Booty Cross brings down the curtain

Hilly Madison race closes out 2012 WCA regular season

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After a week without Wisconsin cyclocross racing, things get going in a challenging way Sunday with Booty Cross in Madison.

The 1.7-mile hilly course, near the intersection of Highway 51 and Milwaukee Street on Madison's east side should challenge riders climbing abilities, said Luke Bachelor-Clark, Magnus race director, but also their ability to go downhill.

"I would describe it as having challenging climbs mixed with technical descents," he said.

The course is similar to last season, when the race was called Wizard Cross, but it will feature more recovery time and off-camber sections, Bachelor-Clark said.

In addition to the course, the Magnus team has given the race other attractions for riders and spectators.  The event will feature free beer and Kombucha, and the Weary Traveler restaurant will be selling chili and goulash.

Last year, about 200 racers attended the event, and Bachelor-Clark said they are expecting around 250 this season.

With that turnout expected, those racing are asked to pay with cash, and all attendees are urged to be courteous to the disk golfers who may be using the park during the races, as well as avoid using glass bottles and containers. Lastly, those coming out to the race should park on Wittwer Road.

Keeping with the theme of the park, the winners of each race throughout the day will receive custom Booty Cross disks, Bachelor-Clark said.

Booty Cross is the last regular season Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) cyclocross race before the state and regional championships at Badger Prairie in Verona, Dec. 8 and 9.

Badger Prairie will also host the USA Cycling cyclocross national championships Jan. 9 to 13.

With the prospect of a challenging national-championship level course on the horizon, Bachelor-Clark said Booty Cross is a nice precursor.

"Great preparation for nationals," he said.

If you go:

Booty Cross

When, Sunday Dec. 2

Time, 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Where, Hiestand Park Madison

Event flyer,

http://www.wicycling.org/media/raceflyers12/Booty%20Cross.pdf

From the Federation

Bike Fed takes a position on hunting in Wisconsin state parks in open letter

The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin occasionally shares content with Spin Daily. Enjoy.

Bike Fed’s letter to the DNR regarding Act 168

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2012 BY SARAH GASKELL, PLANNING MANAGER

This is the letter that the Bike Fed has submitted to the DNR regarding the implementation of Act 168 in our state parks. We encourage you to write your own letters, and to do so quickly, as written comments will only be accepted until November 23, 2012.

Send your written comments to DNRWisconsinParks@wisconsin.gov or Wisconsin State Parks – Act 168, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.

Ride on!

Read the letter:

http://bfw.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Bike-Fed-Response-Letter-to-Act-168.pdf

Badger State to host 2013 USA Cycling road nats

Dates set for amateur, para-cycling road national championships

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USA Cycling recently announced Wisconsin will host the amateur and para-cycling road national championships July 3 to 7 in Madison.

The five-day event will also host the nation's best juniors, and riders under the age of 23 in the U23 category, according to the USA Cycling's website.

The website didn't provide details of the course, but did confirm the dates. The event had been posted on USA Cycling's website, but no dates were available.

The national championships will come on the heels of one the largest cycling tours in the Midwest, Tour of America's Dairlyand, which is slated for June 20 to 30, according to the Tour's website.

There may be another potential scheduling impact on the national championships in Wisconsin.

If the Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) schedule is similar to the 2012 calendar, the state criterium championship could fall during the same time as the USA Cycling event.

In 2012, the WCA criterium was on July 7. Also, the WCA state time trial championship was July 15, which would place it about the week after the USA Cycling road championships this year.

Keep checking Spin Daily for more details on the venue and course descriptions.

In Wisconsin, it's Kringle Kross

Nov. 18 WCA cyclocross race goes head-to-head with Iowa UCI event

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Known last season as the 'cross Wisconsin State Championships, this year it's Kringle Kross.

The name change is due to a couple of reasons, said Jerry Pearce, Hampshire Cycling Club race director.

"This year we have titled it Kringle Kross ... because it’s on the same weekend as Jingle Cross (in Iowa City, Iowa) this year," he said.

                                                                           Submitted photo
Barriers, like these from last year's race, are just one of the
traditional obstacles awaiting racers at the
Sunday, Nov. 18 Kringle Kross in Hales Corners.
The race also features a run-up and sand pit.

Also, the name reflects Racine Danish Kringles, a sponsor of the Hales Corners race.

While the name is new, the course stays the same, according to Pearce, with fast, long straight sections, a hill run-up and the sand pit.

"All the elements that make a cyclocross race," he said.

Some of the area's top 'cross racers might be in Iowa City from Nov. 16 to 18 for the International Cycling Union (UCI)-rated Carousel Volkswagen Jingle Cross Rock, which might impact attendance at Kringle Cross.

In 2011, the Hales Corners race drew about 250 racers, but Jingle Cross was not on the same weekend. It was held the following week.

For those not willing to make the hours-long drive to eastcentral Iowa, Kringle Cross is one of the last chances to take part in or watch a regular series Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) cyclocross race in 2012. In addition to Hales Corners, there is only one regular series race left, Dec. 2 in Madison, prior to the state and regional championships, Dec. 8 and 9, respectively in Verona, and national championships in Verona in January.

If you go:

• When, Nov. 18, 5765 South New Berlin Road, Hales Corners

• Time, 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

• Event flyer,

http://www.wicycling.org/media/raceflyers12/hales%20corners%20flyer%202012.pdf

Journal Sentinel: Bicyclist dies after she was struck by car in West Bend

Editor's Note: The following article appeared Nov. 12 on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's website, www.jsonline.com. 

By Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel

A 57-year-old bicyclist died Sunday as a result of injuries she sustained after being struck by a vehicle Nov. 6, West Bend Police Department said Monday.

Police identified the bicyclist as Marjean C. Boots of West Bend. She died at Froedtert Hospital.

A preliminary investigation determined Boots was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, police said.

It does not appear that alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, police said.

On the evening of Nov. 6, police said they received a call that a bicyclist had been struck by a vehicle at the intersection of S. Indiana and W. Kilbourn avenues.

The driver of the vehicle was a 38-year-old man from West Bend, police said.

The accident remains under investigation by the West Bend Police Department with assistance from the Wisconsin State Patrol.

Schneider on fire at Cam-Rock CX Classic

Milwaukee-native wins third consecutive WCA 'cross race in summer-like weather

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In the heat of fall, Samantha Schneider claimed her third straight Wisconsin Cycling Association Pro 1/2 womens event Saturday, Nov. 10 at Cam-Rock Area No. 2 just south of Cambridge.

By the time the Pro 1/2 women took to the fast, winding course in the early afternoon temperatures had soared to nearly 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but the heat didn't slow down Schneider from Milwaukee, who edged Skylar Schneider, West Allis, for the second week in a row. Hiedi Beck (Twin Six) Delafield, finished out the podium.

Pro 1/2 men

The Red Army of KS Energy Services/Team Wisconsin again conveyed the team's road success to the 'cross scene Saturday. Joe Maloney, Madison, won a week after Alex Martin, Madison, took a victory in Estabrook Park, Milwaukee.

Mark Lalonde (Twin Six) Madison, finished second to Maloney, while David Staab (Great Dane Velo Club) Madison, claimed third.

Collegiate Combined

Saturday's race was a combination of a Midwest collegiate race with a Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) amateur race. Riders from schools including, University of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Wisconsin-Eau Clair and Ripon College competed along side the amateur racers all day.

The Collegiate C men competed with the Category 4 racers, Collegiate B men raced with Category 3, and Collegiate A men rode with the Pro 1/2 field. On the womens side, the Collegiate Open racers competed with the Pro 1/2 contestants.

Joe Maloney (University of Wisconsin) took the Pro 1/2 race, with Devin Clark (Lindenwood University) St. Louis, Mo., garnering second place. Casey Hildebrandt (Twin Six) Ripon, claimed third.

Lindsey Durst (Lindenwood) St. Charles, Mo., won the Womens Open contest, with Sarah Lukas, Eagle River, taking second, and Margaret Robinson (Wisconsin) Madison taking the third step on the podium.

Only two races remain on the regular season WCA 'cross calendar, Kringle Cross in Hales Corners, near Milwaukee, Nov. 18, and Booty Cross in Madison, Dec. 2.

For full results check out, http://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2012-3648

All-in-one at Cam-Rock CX Classic

Race combines collegiate, amateur and professional cyclocross racers on UCI-legal course

By Andrew Hellpap
spindailynews@gmail.com

The University of Wisconsin cycling team is hoping to create a festival-like atmosphere Saturday, Nov. 10, in Cambridge.

By putting collegiate, amateur and professional racers together, along with a UCI-legal 2.3-mile course and vendor area, the team is hoping to create a big-race atmosphere, said Joe Maloney, race director for the UW team.

"This should be more of a festival atmosphere," he said.

Putting collegiate B-men with the Category 3 amateurs, the collegiate Womens Open racers with the Pro 1/2 women, and the collegiate A-Men with the Pro 1/2 mens field does more than create larger fields, and hopefully more exciting racing, Maloney said, it also helps the club generate valuable revenue to sustain the collegiate team.

Collegiate races are usually low cost for student racers, but they don't generate much income for the club holding the race, but Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) races are valuable moneymakers for any club or team, he said.

"(A low entry fee race) is good for the students, but not for the club putting it on," Maloney said.

The race at Cam-Rock Area No. 2, 136 County Road B, may look familiar to mountain bike racers in Wisconsin because it is held near the Wisconsin Off Road Series Battle of Camrock race. In addition, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater originally used the course when it held a cyclocross race there for about five years prior to when UW took it over the last year, Maloney said.

"It's a really cool venue, having raced there when Whitewater was using it," he said.

"It was really cool to take the race course that everyone is used to and flip it on its side."

The course has one significant change from last season. The 2011 version featured a run-up section that had a roughly 10-inch tall log placed at the base, which forced the racers to either bunny-hop it, or get off their bikes and run up the hill.

"This year we are going to up the ante. We will put two logs in front of the hill," he said.

That's not the only change, according to Maloney. The club plans to offer a T-shirt contest on the same hill in the afternoon races. When the club announces the contest is on, the first rider up the hill will have a T-shirt thrown at them. If they catch it, and somehow hang on to it, they keep the shirt.

While rewarding the rider for tackling a tricky tactical obstacle is entertaining, the onus isn't just on the riders to engage the hill, Maloney said. The run-up is designed to entertain spectators as well.

"That's going to be the party spot," he said.

The festive atmosphere is what the club is hoping for, but not just for racers, but the community of Cambridge as well, Maloney said. By inviting local businesses, Mad City Fry Guy, a local food vendor, and Camrock Cafe & Sport, a Cambridge cafe and sports equipment rental business, UW hopes the event will draw local residents as well. The event will also feature a beginners clinic with club racers.

"It gives the race a bigger feel," Maloney said.

Cam-Rock CX Classic

If you go:

When, Saturday, Nov. 10

Time, 9 a.m. to  2:45 p.m., Beginners clinic, noon

Where, Cam-Rock No. 2 136 County Road B, Cambridge

Event Flyer,

http://www.wicycling.org/media/raceflyers12/CamRock.pdf

S makes a sweet sound

Samantha Schneider wins again as Skylar Schnieder takes 2nd

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Samantha Schneider took advantage of her rival's absence Saturday, Nov. 3 at Estabrook Park, Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee resident's win in the Pro 1/2 contest was the third in her last four races in the Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) cyclocross season series. The only woman to beat her in those races was Abby Strigel who didn't race in Milwaukee Saturday, according to results posted on USA Cycling's website.

That left the second step on the podium for Skylar Schneider, West Allis. Sarah Huang, Kenosha (Exergy Twenty12) took third.

Pro 1/2 Men

On the road in 2012, KS Energy Services/Team Wisconsin earned the moniker Red Army for storming to several WCA victories behind Joseph Maloney and others, but on Saturday spectators could have been forgiven if they felt a sense of deja vu.

Alex Martin, still a collegiate racer at the University of Wisconsin, won for the first time in the 2012 'cross campaign, while his KS teammate Mark Norton, Madison, was next on the podium.

Travis Braun, Madison (Magnus) took third on the day.

For full results visit, http://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2012-3209

Next week's race takes the field to Cambridge for the Cam-Rock CX Classic presented by the University of Wisconsin cycling team, Saturday, Nov. 10.

There are only three races left on the WCA cyclocross schedule before the Wisconsin State Championships, Dec. 8, followed by the Midwest Championships, Dec. 9, both in Verona.

Schneider, Strigel get another chance at each other Saturday

Women have placed 1st or 2nd in last three WCA 'cross races

By Andrew Hellpap

spindailynews@gmail.com

In the last three Wisconsin Cycling Association races it's either been Samantha Schneider or Abby Strigel taking the top step of the podium.

But, the other hasn't been far behind, taking second in the womens Pro 1/2 field. Schneider got the best of Strigel Oct. 20 and 29, while Strigel won Oct. 21.

Hampshire Cycle Club's Estabrook Park race Saturday, Nov. 3 presents this week’s chance for Strigel to match her recent rival.

Located at 4400 North Estabrook Lane, the racecourse is one of the original Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) cyclocross locales, according to Jerry Pearce, Hampshire Cycle Club's Estabrook Park race director.

The 2.5-kilometer route hasn't changed since last season, he said.

"This course is one of the original races, 16 years running," Pearce said.

The track features mostly flat terrain, one run-up section, a spiral and one dismount, Pearce said.

Estabrook Park is located southwest of the intersection of West Hampton Avenue and North Wilson Drive, Milwaukee.

If you go:
Estabrook Park Cyclocross

When, Saturday, Nov. 3

Where, Estabrook Park, 4400 North Estabrook Lane

Time, 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Event flyer, http://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2012-3209