There’s a lot of good racing this weekend, which means some choices for Chicago racers not scared off by the price of gas.

Saturday brings us two road races. The closer one is an 8-mile circuit in Winona Lake, Ind., part of the Northern Indiana Fat & Skinny Tire Fest. The one I’m more familiar with is the Baraboo Road Race up north of Madison. It was my very first road race back in 2005 and I’ve been sweet on it ever since.

Each of Baraboo’s scenic, 15-mile laps throws two challenging climbs at us. They aren’t particularly long, but they are steep, especially for urban flatlanders such as ourselves, and they are more than capable of popping riders off the back. Here’s an elevation chart from the 2005 edition. (The course has changed slightly since then, but the main hills are the same.) The first climb, shown above, is harder because after a short reprieve the road continues to pitch upward. The second climb, on the other hand, is followed by a long, windy but safe descent that can give some riders a chance to catch back on if they’ve been dropped.

Two tips for these climbs: Switch to your small chainring before you start going up. Wait too long and you risk dropping your chain. Second, keep your head up and mind what the riders ahead of you are doing. Many will start to do the “paperboy weave” as they crack, and others will drift backward as they rise out of the saddle. This is not a time to worry about the draft. Find a lane and don’t let anyone disrupt your rhythm.

Baraboo races tend to be affairs of attrition. The sprint is tricky, as the finish line is much farther than you think. Be patient. Wait, wait, wait -- pounce. (I recommend hesitating two or three extra beats if you are in my Cat 3 race.) Indeed, this is a sprint that will exemplify Hennie Kuiper‘s maxim that racing “is licking your opponent’s plate clean before starting on your own.”

Sunday brings us four criteriums, and I’m afraid I don’t have experience with any of them. The closest is in Vernon Hills, but we also have an ABR crit at the business park in Kenosha, Wis., and the bike fest’s companion criterium in Winona Lake, Ind.

Saturday
Village of Winona Road Race
USCF road race
Winona Lake, Ind.
Distance from Chicago: 2.5 hours

Baraboo Road Race
USCF road race
Baraboo, Wis.
Distance from Chicago: 3 hours

Sunday
Vernon Hills Grand Prix
USCF criterium
Vernon Hills
Distance from Chicago: 1 hour

Kenosha Spring Criterium
ABR criterium
Kenosha, Wis.
Distance from Chicago: 1.5 hours

Village of Winona Criterium
USCF criterium
Winona Lake, Ind.
Distance from Chicago: 2.5 hours