The Ten 27 Cycling Club and Spidermonkey Cycling are bringing the Illinois State Cyclo-Cross Championships back to Montrose Harbor on December 7 and 8.  The race is the 12th race in the Chicago Cyclo-Cross Cup series and is sanctioned by USA Cycling.

Cyclo-cross racing continues to grow quickly.  Racers compete on courses 1.5 to 2 miles long over grass, mud, gravel, sand, and pavement and have to navigate obstacles such as barricades, steep climbs, deep mud, or deep sand, where they are forced to dismount and run with their bikes.  Racing takes place at slow speeds by most cycling standards, but is a grueling, power-sapping contest as racers grind it out in rugged conditions for the 30 to 60 minutes each race lasts.  Spectators gather at the most difficult parts of the course to witness the trials each rider goes through and add to the fun by cheering or heckling the riders as they go by.  Challenging weather conditions can fit right into the event.

The Illinois State Cyclo-Cross Championships at Montrose Harbor has grown to roughly 725 racers in each of the last two years, which is virtually a sell-out crowd.  Yet the passion for cyclo-cross is greater than ever.

This year's event will be extended to a day and a half to accommodate almost 1,000 racers.  There will be larger fields for many categories and an additional race for Categories 2, 3, and 4.  There will also be a party on Saturday evening to encourage everyone, racers and spectators alike, to make a weekend of it in Chicago.

Racing will start at 12:30 on Saturday afternoon in Montrose Harbor, east of Simonds Drive between Montrose and Wilson Avenues with a race for single-speeders.  The main event on Saturday will be a race at 3:15 for Categories 2, 3, and 4.  Racing resumes at 8:45 on Sunday morning with many of the age-group championships.  The main events on Sunday will be the State Championships for Elite Women, starting at 10:45, and Elite Men, starting at 1:30.

Neutral Race Support will provided to all riders by Wheel & Sprocket.

Sponsors supporting the event include Goose Island’s 312 beer, Wheel & Sprocket, Autobarn VW, E.J.’s Place, Chicago Chiropractic and Sports Medicine, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.  This event would not be possible without the support of these sponsors.

Volunteers are being recruited for a wide variety of tasks, before, during, and after the event.  Those who would like to get involved should contact Trent Williams at trent8@gmail.com.

Additional features and details of the event will be announced in the next week or two.  Look for details about a Saturday evening party, course specifics, food at the event, and more on the Chicago Cyclo-Cross Cup website, www.chicrosscup.com.  Rider registration is open at www.bikereg.com/Net/2013-illinois-state-cyclocross-championships-ccc-12-day-1 and www.bikereg.com/Net/2013-illinois-state-cyclocross-championships-ccc-12.  Info about hotel deals is available at all three web URLs.