Teams of competitive bicyclists are headed to West Dundee and Elgin next week, and not only are event organizers planning for a full day of racing and activities, they’re looking for local people to give the riders a place to stay for the night.
“So far, we have six households hosting, but the situation is dire,” said Maureen Himmel, volunteer communications coordinator for the West Dundee River Challenge being held Friday, July 19. “We need host houses.”
The West Dundee day of races is just one in a 10-day competition called the Chicago Grit Series, formerly known as the Intelligentsia Cup. It’s the largest road series in the United States and draws athletes from all over the world.
Elgin also hosts a day of races in the series. Its event is called the Elgin Classic/Dennis Jurs Memorial Race, which this year is being held Friday, July 26.
Himmel said the cyclists make excellent and interesting house guests, are self-sufficient and will be coming from places that include Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
West Dundee residents who live along the race route can also volunteer to let a team camp in their yard or driveway on race day, she said.
“It’s a nice way to get to know some of the cyclists. It creates such a fun party atmosphere all along the course,” Himmel said. “Last year, our next-door neighbors hosted for the day a team of women from Quebec, and they really loved it.”
In West Dundee, professional and amateur racing starts at 10 a.m. at Fourth and Washington streets and continues through 8 p.m. Events being held as part of race day include a Kid Zone and open market, the Candy Quest Family Bike Parade, and an after-party with live music, food and beverages from 8 to 10:30 p.m. along Second Street.
The bike parade in particular is a lot of fun, Himmel said, because participants of all ages dress up, decorate their bikes and vie for prizes.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so we’re hoping to see how creative the community can get when coupling costumes with a bike parade,” she said.
New this year is the Cyclist Spotlight exhibit, which highlights some of the riders and offers a little insight into who they are, such as what they do during the off-season, Himmel said.
“Like Kirsty Deacon, from Australia, who spends her off-season at an outback sheep station,” she said.
Eric Larson heads the Northeast Neighborhood Association, which organizes the Elgin Classic/Dennis Jurs Memorial Race. He said they also are looking for host homes for their riders.
“We already have some riders connected with local hosts, but would love to get a few more homes willing to do so,” Larson said.
One member of the race planning committee is hosting four young French-Canadian women from Montreal who will be riding for Team Skyline/Cadence. That team is led by Ryan Dewald, a professional cyclist who has Type 1 diabetes.
“Each of the four women competitors on that team have family members affected by diabetes,” Larson said. “The team works to highlight how healthy and active anyone can be when managing their diabetes effectively.”
He also noted that eight riders from the New Zealand Cycling Project men’s team will be housed by event sponsor The Radcliff, a senior living facility in Wood Dale. Elgin residents near Lords Park will host members of the Equipe Cycliste Feminine pro racing team from Canada.
Racing in Elgin starts and ends at Cooper Avenue and Spring Street and runs from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The Elgin Classic once again will be distributing free bicycles and helmets to kids in need, holding bike safety clinics and staging a family fun ride. There will be an area with food trucks and a beer tent managed by the Kiwanis Club of Elgin.
“In an expanded role, Side Street Studio Arts will provide arts-related activities throughout the day, starting with working with kids to create custom decals for their helmets or bikes in the morning, to ending in the afternoon with kite building and flying,” Larson said.
For more information about both race days, including how to host a rider or team, go to www.wdundeeriverchallenge.org and dennisjursmemorialrace.com.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
