"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - First annual Chicago Criterium

Well, crit racing in the Midwest is getting even bigger and better next year.

Mayor Daley just gave the formal announcement for the first annual Chicago Criterium. It's to be held on the 27th of July, 2008. The course will be a 1.3 mile loop in Grant Park.

Comes in the weekend after SuperWeek ends or the last weekend of it (which spans two whole weeks) depending on their scheduling for next year. It could very well be the last race of SuperWeek, should they decide to incorporate it into the series.

Also, I should point out that this race will fall between the NRC races of SW (first week of SW), Tour of Elk Grove, and Downers Grove. If it gets NRC status at some point, that would make 5 straight weekends of NRC racing in the Chicago area. I hope that they have it match the usual distance for all of those races with a 100km Pro/1/2 race.

http://chicagocriterium.us/

Cant wait. I may be wrong but I thought daley and robbie ventura announced this at some point this summer

They did. But there wasn't a date with that announcement, nor was the location of the course stated.

"Chicago" can mean anywhere within 40 miles of downtown, to me, so it's nice to know it will be held in Grank Park.

I hope they get some decent money at this race.

Jumbotrons and grandstands
Im in.

Srsly though, is there gonna be a 4's race (maybe 3's)?

i'll be there for sure. hell, i wouldn't even have to drive...

Hasn't there always been a Chicago Crit? I remember in the late 70s, early 80s there was always a huge annual crit on lakeshore blvd.

Hasn't there always been a Chicago Crit? I remember in the late 70s, early 80s there was always a huge annual crit on lakeshore blvd.

As far as I know, there isn't a big race in Chicago proper.

The only ones this past summer were Blue Island, Beverly, Bensenville, Evanston (all SW), then Elk Grove and Downers Grove. None of those are in what I would consider the city. Grant Park is like Central Park in NYC.

As far as I know, there isn't a big race in Chicago proper.

The only ones this past summer were Blue Island, Beverly, Bensenville, Evanston (all SW), then Elk Grove and Downers Grove. None of those are in what I would consider the city. Grant Park is like Central Park in NYC.

Beverly is in Chicago. It's just the name of the neighborhood.

As far as I know, there isn't a big race in Chicago proper.

The only ones this past summer were Blue Island, Beverly, Bensenville, Evanston (all SW), then Elk Grove and Downers Grove. None of those are in what I would consider the city. Grant Park is like Central Park in NYC.

monsters of midway
sherman park crit

Hasn't there always been a Chicago Crit? I remember in the late 70s, early 80s there was always a huge annual crit on lakeshore blvd.

Yep, and it was the Illinois State Criterium Championships in 1987 and 1988.

duke, did they say the exact route in/around grant park? (edit: nevermind...Start/fin at Colombus & Balbo)

monsters of midway
sherman park crit

I said "big". And having done one of those, I can say that it's hardly a big race, at least on the scale of the others mentioned.

I said "big". And having done one of those, I can say that it's hardly a big race, at least on the scale of the others mentioned.

true. didn't see the 'big' qualifier (=