New venue wins over Cyclocross Cup riders
The annual Chicago Cyclocross Cup race held in Carpentersville took a detour Sunday, since issues with Carpenter Park's readiness prompted a location switch.
But the change of venue didn't seem to faze the hundreds of racers who brought their bikes to the temporary location, Randall Oaks
Park in West Dundee.
Race volunteer Vince Mavrick, who works for event organizer Main Street Bicycles in Carpentersville and races with the shop's Sasquatch Squadron team, said the difference is like night and day. While setting up at Carpenter Park took creativity to present riders with a challenge, the rolling terrain at Randall Oaks featured steep drops as well as knee straining climbs and pleasing views of a variety of trees.
"It's got some hills. It's pretty fast. It's flowy. You can stay off the brakes in a lot of the different areas," added Brett Williams, another member of the Sasquatch Squadron team. "All in all, it's fun."
And if some of the Oktoberfest atmosphere was lost in the move, it was compensated to some extent by the proximity of the Randall Oaks Petting Zoo.
Cyclocross is a sport designed for racers to keep in shape during the fall and winter. The short courses feature obstacles that force riders off their bikes and onto their feet.
The temperatures Sunday morning were chilly for spectators, but perfect for riders.
"You don't want to dress too much, because then you will overheat during the race," said Chris Pike of Evanston. "It's a short race, so it's kind of an all-out effort. You get pretty warm."
Pike was riding a cyclocross bicycle, which he described as a road bike designed to ride off road. They generally have stronger brakes and a mountain-bike type tire,
Hiro Watanabe of Vernon Hills said the most important part of the race is the start. His approach is to give 100 percent at the beginning.
"It's not a race against other racers. It's really a race against yourself," he said.
Jeff Provisor, event coordinator and owner of Main Street Bicycles in Carpentersville, suggested both Carpenter Park and Randall Oaks could serve as venues for the race in the future.
"Carpenter Park is still a great venue for what it is," he said. "If we could do both, it would be great."