'Cross was Here at Chicago's Annual Relay Cross
Relays are a low-key fun way to get folks back together and kick off the new cyclocross season
For many of us, the start of the cyclocross season is not only the start of the one racing season we really care about, but it’s also a reunion with friends we maybe haven’t seen in a while. Yeah, we comment on Strava rides and maybe chat during a group ride or two, but it’s really not the same as seeing one another in our natural habitat.
At the same time, a lot of us are pretty competitive, so there’s only so much time to say hi before taking to the course to rip each other’s legs off. Enter the season kick-off cyclocross relay race.
Now I get that cyclocross relays have been around forever, but I got my first experience with one back in maybe 2018 at a race in the Milwaukee area. The vibes at the event were super chill and fun, and I came away thinking that relays are the perfect way to kick off the ‘cross season.
They’re a good way to get some efforts in and they don’t really count for anything, so the vibes are much more relaxed than a regular race weekend. Kind of a party under the general auspices of racing cyclocross.
One well-known relay in the Midwest is xXx Racing / Athletico Relay Cross held each August at Jackson Park in Chicago. When I lived in Madison, I was aware of Relay Cross but never made the drive down to attend. Now that I live in Chicago, I figured I had no excuse not to make my way to the South Side for the event—except for the traffic … woof.
Chicago’s Relay Cross has results in CrossResults dating back to 2013, and I am sure someone will jump in the comments to let me know it was first held back in like 2002. No matter when it started, the event is an established tradition in the Chicago cyclocross scene.
The event had races throughout the day, with the notable ones being the Relay Roulette and the day-ending Coed Relay. In the Relay Roulette, partners are chosen at random and all proceeds from the race are donated to a cycling charity. The Coed Relay kind of has the feel of the Chicago Cross Cup’s famous Cat 4/5 race, with a crazy number of people lined up in the exchange area.
If you have not been to a relay before, the preferred method of doing exchanges seems to be to have a barrier on one side of the exchange “pit” and a barrier on the other side. Chicago’s Relay Cross puts a spin on the start by doing it LeMans style. If you look close enough at the start of the Elite Men’s race, you can tell this isn’t a lot of folks’ first rodeo. You’ve got guys wearing no helmets and guys running in tennis shoes. So pro, as they say.
One of the coolest things about the Chicago Cross Cup is the strength of its Junior fields. The Pony Shop team, in particular, has done an excellent job getting kids into racing ‘cross and providing a supportive team atmosphere. The Junior race on Sunday had just shy of 40 racers spread across the 9-18 age range.
The best part of watching the race was clearly the youngest Juniors dealing with Chicago’s famous super-high barriers. Totes. Adorbs.
The Pony Shop team was well-represented in the Elite Women’s race as well. The duo of Lydia Elbert and Laura Alagna took the win in a relatively convincing fashion.
Elbert is gearing up for her second season of racing the UCI Junior 17-18 category nationally, while Alagna is fresh off a season of racing the UCI circuit and pulling off a trip to race in Europe.
The Elite Men’s proved to be a banger of a season opener. Junior Henry Praznowski—who is very fast, evidence: him smoking at ‘cross practice last week—and not-Junior Ross Tuneberg led much of the race and appeared to be headed to the win.
Then Rory Jack put in a massive lap in his last leg to catch the leaders and take the lead. His teammate Thomas Kehrer finished what Jack started in the last lap to take the win.
Upon further reflection, all of those guys have smoked me at ‘cross practice, so maybe it is not the ideal guide of one’s fastness. IDK.
Readers of the Bulletin know I am a big fan of assessing venues, and Jackson Park is no different. Situated along the famous Lake Shore Drive, the park is located on the South Side of Chicago near Hyde Park, which was once home to the Obamas and still houses the University of Chicago.
My third-ever cyclocross race was at Jackson Park back in 2013, and I remember the course having like a million turns and it being impossible to race with like 100 dudes crammed into the confined space. Perhaps it’s because the Relay course was a bit shorter, but Sunday’s course looked pretty fun to ride, in addition to having some cool things to work with from a photographic sense.
The coup de grace of Sunday’s event was the Coed Relay, which had a total of 40 teams participating. This, obviously, made for chaotic times in the exchange pit. It was also a chance for participants to go all single speed and stuff and get dressed up.
You had matching father-daughter costumes, jorts, fake beards, faux Sunday attire, and … yeah.
Sunday happened to be both hot and muggy, so after the two 60-minute Elite races, I was more than content to hang out at the exchange area and basically not move anymore. Weirdly enough, watching people contort themselves to tag each other during a completely meaningless cyclocross race makes for decently photographic moments. Who knew.
Anyway, in conclusion, Chicago’s xXx Relay Cross ruled, and I, for one, am excited to get the coming 'cyclocross season underway.
Thanks!