Cyclocross – First Day Race
Preparation
You are registered, well done!! You can register to multiple races on the same day, based on your skills, age. Check it out to maximize the fun!
Checklist
- Confirm your USAC license is still valid, or you have a one-day license.
- Your helmet is mandatory: the officials won't let you race without it!
- Is your bike ready? Notably the brakes, check your local nike shop if you have any doubts our question.
- Hydration for before, during, after the race, based on conditions.
- Check the day before on BikeReg and Chicago Cross Cup for any last minute updates, including a change a venue.
- Check once more the location, ETA to commute. Plan to arrive at the latest 1 hour before your race, ideally 2 hours or more.
- Ask for any questions to the Race Director, or Contact the team.
It is the DAY!
Registration
The first step of the day: meet the registration booth. At Big Marsh it is in the "Ford Calumet Environmental". You may ask any question you have in mind, don't be shy!
Pre-ride
There are opportunities to pre-ride the course, which I cannot recommend more! Ideally do 2 laps: one easy to recon then a lap at race speed. The latter will prevent you to be scared of the unknown after a blind turn. Weather dictates the course: grass, mud, sand, "topped" with features such as stairs, barriers, and off-cambers.
Warmup
Because you should expect a sprint from the get go, warm up to avoid injuries. Don't miss out the callout for the staging though! 10 min prior your race, warmup close the the start.
Staging
Staging refers to where racers are called out to slot it a row, and lane.
Unlike the road and gravel races, you will be called out. There are two cases. It is the first race of the series or the State Championship, you will be called out based on USAC ranking. Otherwise, you will be called out based on your series ranking.
The staging is 8 racers wide, delimited with painted lanes. You are not allowed to be 9 or more racers per row.
This is most likely your first race, so you will be called in the last positions.
Race is on!
The start is critical, you will see racers sprinting to get better position before the first turn. Have fun, pass other racers, so you will have a better position at next race :).
Cooldown
Well done! Don't underestimate the cooldown, stretch, hydrate. You put your body under a big stress, time to take it easy! Socialize, share your feedback... Because I am confident you had a blast: join our team!
