Gearing up for the Grit: Criterium bike race series features DuPage County locations

It’s an apt name — the Chicago Grit — for a series of bicycle races that salute the independent spirit of the 10 communities hosting what formerly was the Intelligentsia Cup, held over 10 straight days from July 19-28.

And, whether one is a teenage novice, a master racer or a professional cyclist — teams come from as far away as New Zealand to compete — it takes grit to pedal through these courses, one in Chicago and the rest in the suburbs.

Chicago Grit race director and co-founder Marco Colbert, a former 35-year resident of Lincolnshire now living in Tucson, Arizona, describes it as NASCAR on two wheels.

“All-out effort, all of the time,” he said. “At the end, you’ve got finishing speeds in excess of 30 miles an hour.”

Grit also is similar to “crit,” short for criterium racing. These are timed races held on neighborhood roads over relatively short distances, courses cyclists will ride multiple times.

For the Chicago Grit, lengths range from the .68-mile Lombard Cycling Classic to the 1.4-mile Ray Whalen Builders Tour of Lake Ellyn in Glen Ellyn. The other eight courses all are less than a mile long.

“The beauty of ‘crit’ racing is it’s the most spectator-friendly form of bike racing,” said Colbert, as people can watch the competitors repeatedly bank through hairpin turns and fly down straightaways.

“‘Crit’ racing is pure American bike racing,” he said.

The races were founded in 2012 by Colbert and course layout designer Tom Schuler. Last year’s series drew more than 5,400 entries representing 47 states and provinces and 17 foreign countries. Two-thirds of those riders came from outside Illinois.

Schuler has a knack for incorporating a given location’s topography and features into a layout cyclists find interesting and challenging, and people enjoy watching.

The West Dundee course includes a stretch along the Fox River and concludes with “Leg Breaker Hill.” Cyclists in Glen Ellyn circle Lake Ellyn, Glenbard West High School, plus a roundabout. In Mundelein, they navigate a tight, 360-degree loop.

At each stop, races go off from morning into the evening, with incrementally longer times and larger fields as the cyclists’ skill level rises.

Competitors in the cycling community, internationally to locally, may add to their point totals at the Northwestern Medicine Lake Bluff Criterium on July 27, one of the eight stages of the American Criterium Cup.

The Springfield-based Team MACK Masters miniseries comprises the first five sites in West Dundee, Glen Ellyn, Winfield, Mundelein and Lombard. Racers in the Glen Ellyn, Winfield and Lombard “omnium” (competitions of more than one event) compete for the DuPage Triple Crown.

The Chicago Grit also serves as a neighborhood event, which Colbert says is its main purpose. A half-hour segment at each stop is dedicated to a “family fun ride” for noncompetitors to try the course.

Jim Burket, the promoter of the Ray Whalen Builders Tour in Glen Ellyn, estimated that last year about 500 people participated in its family ride. He said up to 5,000 people will visit Lake Ellyn Park on race day.

There’s live music on the grounds, food vendors and a beer garden. Proceeds from the Ray Whalen Tour go to the Glen House Food Pantry; it’s become the pantry’s largest summer fundraiser, Burket said.

“It’s just a great place to spend the day,” he said.

The Winfield Criterium on July 21 is timed with a summerfest featuring an artisan market, food trucks and children’s activities.

Eric Larson, chair of the planning committee for the July 26 Elgin Classic, also is on the board of the nonprofit Northeast Neighborhood Association of Elgin (NENA).

Through funds from sponsors such as the Kiwanis and Elgin Community Bikes, he said NENA is able to give 50 refurbished bicycles to disadvantaged children.

“It is more than a bike race. It really is about raising awareness about maintaining health and an active lifestyle, and making our community a better place to live and work,” Larson said.

“I would encourage people to come on out and enjoy the whole experience. And if they haven’t before, they’re probably going to be pleasantly surprised.”

If you go:

The Chicago Grit road racing series visits 10 metropolitan locations from July 19-28.

Complete information, including schedules, course layouts, technical details and registration information may be found at chicago-grit.com.

Friday, July 19: West Dundee River Challenge

Events from 10:20 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting at Washington and 4th streets, West Dundee.

Saturday, July 20: The Ray Whalen Builders Tour of Lake Ellyn

Events from 10 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting at Lenox Road off Linden Street, Glen Ellyn.

Sunday, July 21: Winfield Criterium & Summerfest

Events from 10 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting on Winfield Road at Creekside Park.

Monday, July 22: Tighthead Mundelein Grand Prix

Events from 10:20 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting at Seymour Avenue and Hawley Street.

Tuesday, July 23: Lombard Cycling Classic

Events from 10:05 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting at St. Charles Road and Park Avenue.

Wednesday, July 24: Cycle Brookfield Criterium

Events from 11 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting on Grand Boulevard midway between Grant and Fairview avenues.

Thursday, July 25: Northbrook Grand Prix

Events from 11:10 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting on Shermer Road at Village Green Park.

Friday, July 26: Elgin Classic in Memory of Dennis Jurs

Events from 11:10 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting at Cooper Avenue and Spring Street.

Saturday, July 27: Northwestern Medicine Lake Bluff Criterium

Events from 11:10 a.m.-6:45 p.m., starting on Scranton Avenue at Oak Avenue.

Sunday, July 28: Fulton Market Grand Prix

Events from 10:20 a.m.-7:20 p.m., starting on Fulton Market at Morgan Street, Chicago.

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