Beverly To Kick Off Super Week Cycling

Photo: Luke Seeman

Once again, Beverly will be the kick off of the 17 day International Cycling Classic also known as Super Week. The Pro 1/2 race will be run on the newly paved course and feature 100 laps on the 1 kilometer course. Look for the hill up 108th to really take its toll and whittle the field down to the top contenders, and chew up any pretenders. A great place to check out the action is at the bottom of Snake Hill, where the fearless can launch themselves towards the finish line and get wealthy with all of the primes available.

2008 also marks the first year that the Beverly Bike-Vee Pak, Inc. Racing Team will be the presenting sponsor. We are thrilled to help support this great race in our very own neighborhood. Year in and year out the residents of not only Beverly, but the City of Chicago, open their arms and doors to cyclists from all over the world. I know several non-cycling families that have graciously offered their homes to cyclists from the other side of the globe. By becoming the presenting sponsor of the race BBVP hopes to show the rest of Chicago what the Beverly neighborhood has to offer. The race brings out the best of the neighborhood, nearly the enitire course is lined with homes having parties, and the start finish area is a party unto itself complete with live music for the duration of the race.

For those Chicagoans unfamiliar with the Beverly neighborhood, more info can be found here . And unlike 2007, construction on the Dan Ryan Expressway (I94 East) has been completed and the commute should be about 20-25 minutes from the loop even during rush hour.


The Beverly Bike-Vee Pak, Inc. Racing Team would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for their continued support in an event and sport that we truly love especially Beverly Bike & Ski, Vee Pak, Inc. and BAPA.

TITLE SPONSOR
Beverly Bike/VeePak Racing

GOLD SPONSORS
The McTigue Financial Group – Thomas A. Jacobs, CLU, CLTC
William Blair & Company - Salvino Financial Advisory Team

SILVER SPONSOR
Corporate Safe Specialists - Ed & Lori McGunn

BRONZE SPONSORS
AT&T
County Fair Foods
Beverly Bank and Trust Co.
Marquette Bank

COMMUNITY SPONSORS
Alderman Ginger Rugai, 19th Ward
Beacon Therapeutic School
Beverly Hills Animal Hospital
Jungle Gym
Little Company of Mary Hospital
Matthew J. O'Shea - 19th Ward Democratic Organization
PRS Realtors
Rogers Roofing Inc.
Smith Village
Southwest Beverly Improvement Assoc.
State Senator Ed Maloney
The Beverly Review

PARTICIPATING SPONSORS
Advocate Health Center
Beverly Ride On
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart
Fitzgerald Real Estate
Law Offices of Michael P. McCready & Associates
O'Rourke & Frost
Standard Bank & Trust
State Representative Kevin Joyce

Food Vendors
Calabria Imports
Original Rainbow Cone

New Photos Added to Flickr

Click here or on the Flickr slideshow at the right to view the latest team photos. We should be adding more as SuperWeek progresses, check back often.

Chicago Cyclocross Cup Schedule Is Out

According to this new schedule we will be looking at a total of 11 races! This season is going to be absolutely incredible with racing every single weekend in both October and November. Keep checking the series website for updated info as it becomes available.

2008 CHICAGO CYCLOCROSS CUP SCHEDULE

Sat September 13-CX Clinic (TBD)
Sun September 21-Jackson Park
Sun October 5- DeKalb
Sun October 12-Hawthorn Woods
Sun October 19-Carpentersville
Sun October 26-Bartlett
Sun November 2-St. Charles
Sat November 8-TBD
Sun November 9-Northbrook
Sun November 16-Lansing
Sun November 23-Woodstock
Sun December 7-Montrose-IL State Cyclocross Championships
Dates subject to change
USA Cycling Event Permit Pending

RACE TIMES

10:00 Masters 30+ (60 min)
10:02 Masters 40+ (all 45)
10:02 Masters 50+

11:00 Cat. 3 (All 45 min)
11:02 Women 1/2/3

12:00 Women 4 (all 30 min)
12:02 Juniors

1:00 Men 1/2/3 (60 min)

2:15 Men 4a (30 min)

3:00 Men 4b (30 min)
Race times subject to change

No Silver Lining In Floyd's Cloud

Floyd Landis has finally played his last card in his appeal process and lost today when the CAS struck down his appeal. In what has been a two year struggle to clear himself of any doping charges, Landis has been dealt a final blow and will also have to pay a $100,000 fine to WADA to help cover court costs.

Perhaps now Floyd can do the right thing if not for himself, than at least for our sport; confess. If he were to look for examples of those that have confessed and came out on the other side of the scandal unscathed he need to look no further than David Millar. Millar was caught using EPO, confessed, and served his two year suspension. Since then has won both the Road and TT National Championships for Britain, as well as becoming part owner of the Garmin-Chipotle Cycling Team . It is time for Floyd to come clean, put the past behind him and sit out the remaining few months of his suspension. By January 2009 he will be cleared to ride again, and then he can bring back some swagger to the peloton. We may never see a ride like we did that July day back in 2006, where he launched a 130km breakaway, but at least he would be riding clean. Plus, the way ASO has been running Le Tour these last few years, I am sure he will never be invited again.

As for me I am glad to see that everything is over for his ridiculous case. It is time for our sport to close that chapter of its life, and look ahead to better days of clean racing. Don't get me wrong I would love for someone to power away from the field and pull out a surprise victory, I just want them to do it based on the same principals that my team and I base our racing on; hard work, discipline and sacrifice.

BBVP Announces 'Cross Team

As the 2008 cyclocross seasons draws ever nearer, BBVP would like to announce that we have created a cyclocross team to contest the Chi Cross Cup Series. If everyone stays healthy and injury free, we will be starting 10 riders at the September 21st Jackson Park event. The 2007 'cross season was our inaugural season and typically saw just three of us toeing the line after Jim suffered an injury at the Carpentersville event.

No doubt having up to ten riders starting each event should help to tip the odds in our favor. And since the official countdown has begun and we are looking at about 90 days until the first race, we are in the process of setting our goals and building our training plans. As the road season progresses and ultimately winds down, we will begin to hold "unsanctioned" training events, with more info to come as the time and place becomes known.

On another note in order to help defray the costs of racing and travelling as a team, the BBVP 'Cross Team is seeking additional sponsors. I know for a fact that members of the cycling industry periodically check out or webpage for info, and if there is anyone who would care to step up and help out, we are open to that discussion.

The 2008 BBVP Cyclocross Squad will consist of:

Elvis Falbo
Tony Rienks
Damon Nelson
Jim Jacobs
Joe Castello
Dan Bomben
Sergio Moreno
Patrick Morgan
Jorge Cerritos
Bob Murray