Cyclists push through nasty weather at Elgin race

Cold and, yes, a brief dousing of sleet did not thwart hardy bicyclists from racing in Elgin Saturday.

More than 360 of them registered to tackle the .8-mile loop through Lords Park and a nearby neighborhood in the fifth annual Elgin Cycling Classic.

They sped around corners and up and down hills. And riders can expect even more hill work Sunday, when the two-day Fox River Omnium continues with the Fox River Grove Criterium.

"There will be a lot of shifting your gears tomorrow, that's all I can tell you," race announcer Kenny Labbe told the cyclists in the middle of a race.

The Fox River Grove races start at 10 a.m. at the Norge Ski Club, 100 Ski Hill Road.

The races in Elgin varied from 20 to 60 minutes, meaning cyclists traveled about 14 to 30 miles, according to race director Ron Curtis. Winners were awarded points toward a two-day total. Racers could also accumulate more points during sprint periods in each race. (Some of them also got pie, from a sponsor.)

"I did not notice the weather at all," said Courtney O'Neill, who rides for XXX Racing of Chicago. O'Neill, 32, won the Woman's 30+. She has been racing since 2009.

She used to only ride on tours, including a cross-country tour. "But I have a little bit of a competitive streak," she said. Last year she participated in 50 racing events.