Several dozen competitors may start each race, making tight corners, like this downhill S-curve called “Heckle Hill,” a controlled chaos.
John Starks
Cyclocross may be the fastest growing aspect of bicycle racing.
In the Fox Valley, a group of dedicated riders organized the Chicago Cyclocross Cup. The CCC is a series of 12 bicycle races each weekend from September into December. Sunday's stop was the fifth, in Carpenter Park, Carpentersville.
The races run 30-60 minutes and riders use bicycles similar to road racing bikes, but have more frame clearance for larger, knobby tires. The courses are a mix of grass, dirt, hills, pavement and barricades that force the riders to carry the bikes for short distances.
The next race is Sunday at Sunrise Park in Bartlett. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m.; parking is available at Sycamore Trails Elementary School, 1025 Sycamore Lane, Bartlett. See chicrosscup.com for details.
John Starks
Cyclocross bicycles resemble road racing bikes, but have more frame clearance for larger, knobby tires. Graphite rims and carbon fiber frames make the bikes light weight for speed and maneuverability.
John Starks
Cyclocross racers Nathan Schneeberger and Tyler Avery, right, both of Chicago, carry their bikes as they leap over barriers during a race in Carpenter Park in Carpentersville Sunday. The barriers are designed to force riders off the bikes during the long, all-terrain races, which can last up to one hour.
John Starks
A competitor's leg is a testament to the intensity of the cyclocross race. Racers often crash while covering the grass, dirt, hills, pavement and barriers typical of each course. Bruises, scrapes, gouges and the occasional greasy sprocket imprint are not uncommon.
John Starks