Three Midwest states offer a cyclocross race series
by Joel Patenaude Interest in the strange but challenging hybrid sport of cyclocross racing is steadily climbing in the Midwest, judging by the number of participants and increasingly crowded
fall schedule.
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan each have a series of seven or more cross races. More serious cyclists are starting to focus on cross, not merely as an end of cycling season activity. Clinics and weekly training rides are popping up to accommodate all the newcomers.
"If you went to a cyclocross race 10 years ago, you would have seen 40 to 60 people. Race attendance today is more like 125 to 150," said John P. Ericsson, co-director of the Wisconsin Cyclocross
Series.
"Cyclocross was in vogue a few years ago, but it still seems to be steadily growing," he said. "It used to be done just for fun in the off-season. But for some, it's now the sole thing they do."
The Wisconsin Cyclocross Series dates back to the mid-'80s. Ericsson's involvement started in 1996, well after trying the sport. "It was not love at first try," he said. "For the first year, I hated it. The first two races I did I came in dead last.
Now I do pretty well."
Cross courses are relatively short, and the fast sections tend to be flat. But a foot and a half high barriers and steep inclines require racers to frequently jump off and carry their mounts. These courses call for a combination of skills and equipment both road bike racers and mountain bike trail riders use.
The ideal cyclocross bike skinny-to-chubby tires, a lighter frame, higher top tube, drop handlebars, rear brake release on the left, stripped of water
bottle holders and other accessories allows for easier dismounting, carrying and acceleration.
All this may make cross sound like a conspiracy to get more of us to buy another activity-specific bike. But cross bikes are by definition hybrids and, for that reason, versatile for both road and trail riding. "They're great training bikes all around," Ericsson argues.
Of course, you can enter cross races with a mountain bike (with the bar ends removed) or convert it into a cross
bike and do pretty well, too.
Whatever you choose to ride, the Wisconsin Cyclocross Series this year will offer some unique races, Ericsson said. New this year is an urban course in Milwaukee's Washington Park, October 31 and November 7, and use of sections of the Wisconsin Off Road Series course near Sheboygan on November 21.
He said riders should look forward to once again having "free reign" over the Angel Park Speedway in Sun Prairie on November 14.
The eight-race
series starts September 19 at Lapham Peak State Park in Delafield. The full schedule is online at www.wicycling.org.
See Cyclocross Race Schedule page 26
September 12
Gravity Lab/Silver Cycling Cyclocross Clinic, Burnsville, MN
Contact Gravity Lab, 952/892-5985; Garry Morrison,
gmorrison@frontiernet.net; www.silvercycling.org
September 19
Lapham Peak State Park, Delafield, WI
CZ Velo Club, Chris Setter 262/560-1382; bigwheels_c@yahoo.com
September 25
Boom Island Park, Minneapolis, MN
September 25
Michigan Cyclocross Series Race #1, Rochester, MI
October 2
UCI Cyclocross Race, Waterford, MI
Michael Rabe Cyclocross Race, Waterford Hills Sportsmans Club
October 3
Michigan Cyclocross Series Race #2, Waterford, MI
Waterford Hills Sportsmans Club
October 3
Badger Prairie Park, Verona, WI
Capitol Velo Club, Kelly Campbell, 608/251-0057; kell8888bell@yahoo.com
October 3
MCT/Tonka Cycle & Ski Cyclocross
Orono High School, Orono, MN
Minnesota Cycling Federation
October 10
Lake Rebecca Park, Rockford, MN
St. Paul Bicycle Racing Club, Phil Stringer, 651/552-0926;
pstringer2@earthlink.net
October 17
Riverside Park, St. Cloud, MN
Mid Minnesota Cycling Club, Charles Jacobs or Kyia Malenkovich, bono@cyberlockit.com; kyiabikes@msn.com
October 17
Cam Rock Park, Cambridge , WI
GDVC and Stoton Velo, Travis Goodlund, 608/838-8417; jentrav@terracom.net
October 17
Michigan Cyclocross Series Race #3, Belleville, MI
Lower Huron Metropark
October 23
Ham Lake Bible Camp, Ham Lake, MN
Loon State Cyclists, Mike Delaney, 763/566-7520; mijoydelaney@juno.com
October 24
UW-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI
UWW Cycling Club, Chris Gerber/Ben Milano, 651/270-4944; uwwcycling@yahoo.com
October 30
Michigan Cyclocross Series Race #4, Shelby Township, MI
Stony Creek Metropark
October 31
Washington Park, Milwaukee, WI
Velo Trocadero, Steve Roeder, 414/257-3456; steve@spotfilmworks.com
October 31
Nature Valley CX, Eastwood Park, Rochester, MN
Rochester Active Sports Club, Mark Consugar, 507/288-1166; mconsugar@charter.net; Nature Valley/Flat City Cycling Club, Aaron Johnson, 763/323-4658; aj_johnson@yahoo.com
November 7
Cyclocross State Championship CX, Bassett Creek Park, Crystal, MN
Sponsored by Kenwood
November 7
Estabrook Park, Milwaukee, WI
Hampshire CC, Jerry Pearce, 414/961-1110; cross@rainbowjersey.com
November 14
Angel Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, WI
Brazen Dropouts and Midwest Masters, John Ericsson, 608/438-6707; cx@brazendropouts.org
November 14
Michigan Cyclocross Series Race #5, Ann Arbor, MI
Veterans Park
November 21
Michigan Cyclocross Series Race #6, Dexter, MI
Hudson Hills Metropark
November 21
Sheboygan, WI
PCW, Rob Boldt, 920/457-4441, Ext. 74788; mtbcoach@charter.net
December 5
Michigan State Championship, Cyclocross Series Race #7, Munson Park, Monroe, MI
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