Cycling Racing Resources: Organizations, Schedules & More

By Tiber Scheer

By no means an exhaustive list of cycling/race resources. I started to throw together a list of links, something to help folks navigate: How do I find out about races? Where are the good trails, etc. Missing from this resource list is the myriad of cycling teams in the Chicagoland area. These teams that make up our community are also a tremendous resource. Take a look through, bookmark what you may find useful and have a great 2017 season.

USA Cycling - USAC is the largest (read:main) cycling organization both domestically and internationally.

Most USAC sanctioned events can be searched through this site, by state.

http://www.usacycling.org/events/

USAC club search is great for finding out more about teams in your state. Follow/Like/Support other teams. We are family.

http://www.usacycling.org/clubs/clubsearch.php

Most sanctioned races require a license. You can purchase a one-day license and apply that purchase toward your annual if you want to test the waters first. Also, this year they have created a Ride license with some interesting perks. Officials, Coaches and Race Directors get licensed as well.

https://register.usacycling.org/#!/c/pricing

Bike Reg - Where most all other registrations are handled through these folks. Search for sanctioned and unsanctioned national events here.

https://www.bikereg.com/

American Bike Racing - ABR is the ‘other’ US cycling association. While they put on road and crit races, time trials are on their specialty list (both outside and indoor).

http://www.ambikerace.com/

Illinois Cycling Association - The ICA is the Illinois arm of USAC, our local source for what’s going on locally (always looking for officers if you want to get involved in cycling gvnmt)

http://www.illinoiscycling.org/

Wisconsin Cycling Association - There tend to be more road, as opposed to crit, races in WI

http://wicycling.org/

Intelligentsia Cup - Big local road/crit series. These races occur over a week or so. If you’re planning on doing the series, put in for your staycation days now.

http://intelligentsiacup.com/

Fyxation Open - Local (IL, WI) fixed gear crit series

http://www.fyxationopen.com/#intro

Photo by Marcelo Marcos

The Chainlink Racing and Riding Team

Information on joining the open Chicago area team as well as a link to the Chainlink group open to anyone interested in racing and/or doing challenging rides. 

http://www.thechainlink.org/page/join-the-chainlink-club

Tour of Americas Dairyland (T.O.A.D.) - Big Wisconsin road/crit series (same comment for the intellegensia cup, goes here. Put in your request for time off.

http://www.tourofamericasdairyland.com/

Gravelcyclist.com - Pretty good (but never 100% complete) calendar or national gravel rides

http://www.gravelcyclist.com/

Chicago Gravel Crushers - Local Gravel FB group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/chigravelcrushing/

Chicago Cyclocross Cup - The cup to rule them all, our local cyclocross series.

http://chicrosscup.com/

Cx Bandits - Local Cx FB group page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/624499407561275/

Cyclocross Gravel Trader - National Cx/Gravel trader group page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cyclocrossgraveltrader/

Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association - Put on a race series that encompasses most of the southern Illinois trails. This series also includes the Illinois State Championship

http://www.pambamtb.org/

Do Indiana Off-road (D.I.N.O.) - Mountain bike and trail running series in Indiana

http://www.dinoseries.com/

Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS) - Great Wisconsin Mountain Bike series

Http://wors.org

Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series (WEMS) - Choose from 3 hr (25-30m), 6hr (50-60m) or 10-12hr (90-100+m) races. 24 hour race, sure, they got one.

https://wemseries.com

CAMBR - Updates on Chicagoland mtb conditions. Cambr is our local arm of the IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association). Respect your trails.

http://cambr.org/SMF/index.php?action=home

‘Official’ and ‘Original’ Palos Riders - FB group pages. Very active group. Find out about trail work days, look for riding buddies, etc. Why are there two groups? Like the trails, riders are always going in two directions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1702016480064547/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/278075985616270/

Des Plaines River Trail (DPRT) - Riders FB group page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/950789411630695/

Saw Wee Kee - (Aurora) trail FB group page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/203724513125295/?ref=group_browse_new&qsefr=1

Northbrook Cycle Committee - Track Committee that puts on races at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome in Northbrook

http://www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/

Thursday Night Track Racing at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome FB Page - Official or unofficial this is the go to for info on the season, the week. Will post up on cancellations due to weather as well.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thursdaynighterv/

Kenosha Velodrome - Our second area Velodrome (in Kenosha, WI). Construction has delayed racing the past two years but they have posted, Racing begins May 2017. Welcome back.

http://www.kenoshavelodrome.com/

Big marsh and Friends of Big Marsh - Official pages for the southside’s newest dirt mecca

http://bigmarsh.org/

https://www.facebook.com/bigmarshchicago/

The Garden -  In the shadow of the Lane Tech campus. This is the OG chicago dirt paradise.

http://www.thegardenjumps.com/

Tiber Scheer is ¼ of an awesome dirtbagger family and rides for The Bonebell and The Chainlink. Tiber found commuting by bike solved the limitations of commuting by skateboard in his native San Francisco. Midwest transplantation in 2006 led him to discover The Chainlink and dig deeper into Chicago cycling community.