-out.
• » Zach Thomas (Half Acre Cycling) interviews Chris Horner (Radio Shack).
• » Video of the last lap of Elk Grove’s 35+ 3/4’s.
• » Video of the close sprint from Saturday’s 40-44 national criterium championship, in which Mike Heagney (Vision Quest) finished 6th. (Here’s an overhead still of the finish, further evidence of why you should always throw your bike.) The next day, Glenview’s Kathleen Corbett (Midwest Masters) won the women’s 60-64 criterium.
• » Sunday, Aug. 29, is the Active Transportation Alliance’s Boulevard Lakefront Tour. Using the code “XXX5” saves you $5.
• » Cute overload of the day: Start here and be continue through each photo that follows.
• » This time of year it’s fun to play with USA Cycling’s rankings. Victor Rentas (Team G Force), for example, is the top-ranked Cat 3 criterium racer in the country.
• » Still haven’t seen full results from ABR’s state road race last month, but Colm Flannery (Proctor) has a report.
• » Don’t forget that Sunday is IIT’s cyclocross clinic with Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly; Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) and Randy Warren (XXX Racing-AthletiCo). Meanwhile, Half Acre Cycling is hosting a cross clinic for women on Sept. 11, in time for the Sept. 19 Chicago Cyclocross Cup kick-off in Jackson Park.
• » Can’t make those clinics? VeloNews has reposted these helpful videos.  (Everything I know about being a mediocre Cat 3 cyclocross racer, I learned from those videos.)
• » A heartwarming tale of a stolen bike in Brooklyn.
• » Why, yes, Rouleur Derby did make book on the Glencoe Grand Prix.

• » A Tennessee TV station profiles Joe Berenyi (Psimet).
• » Michael Zellman (Verizon Wireless) got to hang out with Chris Horner (Radio Shack) last week.
• » Justin Teichen is coming into good form as videographer for Verizon u25. His latest dispatch from Downer Avenue is a winner. They’re all worth watching. Teichen has done well to capture the brotherhood that is a tight squad.
• » The first cross race of the year will be a one-of-a-kind relay cross race in Jackson Park, compliments of XXX Racing-AthletiCo.
• » Any time a video includes the words “horse incident” in the description, you know it will be spectacular. (All are OK. No horses, cyclists or bikes had to be euthanized.)
• » I love Belgium. (Via Hipster Nascar.)

• » Chris Horner, prodigious eater of hamburgers and Radio Shack’s GC contender in the Tour de France, will speak at Vision Quest in Highland Park tonight. RSVP is required, and fewer than 50 of the 250 spots remain.
• » ABR’s state criterium championships will be in Wood Dale on Sunday, Aug. 8. (It was briefly moved to the 15th in an attempt to accommodate masters nationals but had to be moved back.)
• » ABD has a flier for the Winfield criterium weekend, including a fun, climber-friendly twilight course on Saturday and ABR’s national championships on Sunday.
• » The flier for the Ronald Reagan Criterium is out. (Don’t let the name fool you, my urban, pinko-liberal friends. This is a fun end-of-season race.)
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen take their show on the road — literally — next Tuesday, Aug. 2, when the Matteson races move to the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet. $20 for the evening of racing.
• » Top cyclocross star Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly; Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) is leading a clinic on Sunday, Aug. 15 with Illinois Tech and Randy Warren (XXX Racing-AthletiCo). There are both beginner and advanced sessions.
• » Trackies are reporting some incredible speeds from last night’s prestigious Bob Pfarr Classic in Kenosha, Wis., won by Chad Hartley (Kenda) with Dave Moyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in 2nd.
• » Nick Gierman (Burnham Racing) won the P/1/2/3’s at this weekend’s Indiana state road race championships in Woodburn, Ind.
• » The Northbrook Velodrome is hosting a duathlon for children this Saturday, July 30.
• » Results are up for the this weekend’s Allvoi Cup, which survived the weather and drew some top talent.
• » Announcer and former U.S. Postal rider Kenny Labbé looks back at the history of our national criterium championships.
• » The New York Times discovers some of the great riding around Madison, Wis..
• » Y’ever fantasize about catching a bike thief red-handed?

Robbie Ventura (Vision Quest) was kind enough to send greetings from today’s Tour de France. John Meyers (Verizon u25) is also somewhere on the mountain. In fact, I think I may have just seen him at 1.6 km dancing in a giant banana costume.

• » USA Cycling this week named John Tomlinson (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) to the track team that will compete at the junior world championships in Italy next month. He’ll be joined by Jessi Prinner (ABD), who will again compete in the road race and time trial.
• » Tomlinson is racing this week at the presigious Tour de l’Abitibi in Canada. Racing with him are James Bird (IS Corp), Chazz Martin (IS Corp) and Brandon Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen).
• » Olympian Colby Pearce is providing two seminars on the track in August. He’ll also be competing in the Roger Delanghe Trophy Race in Northbrook on Aug. 5. This will be the first such race since Delanghe passed away in November.
• » Voytek Glinkowski (WDT-Allvoi) told me this weekend that there were only three 4/5’s spot left for this weekend’s Allvoi Cup. Women’s spots were running out, too.
• » John Wilkie of Peloton Pix has been taking great shots this Superweek, but my favorite action moment may be this shot from Evanston by Lisa McMahon. That’s Adam Lesniakowksi (PACT/Dish Network) accelerating past Rob Karlow (Verdigris) and Mike Heagney (Vision Quest) in the 35+ 1/2/3’s sprint.

• » Don’t forget tonight is the special Bastille Day race at Soldier Field. These are fun races to watch as well as to take part in.
• » Turnout was light at this weekend’s Great Egyptian Omnium, but feedback is positive over at the St. Louis Biking forum, and Scott Rosenfield (IS Corps) enjoyed himself.
• » The professional riders of Team Vera Bradley Foundation will be holding a women’s clinic on Friday, Aug. 13, in conjunction with Alberto’s and the Glencoe Grand Prix, where the squad will have six riders after fielding three at the Tour of Elk Grove the week before. Proceeds benefit the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.
• » The Glencoe Grand Prix has been profiling some of its riders, including legend Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom), whom I’m excited to see will be joining us in August.
• » Chicago has a new bike park.
• » The Chicago Department of Transportation is holding a meeting tomorrow to discuss the path at Navy Pier and the potential of a “flyover” bridge.
• » Our state time trial championships will be Sept. 4 in Harvard, Ill.
• » Video of Kaleb Koch (IS Corps) winning the 15-16 scratch race at juniors nats. He makes his move around 1:56.
• » Sex advice from bike messengers.

• » Great news from Dixon, Ill.: The Ronald Reagan Criterium will be back on Saturday, Aug. 28. This was a surprise gem last year with great organization and a really fun course.
• » Soldier Field Cycling has rescheduled its rained-out race for Wednesday Tuesday, Aug. 17. If you were registered for the June 23 race, your registration will transfer over. And recall that next week’s race will have a French flavor.
• » Our use of the roads was the subject of a recent Highland Park Traffic Commission meeting.
• » U.S. Paralympics named Greta Neimanas (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) to its world championship team, which in August will compete in Canada. Neimanas and several of her Paralympic teammates will be racing part Superweek, too.
• » Some Spidermonkey Cycling and Burnham Racing riders headed east for this weekend’s Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Stage Race.
• » Wisconsin’s Matt Busche (Radio Shack) is at the Tour of Austria and on Tuesday came in last in the break. A man after my own heart.

• » Another round of announcements from the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, including a call for sponsorship.
• » Half Acre Cycling is hosting a Sept. 11 cyclocross clinic for women.
• » It’s a little quiet this weekend, but there’s still racing: The Tour of De Villas nearby in Des Plaines and some good money available at Indiana’s Marion Classic, downsized this year after being an NRC race in 2009.
• » Soldier Field Cycling has not announced a make-up date for last week’s rainout, but there will be one, and the schedule will be shuffled to accommodate a 6 p.m. start for women.
• » To celebrate Bastille Day, the July 14 races at Soldier Field will have a French flavor, with crepes, music and special prizes for any French riders.
• » Speaking of France, there is not much time left to make your Tour de France picks at Rouleur Derby.
• » Superweek pre-registration closes Thursday, July 8, but a late fee gets added starting July 7. Note that there are more women’s 3/4’s races than usual this year, including what should be an interesting road race in Willow Springs on Tuesday, July 13.
• » I will never tire of tales from Tati.
• » Emanuele Bianchi (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) is curious about what you’re looking for in a gear bag.

• » Paralympian Greta Neimanas (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) earned a national championship Tuesday by winning the C4/C5 road race in Bend, Ore.
• » A motorist struck and killed a cyclist on a training ride Sunday morning near Milwaukee, just a few days after he raced in the Tour of America’s Dairyland.
• » Active Transportation Alliance has started a letter-writing campaign to protest last week’s apparently light sentences for attacking cyclists.
• » CyclingNews noted the spring classics project of Chicago painter Steve Dennis. I’m particular fond of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
• » “Fast riders, good people. It’s more important that they’re good people, but it’s nice when they’re fast, too.” Good luck to Will Nowak (Verizon u25), who leaves the Midwest for a bright future out east.
• » Saturday the Tour de Fat returns to Chicago to benefit West Town Bikes.

• » Important note for Tuesday night Matteson riders: The South Chicago Wheelmen will celebrate the solstice’s extra daylight by racing at the Autobahn Country Club,  3795 South Patterson Road, this Tuesday, June 22. (Entry will be $20 rather than the usual $10.) Racing will be rain or shine.
• » Project 5 will host the Tour of Villas on Saturday, July 3. Race fees are $20 plus a food donation.
• » Superweek registration is open.
• » Only four Cat 5 spots remain in the The Cat 5 field at the Glencoe Grand Prix is full. Congratulations to Robert Bramlette (South Chicago Wheelmen) for being DFL.
• » Voytek Glinkowski (WDT-Allvoi) tells me that fields are filling up at the Allvoi Cup on the track. Because of light 55+ interest, that field has been eliminated and replaced with a 4/5 field, which will enable 5’s to participate in the mass-start races. There had been worry that the women’s field would be suspended, but after a surge or pre-registration it is officially off the chopping block. In fact, fewer than 10 spots remain.
• » Chip times are available from the Illinois state road race in O’Fallon.
• » Try to kill a cyclist, get curfew. Meanwhile, two cyclists this week were attacked near Lawrence and the lakefront path. Stay alert.
• » Steve Dennis came up with a very clever illustration to celebrate the Giro d’Italia.
• » ButtonHole Chamois Creme is the latest enterprise of Wayne Simon (Verdigris). I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m told that, yes, it has the tingle.
• » Love is in the air.
• » Something to think about next time you interact with an official.

• » Great news from West Chicago: ABD’s Wednesday night series will continue through the summer, except for the nights that conflict with the Soldier Field Cycling Series. (ABD has always been scrupulous about avoiding conflicts with other races.)
• » The Illinois Cycling Association has added a feedback form to its race calendar. You must be a registered user to see it. Comments will not be posted, but they will be shared with the race promoter, officials and ICA leaders.
• » Online preregistration for the Tour of America’s Dairyland closes Saturday night.
• » The Wisconsin Cycling Association has canceled some of its remaining races.
• » I noticed this only this week: The Great Egyptian Omnium is a stage race that will take place downstate in July. Stage races are always great fun, and these courses look interesting.
• » Kristen Meshberg (Flatlandia) will be riding on a composite women’s team at next week’s prestigious Nature Valley Grand Prix. Her NVGP profile page includes a fun video of her and her junior mechanics.
• » Courtney O’Neill (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) will soon be riding across the country to help build affordable housing with Bike & Build. She is tantalizingly close to her fundraising goal.
• » I can be a delicate flower sometimes. Thanks, all, for the kind words this week. It’s nice to feel appreciated.

• » Lots of news from the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, including new races and new payouts. Interesting changes from Wisconsin, too, including eliminating payouts for Cat 3 and 4.
• » Big purses return to the Tour of Elk Grove, and registration is now open.
• » Just six Cat 5 spots left for the June 12 Sherman Park Criterium.
• » NRC racing comes to St. Louis on Sunday, June 13, with the Tour de Grove. The weekend includes $1,750 street sprints.
• » Sunday’s Philadelphia International Cycling Championship will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet (in Philadelphia) and Versus.
• » Starting tonight the Wednesday Turin ride moves to 6 p.m.
• » In other Turin news, the shop is hosting a Moots demonstration tomorrow.
• » Tati gets Daily Candy’d.

• » ABD’s Wednesday series returns for at least one more night. Brownie primes are promised.
• » Registration is open for the Spring Prairie Road Race, Wisconsin’s state championships. Historically this has sold out in the lower categories, even with a separate field for out-of-staters, although that may change this year with our own state championships the day before.
• » The Superweek schedule now has a second TBD: The Sunday Palos Hills race no longer appears.
• » Inside Northwestern’s cycling program.
• » Only 18 more Cat 5 spots at the Sherman Park Criterium.
• » In 10 years of commuting and training on the lakefront I’ve never felt unsafe, so I’m willing to classify this week’s violence as anomalies. Nonetheless, stay alert and aware of your surroundings out there.

• » Harold Kelly once fixed a flat for me, and I’m glad I had the honor. The Cycle Smithy fixture passed away last week.  A memorial service is scheduled for July 10.
• » As Dave Fowkes focuses more on official development, accomplished coach Steve Thordardson (Smart Cycling) becomes the ICA’s upgrade coordinator.
• » In Spain, junior national time trial champion Jessi Prinner (ABD) placed 2nd in the road race and won the time trial at the Tour of Costa Brava.
• » In France, Greta Neimanas (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) won five races — and 100 pounds of ham—at the Urt International Paracycling Challenge.
• » Scott Rosenfield (IS Corp) eloquently reminisces about his first season of collegiate cycling.
• » Discounted rooms are available for next weekend’s races in Champaign.
• » Verizon u25 put together two fun videos from the Vernon Hills Grand Prix. In the first, Mark Swartzendruber (Verizon Wireless) single-handedly drags two riders across a large gap, including eventual winner Waylon Janowiak (Verizon u25). Then watch the picture-in-picture view of the last two laps as Janowiak and Will Nowak (Verizon u25) beating up on the six-man break.
• » ABD has released information on its Memorial Day weekend masters races.
• » Entering the Memorial Day fray this year is the Tour of Elkhart Lake, an ABR-sanctioned omnium near Sheboygan, Wis. Previously a two-person event, the time trial stage has been changed to an individual time trial.
• » The Tour of California starts Sunday. As always, Rouleur Derby is your spot to make it interesting.

• » USA Cycling previews this weekend’s collegiate national championships in Madison. Among the local schools representing will be Northwestern, which qualified as a team for the first time since 2007. Hit them hard, friends, and hit them low. Go, Northwestern, go.
• » At Sunday’s Vernon Hills Grand Prix, ICA technical director Dave Fowkes noted that he would be enforcing the new USA Cycling Rule 3D4: “Riders who have lost contact with the field and are then caught by a breakaway from the field may not lead ...  Riders off the front of the field may not accept assistance from riders who have lost contact with the back of the field ... Lapped riders may rejoin and race with the field.” (Reasonable people may disagree, but I feel it is bad form — and potentially dangerous — for riders off the back to reintegrate with the field, and even if they do not pull I feel it is extremely bad form to join a breakaway. If you’re dropped, take your lumps and ride alone or with other dropped riders.)
• » There is still space at Monday’s Rahsaan Bahati dinner in Skokie.
• » After a successful debut last week, ABD’s Wednesday night series continues tonight. Meanwhile, Soldier Field Cycling hasn’t made an official announcement but it has updated its schedule page: Go ahead and circle June 23, July 14 and Aug. 11.
• » Registration for July’s Allvoi Cup is imminent.
• » Universal Sports will charge $15 to stream the Giro d’Italia. Have you made your Rouleur Derby picks yet?
• » Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy/Trek Stores) and I agree: Keep your hands to yourself.
• » Best flier ever.

• » Podium Insight catches up with Hinsdale native Chad Hartley (Kenda): “I’m right back to where I was and I think I’m just a little more polished and efficient in the tactics department.”
• » EMC2 catches up with a local media personality. “When only dentists and lawyers can afford bike racing, only dentists and lawyers will race bikes — we certainly don’t want that!”
• » My heart flutters just thinking about it. The Fox River Grove Cycling Challenge has moved up a month to Sunday, May 16. Registration is open.
• » Snake Alley start lists are available.
• » Jessi Prinner (ABD) is racing in Europe.
• » Ciclo Urbano celebrates its one-year anniversary Saturday with a BBQ at its new, larger location, 2459 W. Division St., from noon to 8.
• » Rapha is beautiful.
• » How to shoot a can-can off a T. rex.

• » Vernon Hills Grand Prix registration is open. The 5’s field looks like it will fill.
• » Fliers are available for Wisconsin races through May 22. Many offer pre-registration, either through Bikereg or SportsBaseOnline. The road races don’t usually fill, but I recommend 4’s and 5’s pre-register for the crits.
• » Some tweaks in Champaign-Urbana: The May 22 Tour of Champaign criterium is moving from downtown Champaign to the iHotel course used for the Sunday race 2009. The race for Sunday, May 23, will be in Urbana and be named the Illinois Cup Urbana Grand Prix. The schedule will remain the same.
• » M&M Cyclery in Mundelein will start a women’s ride May 6. The no-drop ride will leave at 10 a.m. from the shop at 734 S. Butterfield Rd. Road and hybrid bikes only.
• » Northbrook Velodrome race directors Val Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir) and Josh Ryan (Bouledogue Tout Noir) are hosting a Madison clinic May 9. Brostrom also reports that Monday and Tuesday clinics will start April 26 at 6:30 p.m.
• » Last year he rode for ISCorps and won climber’s races like La Rue-Denzer-La Rue and Blue Mounds. Now Matt Busche rides for RadioShack and Sunday will compete in his biggest race so far, Liege-Bastogne-Liege. The question is: Will he finish in the top 100?
• » Lemont’s Christian VandeVelde (Garmin-Transitions) is expected to race Sunday, too.

• » Registration is open for your last two chances to race within the city: May 15’s Monsters of the Midway and June 12’s Sherman Park Criterium.
• » A timely reminder from Wisconsin: Mind your privates, please.
• » Masters natz race schedule is out.
• » Joe Kallo (Team Tati) has designed Chainvetica, an iPhone app to calculate gear inches. Coming from a Tati rider, it is naturally orange and stylish.
• » Cyclocross as fashion.
• » Jim Saplis (Team Apache) is raising money to fight cancer.
• » Why does the Bike Snob hate Chicago?

• » Superweek released its 2010 schedule while I was away. There are still quite a few holes, but overall it looks fairly familiar, including the big opener in Beverly on Friday, July 9, and the popular Evanston Grand Prix on Sunday, July 18. Blue Island is not there, but new venues include Palos Hills and Palatine. There’s no traditional road race yet, but the series returns to Milwaukee’s lakefront, albeit on the 2.2-mile “short course.”
• » Half Acre Cycling is bringing the Leland-Kermesse women’s 4’s purse into parity with the men’s.
• » ABD will be hosting a series of Wednesday night training criteriums. Details to come.
• » Registration is open for the Tour de Champaign-Urbana.
• » The Illinois Cycling Association is on the Twitter.
• » Saturday is a free   nutrition and training seminar for junior cyclists led by Albero Segura (XXX Racing-AthletiCo). “Juniors and Cycling: Health and Wellness”  starts at 12:30 p.m. at the 1101 W. Madison St. location of AthletiCo. RSVP to Segura at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
• » The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew and Team Pegasus are taking Hillsboro-Roubaix and making it interesting.
• »  Nick Frey (Jamis/Sutter Home) pays a visit to a school in Glencoe.
• » If the next bike courier to deliver a package to your building is a 6-year-old with a pretend radio, this is why.
• » Lemont’s Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Transitions) has a new crib.
• » Ritte Racing is very funny, and the bikes are beautiful to boot.

It’s hump day but Luke is away. Anything interesting going on in his absence?

• » I take it Half Acre Cycling’s women’s clinic was a success: Both nights of the Gapers Block Crit Series have seen more than 20 women race. I hope this means strong turnouts once the weather is nice. Early highlights include Jonathan Toftoy (Synergy), who has hit the podium in all four men’s heats, and Patrick Limanowicz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo), who registered a 2nd on Monday and a 1st on Tuesday. Among the women, Project 5 has put on a clinic of its own, putting Ginger Sides and Cathy Frampton on the podium both nights, joined each evening by Kim Gialdini (Flatlandia). Full results.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen’s Tuesday night criterium series in Matteson resumes April 6.
• » Albero Segura (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) is giving a nutrition and training seminar for junior cyclists. “Juniors and Cycling: Health and Wellness”  will be Saturday, April 10, at the 1101 W. Madison St. location of AthletiCo. It is free and open to the public, including parents. RSVP to Segura at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
• » The luckiest dog in Italy.
• » Rouleur Derby is now accepting predictions for who will win the men’s and women’s NRC team standings. As far as I know, this is the first time in the world that anyone has ever made book on women’s cycling. Come take advantage of the opportunity!

• » Half Acre Cycling is looking for a few volunteers for the upcoming Gapers Block Crit Series.
• » Pre-ordered Chicago Cyclocross Cup photo books will be available at the Pony Shop in Evanston this Saturday from 2-4 p.m. There may also be beverages, and the Pony Shop will be showing off the new line of Ridley cross bikes. (Didn’t pre-order? You can still purchase.)
• » A recap of Saturday’s Illinois Cycling Association banquet.
• » Universal Sports will be airing Milan-Sanremo Saturday. Make it interesting by playing Rouleur Derby.
• » What does Chris Horner (RadioShack) have to do with the Winter Olympics?

• » Johnny Sprockets and Heather Jurewicz put together a fun Chicago Cyclocross Cup retrospective.
• » And speaking of cyclocross, orders can now be taken for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup photo book. (Pre-orders should arrive next week. More info here.) UPDATE: Entering the NEXTSHIP coupon code gets free shipping.
• » Francine Haas (Alberto’s) is leading a women’s track clinic on April 18 and a series of women’s road clinics starting April 28. (For the latter, submit this questionnaire.) In addition, Half Acre Cycling has announced some new swag for its March 20 women’s clinic.
• » Riding to the clinics? Google Maps adds bike directions.
• » Does anyone know what has become of the Harper Ride? Its Web site is down, and a reader reports arriving to an empty parking lot recently.
• » “I was hoping the team kit this year would be white.”
• » If you earned a state championship jersey in 2009, it can be picked up at Saturday’s ICA awards banquet. USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson will be there. He’ll also be hanging out at Prairie Path Cycles in Winfield from 5-6 p.m.
• » A fun Tour de France homage from Portland, Ore.
• » Two great Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy) posts this week“It’s not a job. It’s a passion. A life. If it comes down to ‘have to,’ I’m not gonna.” And, “People are so into documenting their doings that they aren’t doing them anymore.”
• » Did you make any Tirreno-Adriatico predictions at Rouleur Derby? You can follow the action live at Universal Sports. For other races, Cycling Fans and Steephill are indispensable for links to Euro TV feeds.

• » The O’Fallon Grand Prix is billing itself as our state road race. Illinois Cycling Association president Steve Hansen says the ICA will announce its full slate of state championships soon. I’ve not done O’Fallon, but its 2009 course featured 1,000 feet of elevation and nearly that many turns in each of its 22-mile laps. This will make for a busy weekend: The next day Wisconsin holds its own state championships with the popular Spring Prairie Road Race. (Tower Racing, which did excellent work organizing our state road races for the past two years, tells me it will not be putting on a race this year.)
• » The 2009 ICA Awards banquet is scheduled for Saturday, March 13, at Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale. USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson and former national road champion Tom Schuler of Tour of America’s Dairyland are scheduled to appear.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen’s Tuesday Criterium Series in Matteson is a local institution, and for more than 15 years a cornerstone of that institution has been official Mark Dorinson. (Mike Kelly (South Chicago Wheelmen) notes that Dorinson is “the one that drove the beat up grey Omni, the one that often forgot his whistle and started a race by saying ‘Tweet.’”) Dorinson is retiring from his Matteson duties, and he will be missed.
• » The Giro d’Grafton joins the USA Crit series this year. That should attract extra firepower to the Tour of America’s Dairyland, and I hope that means both men and women.
• » This month’s Gapers Block Crit Series sold out both men’s heats. Ten spots in each race, however, are reserved for day-of registrations. First come, first served.
• » Val Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir) is programming races at the Northbrook Velodrome this season and tells me she’s looking at Aug. 21-22 for a weekend of state championships, rather than spreading events over several weeks.
• » Cyclocross in the winter Olympics?
• » This year’s masters national championships in Louisville, Ky., may be your last chance to take part in a nearby championship for a few years: Bend, Ore., gobbled them up, too.
• » A Chicago Web developer has designed a fantasy cycling game.

• » Registration is open and brisk for Half Acre Cycling’s Gapers Block Criterium Series, this year with two men’s heats and a women’s Cat 3 race. In conjunction with the series, Half Acre has organized a women’s beginner road clinic.
• » While you are thinking about Half Acre Cycling and the great things it does for the community, send good vibes to Audrey Thibeau, who recently underwent surgery for a brain tumor.
• » The women’s Cat 4 field has sold out at Hillsboro-Roubaix, but a wait list is available. Just 35 spots remain in the Cat 3 field.
• » Local racer and former Olympian John Coyle (Wolverine) is on NBC’s production crew in Vancouver. He’s sharing some stories at his blog, including this striking tale of the torch. (Read to the bottom.)
• » Why it costs over $10,000 to put on an industrial park crit.
• » An interesting range of tests is available at the UIC Human Performance Lab.
• » USA Cycling has made available a free “My First Bike Race” online seminar.

• » Some new info for the April 17 Leland Kermesse. Longer laps, more gravel. Online registration opens March 1.
• » Good news for women: The Tour of America’s Dairyland has added a 3/4 field for you.
• » Hmm. USA Cycling now lists location for the national criterium championships as “TBD.”
• » The Illinois Cycling Association meets Satruday in Lisle.
• » Vision Quest is holding an indoor time trial in Highland Park on March 6, joining ABD’s indoor trials in the Mid America Time Trial Series.

• » Anyone who has raced an ABR race in Indiana has probably experienced the effusive hospitality of promoters Dan and Joanne Daly. It was heartbreaking, then, to learn that Joanne was killed in August in a freak traffic accident. Dan will honor his wife when his season starts April 17 with the Ceraland Joanne W. Daly Memorial Circuit Race.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen have announced a March 28 criterium at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet. Registration is open.  This race and Burnham Racing’s Spring Super Criterium will constitute COUGAR: Chicagoland Omnium Using Great Area Raceways, with to-be-determined cash prizes to be awarded to riders who place well both days. (Appropriately enough, both COUGAR races have women and juniors racing at the same time.)
• » Just in time for the spring races, Half Acre Cycling has organized a women’s racing clinic, with instruction from ace cyclists Kristen Meshberg and Leah Sanda of Flatlandia.
• » Wisconsin increases its masters ages to 35 and 45.
• » There’s a good lineup planned for Saturday’s Bike Winter Swap Meet and Urban Bicycle Expo.

• » Online registration for Hillsboro-Roubaix and the Spring Super Criterium opens Monday at 8 a.m. Last year, several Hillsboro fields sold out within minutes, so be alert. This is also a good time to double-check your BikeReg information and ensure that it’s up to date.
• » Our friends at Flatlandia have organized a cyclocross world championships viewing party at the Globe Pub this Sunday. Delayed coverage at 3 p.m.
• » Could the 2013 cyclocross world championships come to the United States? Update: Yes!
• » How much bacon will it take to lure new Evanston resident Barry Wicks (Kona) to the 2010 Chicago Cyclocross Cup?
• » Ben Van Couvering (Team Pegasus) was kind enough to translate the current CBR race calendar into iCal, XML and HTML.
• » It won’t be long before group rides resume in earnest. Mark Landau and Team Judson are organizing a letter-writing campaign to remind Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran who the true menaces on the road are. (I should note that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was very responsive when the XXX Racing-AthletiCo ride was attacked by a truck in 2007.)
• » Former XXX Racing-AthletiCo and ABD rider Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies) “has one of the narrowest profiles on the team” — and one of its awesomest mustaches. (Alex Candelario is tough to beat.)
• » Here’s a nifty powermeter-GPS-helmetcam mash-up.
• » TheCycleStudio on Harlem Avenue has Friday morning “Induro Cycling” spinning classes for $5 a session.

• » Wisconsin Cycling Association’s 2010 schedule is out, and it looks rather familiar, which is great: No sense messing with a great thing. For road race lovers, the Spring Prairie state championships will again be the first Sunday of June, and in May we return to two hilly courses about an hour north of Madison: Circuit of Sauk on May 1 and La Rue-Denzer-La Rue on May 15. (I considered L-D-L an instant classic when it made its debut in 2009.) I’m also happy to see that the Whitnall Park Spring Classic, a very fun and hilly criterium near Milwaukee, is back after a one-year hiatus.
• » Burnham Racing released its flier for March 27’s Spring Super Criterium, the kick-off of the 2010 Illinois Cup campaign. The boys also announced new shop and bike sponsors, not to mention some nice roster pick-ups.
• » Our first chance to race outdoors will once again be in Kenosha, Wis. ABR’s Kenosha Velosport Spring Criterium Series starts Sunday, March 14, weather permitting, and continues the following two Sundays. (Raise your hand if you still miss Parkside.)
• » Yet another new team to look for in 2010: W2 Racing of Arlington Heights is made up of beginning masters racers and triathletes.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen are having an open house for juniors Tuesday, Jan. 26, in Homewood.
• » Doing well at Hillsboro-Roubaix can once again secure a spot at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Last year Chris Winn (RMCEF) drove 31 hours from Colorado for a shot at qualifying — and succeeded.
• » Why I wear a helmet. (Also, why I don’t care for cats.)

• » There is still much of the season yet to be confirmed, but I’ve started populating the 2010 race calendar.

• » Several officials clinics are coming up, including a beginners clinic on Saturday, Feb. 20, and moto-ref training on Sunday, Feb. 28.

• » Another Wednesday, another new squad: This week it’s Psimet Racing, based in Elgin. President and title sponsor Rob Curtis says he’s happy to talk to prospective riders at Saturday’s Chicago Winter Bike Swap at Harper College.

• » On the national front, Team Tibco, the only American UCI-sanctioned women’s team, boasts three riders with regional ties: Chicago native Rebecca Much, U of C grad Devon Haskell and 20-year-old Samantha Schneider of West Allis, Wis. The question is, Will we ever see them race? There are no longer any major women’s races in the area, and I expect that Tour of America’s Dairyland and Superweek are too small for Tibco to attend.

• » WCIU takes a look at Ciclo Urbano and its repair classes for women.

• » “The more you race bikes, the more intellectually interesting it becomes.” If you aren’t reading the blog of Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy/Trek Stores), you should start. I almost wish he would quit racing so he’d have time to write a book.

• » I’ve always wanted to do this. I daresay the results would be different at any Chicago intersection. (Sometimes, just for yucks, I come to complete stops behind each white line while driving through a neighborhood. It’s like going the speed limit on the interstate: You feel like a complete weird-o —

  and people get pissed off and honk at you.)

• » Rapha pays a visit to Blue Mounds, site of one of 2009’s most popular races.

• » The Glencoe Summerfest 2009 photo book includes many shots from the Glencoe Grand prix. Sales benefit the Glencoe Educational Foundation.

• » Speaking of which, only two more days left to pre-order your Chicago cyclocross book and enter the raffle for free bacon.

• » The Illinois Cycling Association meets this Saturday in Lisle. In an effort to give better lead time in the future, meetings are now established on the second Saturdays of September, October, November, January, February, March, and April.
• » John Wilke put together a video recap of the 2009 season.
• » The Allvoi Cup returns to the track Aug. 6-8. Voytek Glinkowski (WDT-Allvoi) says he expects between $9,000 and $15,000 in prize money. Qualification heats will start that Friday at noon. Mass-start races are open to Cat 4 and above, and the open categories will be capped at 40 riders.
• » Another new squad for 2010: Vic Rentas sends word of Team G Force out of Park Ridge. Membership is open.
• » Excellent recap of a rookie season from Sarah Lu (Half Acre Cycling). “I generally didn’t come in last, and I managed not to break my face.” (Those were my goals my first season, too.)
• » Don’t forget to register for Sunday’s cyclocross banquet in Skokie.
• » And only 10 days left to pre-order your cyclocross photo book. Pre-ordering lets you sidestep shipping charges and enters you in a raffle for 2 pounds of premium bacon.
• » Baroudeurs and rouleurs report in 52 days.

• » Don’t put away those cross bikes just yet. Team Mack hosts the 23rd Annual Bill Jensen Memorial Tour de Groundhog on Sunday, Feb. 21, at New Salem State Park near Springfield.
• » Time to unload your bike clutter ... and replace it with newer, shinier clutter. Two bike swaps are coming up: Saturday, Jan. 9, is the 19th Annual Cronometro Bike Swap in Madison. The following Saturday, the Chicago Winter Bike Swap returns to Harper College. Both have good reputations for good deals and fun finds.
• » You never know what you’ll find at the thrift store.
• » ReCycling Pro Development has put together an impressive roster of young talent for its debut season, including state road race champion Seth Meyer.
• » Comma Music joins billboard concern Van Wagner as title sponsor of Comma Van Wagner Racing.
• »  A 34-year-old cyclist in the publishing industry loses a lot of weight and signs with Cervélo TestTeam. Inexplicably, it is not me.
• » “Lance Armstrong inspires thousands to come in third to cancer.”

• » You asked for it, you got it: Cat 4’s will race 58 miles at Hillsboro-Roubaix. Registration opens Feb. 1. And I’d better not see any of you jokers pulling out after one lap.
• » Exciting news from our friends at Flatlandia: The Leland Kermesse will return in 2010, and Ted Burger promises that it will be “longer and harder than last year.” It’s scheduled for Saturday, April 17, and this time it will be under USAC sanction. The road race made a memorable debut in 2009, and I expect it will be a worthy companion or alternative to Hillsboro-Roubaix.
• » Registration is open for ABD’s Indoor Time Trial Series.
• » Chicago riders had a good weekend in Bend, Ore. Holly Klug (Courage) and Scott McLaughlin (SRAM) won their masters warm-up races, and Kevin Klug (Courage) took 2nd in his. In the main events, McLaughlin got the top local finish. He was as far ahead as 2nd in Saturday’s 40+ national championship before finishing 5th behind some respectable competition.
• » I have a hunch which Midwestern promoter this might be.  Illinois Cycling Association president Steve Hansen (North Branch) responds.
• » Lemont’s Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Transitions) will appear at the Michigan Avenue Garmin Store at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 29.
• » NY Velocity gives the best interviews in the business. I especially enjoyed Monday’s interview with David Millar (Garmin-Transitions), for three reasons: 1. The passage about rediscovering the joy of bicycle riding. 2. The passage about breaking away into Barcelona. 3. He swears like a proper Scotsman.
• » “This sport has broken my heart and crushed my dreams for possibly the last time.” And speaking of broken hearts and crushed dreams: Something for the time trialist.
• » Today is probably the last day to order a CBR calendar and expect delivery by Christmas. There are three to choose from: road, cyclocross and an updated version of cyclocross.
• » Want something really special for your favorite cyclocross rider? A special Chicago Cyclocross Cup coffee table book will be available for pre-order soon. Stay tuned. It’s available now!

• » For the completist: I have created an updated version of my cyclocross calendar, including photos from the season’s final four races. Available only from CafePress for $17.50. Cheap! (The previous cyclocross version and the road calendar are still available, too.)
• » Set your alarm clocks: Pre-registration for Hillsboro-Roubaix will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 1.
• » And mark your calendars: The Tour of Champaign-Urbana returns May 22-23.
• » At Podium Insight, Lyne Lamoureux has an interview with Adam Myerson (Cycle-Smart). The comparison of results-oriented East Coast vs. crazy-oriented Portland is noteworthy in the wake of our own breakthrough cross season.
• » Careful with that door.
• » Through Jan. 15, show a cycling license or a bib number at Human Performance Institute and get 20 percent off gym membership or personal training.
• » Everything I know about Downers Grove I learned from Emo Phillips.

• » If it’s winter, it’s time for Goldsprints, an essential component of every serious cyclist’s base training. Johnny Sprockets hosts an 8-event series of fixed-fork roller races starting Thursday, Dec. 10.
• » Julie Popper (Half Acre Cycling) writes up the Chicago cross scene for CX Magazine.
• » The Chicago Tribune changes a life.
• » Enjoy a ride down memory lane with “Concrete Rodeo,” a messenger documentary by Chip Williams, a pro who has been shooting many of the cyclocross races this fall.
• » “Design well. Do good.” Apparel maker Faction Cycling has hung its shingle in Chicago.
• » “‘Just a bike race’? Have you lost your mind?”

• » ABD has a few treats in store for its 2010 Indoor Time Trial Series, including an invitational for the top riders. The first event is Jan. 24.
• » Jay Ryan has once again produced a stunning poster to commemorate our state cyclocross championships.
• » Wait for it ... Wait for it ... “Oh, that looked bad ...”
• » The Peoria Journal Star lets Steve Driscoll (Team Mack) tell the remarkable story of his catastrophic crash and long recovery.
• » I’ve caught wind of the first new team of 2010: Reed Oliff is starting up Lamb Little Racing, an elite squad focusing on road races and time trials.
• » The city is looking for a bike-minded engineering student to help design new bike lanes.
• » USA Cycling notes the passing of Roger DeLanghe.
• » I am all out of cross calendars but I have a few road calendars left, available at Montrose Harbor for $15. Once they sell out, you’ll have to purchase directly from Cafe Press. (Cyclocross fans take note: After Montrose I will create an updated version of the cross calendar that includes shots from the second half of the season. More than likely this will be available only through Cafe Press.)
• » In other calendar news, the 2010 editions of the Thought You Knew pun-up calendar are out, this time with a boys version. Proceeds go to the Chicago Women’s Health Center.

• » Turin is looking for volunteers to help with the state cyclocross championships at Montrose Harbor. Help would be appreciated with set-up on Saturday, Dec. 5, and with marshaling, registration and tear-down on Sunday. Contact George Vargas.
• » The Illinois Cycling Association is accepting nominations online.
• » The Northbrook Cycle Committee meets tomorrow to vote on officers.
• » Chicago Area Mountain Bikers has tentatively slated Aug. 22, 2010, for the next Palos Meltdown.
• » What cross riders think hipsters think of cross riders.

• » It makes me think seriously about grad school: The 2010 collegiate national championships will be in Madison, Wis., and a source tells me the road race will employ the popular Blue Mounds course. Masters championships won’t be far, either, returning to Louisville, although later in the season: Aug. 1-7.
• » Update: Thanks to Mike Ebert (ABD) for noting a significant point that I missed: The 2010 elite national criterium championships will be held in conjunction with the elite road race championships, which are slated for Bend, Ore. That is a major blow to Downers Grove. With the Chicago Criterium in question, it may mean we never see the nation’s best women race, which is a huge loss.
• » “Race Across the Sky,” a documentary about this year’s Leadville 100 mountain bike race, returns for a second showing Thursday. (Since AMC River East botched the initial showing, the dirtbags of The Bonebell are heading to Evanston.)
• » More than 60 women attended Half Acre Cycling’s women’s night last week. Coincidentally, Sunday’s cross race had the largest women’s turnout of the year.
• » North Branch Cycling is having a fall social in Deer Park on Friday. The team invites interested riders from anywhere but particularly the northwest suburbs. Contact Rob Roop for directions.
• » Turin is again holding a winter food drive. Food can be dropped off at the shop in Evanston or at the state cross championships on Dec. 6.
• » Lower race fees. Bigger purses and a sweet raffle. A chance to party with the Cuttin’ Crew. Should be good times at Indian Lakes this Saturday.
• » Brilliant. In Minnesota cyclocross, the winner of the 4’s race gets a bag of sand. (Because our friends up north are soft and afraid to race in the cold and snow of December, Minnesota’s state championships are this weekend. A source tells me it will be epic.)
• » Ben Jenkins took some superior photos of the muddy cross racing in St. Charles.
• » “Hill repeats suck so much ass.” If “Downfall” parodies are wrong, I don’t want to be not wrong. (May be inappropriate for delicate readers.)
• » NY Velocity collects some interesting comments on race radios.
• » Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA) once again teaches Pedaling with a Purpose training sessions this winter in Westmont.
• » 2010 road and cross calendars remain. Flag me down at Saturday’s cross race. Just $15 when purchased in person.

• » A local name I missed from the UCI Track Cycling Masters World Championships: Jim Host (PACT/Dish Network) earned silver in the 50-54 2k pursuit, finishing 2.5 seconds off a world-record pace set by American Larry Nolan (Team Specialized Masters).
• » The Illinois Cycling Association needs a few short-term volunteers for its election committee.
• » Rahsaan Bahati‘s new team includes former ABD rider Ryan Baumann.
• » Our reputation is spreading.
• » Tonight is Half Acre Cycling’s women’s night.
• » The USCF Board of Trustees will this weekend vote on proposed rule changes. Most notable may be new gear restrictions for juniors 16 and younger: from 52x14 to 52x16. Since this affects juniors, robust discussion is taking place on the Facebook.
• » “There are not a lot of skinny action heroes out there.” Such is the plight of the cyclist. The New York times catches up with teen heartthrob Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Amgen-Giant Masters).
• » Thanks to Brean Shea (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) for sharing this story about night racing in Brooklyn.
• » I expect to have 2010 road and cross calendars available at Sunday’s cross race in Northbrook. Just $15 when purchased in person.

• » Chicago’s Reid Schwartz (Midwest Masters) earned a silver medal in the 500m time trial at the UCI Track Cycling Masters World Championships in Australia.
• » The Illinois Cycling Association meets Saturday in Lisle. All teams should try to send a representative. Make your concerns and viewpoints heard. (Fact: Going to meetings like this is not the most fun way to spend a Saturday but can do more good than commenting anonymously on various blogs.)
• » “Before ever really loving a person, I possessed a visceral, if irrational, love for cyclocross.” Thank you, J.
• » Cross fans should be sure to vote for the T-shirt design they intend to buy.
• » Saturday is IIT’s Swap and Hop, a cyclocross clinic followed by bike swap.
• » Women of all experience levels should remember next Wednesday’s event at Half Acre Brewery.
• » Some thoughts on a safer lakefront path.
• » I’m not sure what to make of this proposed race near Madison.
• » NY Velocity talks with Lemont’s Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream). Expect him and his family to spend more time in Spain than Chicago this winter.

• » Time Out reports that the city may cut funding to the Chicago Criterium, meaning significant private sponsorship would be required for the race to continue.
• » Many of us have had the honor of being beaten by young Adam Leibovitz (NUVO Cultural Trail). Bicycling profiles him and how cycling helps his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

• » Recently I was driving west to the races in Dekalb when I saw a familiar white school bus up the road. As I made the pass, I rolled down the window and pumped my fist in the universal sign for “Hey, mister, blow your horn!” A satisfying belch erupted from the right lane, and I was a happy boy. Two weeks later, the Cuttin’ Cruiser is in a spot of trouble. If the Cruiser or its passengers have ever put a smile on your face, consider throwing in a buck or two.
• » Half Acre Cycling invites all women who race — or who would like to — to an evening of beer and chocolate on Nov. 4.
• » Some big cyclocross prize money is lining up for mid-November. The South Chicago Wheelmen have put together a $5,000 purse for their Nov. 14 race at Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. Meanwhile, our friends in Minnesota are hoping Chicago riders make the trip to their state championship weekend, Nov. 14-15, where $4,000 cash and $7,000 in merchandise is up for grabs.
• » It’s time to start thinking about winter training. The Bike Shop in Glen Ellyn has classes starting Nov. 1, taught by Dave Reed (Elmhurst Masters). And ABD starts its winter boot camps Nov. 2.
• » Cyclists should not throw punches. Seriously. With the upper-body strength of 9-year-old girls, why bother? Everyone know that the flying kick is proper form.

• » Note the new times for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup.
• » IIT is hosting a cross clinic on Oct. 31, with a bike swap to go with it.
• » Also on Haloween, West Lafeyette, Ind., is home to Spooky Cross, with prizes for best costumes. The Halloween Classic Cyclocross in Milwaukee is also a good destination, although I’m not sure the flaming barriers will be allowed to return. Alas.
• » ICA president Steve Hansen (North Branch) summarizes the current state of results reporting.
• » Jonathan Fraley (WDT-Allvoi) and Josh Ryan (Bouledogue Tout Noir) each pulled in several top 10’s at this weekend’s elite track national championships, then partnered to get 5th in the team sprint. Dave Moyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) made the points final and finished 13th. Other locals who made the trip include Val Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir), Chris Mosora (Verizon Wireless), Franco Panveno (Alberto’s) and Al Urbanski (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew).
• » Christina Peck (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) finished 3rd at the Cycle Messenger World Championships in Tokyo.

• » Lakefront path users should expect a minor detour at the Chicago River for the next month or so. Here’s an update from Active Trans.
• » David Byrne (Talking Heads) is a brave, brave man: He rides the lakefront without a helmet.
• » Someone on NY Velocity has quietly outed the Bike Snob as Eben Weiss (GS Gotham), literary agent.
• » Also on NY Velocity, Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream) reminisces about some fun times with our own Kenny Labbe.
• » Some riders with local ties did well at collegiate track nationals this weekend. Matt Fox (RPM/Hayes Brake) earned silver in the kilo and sprint and bronze in the omnium, riding for Midwestern State. Riding for Lees-McRae, Jennifer Greenberg earned bronze in the 3km pursuit and silver in the team pursuit. The Illinois Institute of Technology’s Elena Dorr reeled in three top 5’s and a 4th in the individual omnium, helping IIT place 5th in the D2 omnium. And ABD star Josh Carter, now enrolled at Midwestern State, pulled in a handful of top 10’s.
• » Chicago learns on Friday whether it gets the 2016 Paralympic Games. Universal Sports will broadcast and stream the cities’ final presentations.  Chicago is first at 1:45 a.m., with the announcement coming at 11:30 a.m.
• » It’s all over: Mainstream media discovers cyclocross.

• » Results are up from Sunday’s Kenosha Business Park Criterium. Some strong showings from WDT-Allvoi, PYOC and PACT/Dish Network.

• » Chicago Bike Racing backs the bid.

• » Thanks to the good turnout at Willow Springs, Tower Racing is donating $2,350 to World Bicycle Relief.

• » Fall officially started yesterday, which means it’s time to start thinking about the Chicago Winter Bike Swap: Jan. 16 at Harper College.

• » The Druber has started a blog. Next thing you know he’ll be Tweeting.

• » Derailleurs, shmerailleurs. Half Acre Cycling invites you to participate in the The Officially Unofficial Illinois State Cyclocross Single Speed Championship at its race in Dekalb on Oct. 4.

• » The Bonebell interviews Chicago Cyclocross Cup director Jason Knauff (Burnham Racing).

• » Speaking of cross: Fans will want to pick up Thursday’s Tribune. Shoot, pick up 10!

• » “This being Rock Racing, big money, flash, flash, they give riders one kit apiece.” Podium Insight has a great interview with Mike Creed (Team Type 1).

• » Illinois Cup standings are final. Looks like Saturday’s road race went a long way toward deciding some of the categories.
• » Kelly Benefit Strategies’ Reid Mumford, Alex Candelario, Neil Shirley and Scott Zwizanski are going to Zambia to be ambassadors for World Bicycle Relief. Speaking of WBR, there’s a bit of time left to bid on SRAM’s auction of some signed Garmin-Slipstream swag.
• » Mike Ebert (ABD) shares a few words about what goes into throwing races.
• » Cycling painter Steve Dennis (Unattached) invites you to the reception for the “Bicycles and Bodies” art show Thursday night in Hyde Park.
• » Local official and cycling tifosa Nikki Cyp went to the Tour of Missouri and got access for a ton of nice pictures.
• » Universal Sports will be broadcasting the world championships live. I know where I will be at 4 a.m. on Sept. 26.
• » I am not quite sure what to make of the Gravel Grovel Group Ride, held in Indiana the day after Thanksgiving, but the organizer wanted me to let you know that you’re invited.
• » Your commute is boring.

• » Active Transportation Alliance remembers fallen cyclists and pedestrians Oct. 4 with the Fifth Annual Dick Herron Memorial Bike and Walk.
• » Tom Doughty (Amgen/Giant) wasn’t the only local to hit the masters world championships in Austria. Leigh Thompson (Vision Quest) was also there, placing 5th in the women’s 45-49 time trial.
• » The inaugural Allvoi Cup wrapped up Saturday at the Northbrook Velodrome, featuring none other than the Jesse White Tumbling Team. Overall winners were Matt Fox (Hayes Brakes) in the men’s open, Dave Moyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in the men’s 3/4/5’s and Molly Godlewski (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) in the women’s open.
• » The Gateway Cup always draws large, strong fields to St. Louis over Labor Day weekend for some intense crit action. Local results include young Brandon Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen) winning a bunch sprint in Saturday’s 3’s race. The women’s series drew national-caliber talent, with Jessi Prinner (ABD) placing 8th in Friday’s sprint. Also from ABD, Josh Carter cracked the top 10 in all four P/1/2 races, and Mike Vail won Sunday’s 4’s race and grabbed 3rd Monday.
• » In its interview with Brian Conant (Pony Shop), the Bonebell gets this transfer scoop: Chicago product Devon Haskell (Team BH USA), a new resident of California, will be joining powerhouse Tibco in 2010. “I’m super excited to be riding with Tibco next year!” Haskell says.  “I will hopefully get to do some more stage racing, which I really like.”
• » New Belgium’s Urban Assault Ride returns to Chicago’s streets Sept. 20, benefiting West Town Bikes.

• » Aurora’s Tom Doughty (Amgen/Giant) competed last week in Austria’s masters world championships. He placed 4th in the 55-59 time trial and 26th in the road race.
• » Chris Wiatr (WDT-Allvoi) won the sprint distance at Sunday’s Chicago Triathlon. He will represent Team USA at this month’s junior world championships in Australia.
• » Universal Sports is streaming the Vuelta.
• » Help Christina Peck (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) get to Tokyo.
• » “That ain’t Gatorade ...”
• » TheCycleStudio is having an event to benefit the National MS Society.
• » News flash: In 90 percent of bike-car crashes, the driver is at fault, including this grisly piece of negligence in Madison, Wis.
• » The 40+ 4/5 field of our state road race is filling up, with only 16 12 spots left as of this writing. Meanwhile, do not neglect the Sept. 19 Ronald Reagan Criterium in Dixon, which appears to be wanting for participants in its inaugural edition. Could be the perfect opener for the next day’s cyclocross action.