A season preview put together by the organizers behind the Bike Law Michigan Cyclocross series and Bike Law attorney, Bryan Waldman.

The 2017 Michigan Cyclocross Season is shaping up to be the most exciting season in years. There are at least 14 races (sanctioned and unsanctioned) already on the calendar.

Five of the largest USA Cycling-sanctioned cyclocross races in Michigan have banned together to form the Bike Law MICX Series. All events are professionally timed by One2Go Event Services and run from September through November.

Learn more about the series here.

September 9 – Avalon Pontoons Alma Grand Prix of Cyclocross

Kicking off the series is the fourth annual Avalon Pontoons Alma Grand Prix of Cyclocross in Alma, Michigan. The Alma GP takes place on the grounds of a former airport that was used for approximately twenty years as a lawn refuse dumping site before the City of Alma granted race promoter JB Hancock permission to construct a cyclocross course at the venue. The local crew now maintains the grounds year-round and it serves as Michigan’s only permanent cyclocross venue, hosting weekly clinics in August before the season starts. This year the race once again starts off the Michigan cyclocross racing calendar on Saturday, September 9, but racers will now traverse the course backward compared with the direction it was raced on for the past three years! In order to do that, JB and a handful of very passionate volunteers added two new sections to the course, which still allow for the two permanent staircases on site to be used in the lap.

October 7 – Beer City Growler

Photo Credit: Wade Burch

The second stop in the Bike Law MICX Series is the Beer City Growler in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on October 7! Partnering with the Eastown Community Association (ECA) and a host of local businesses, Wilcox Park hosts the second running of this cyclocross and 5k run. Presented by Alger Bikes and featuring the famous “flyover”, the course winds throughout the entirety of the park, into the ravines for some classic cyclocross terrain. ECA sponsors a beer garden on the start/finish straightaway, with cold adult beverages from some of the many local breweries! The Kid’s Course lies right next to the main event. Thanks to our generous sponsors, our Women’s Open purse has grown to $1500, even larger than the Men’s!

October 28 – BloomerCX

On October 28, the series rolls to the Detroit suburbs for the BloomerCX race in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Bloomer Park is one of Michigan’s oldest cyclocross venues, hosting the first ever UCI cyclocross races in the mid-2000’s. A few passionate racers from KLM Bike & Fitness resurrected this storied venue, which features some of the most technical wooded cyclocross terrains in the series! By the end of October in Michigan, the temperatures are starting to fall and the weather will be more “cross-like” so bring your embrocation and get ready to race!

Photos: Dennis Willyard, FarmJohnPhoto

November 11 – Mad Anthony Cyclocross Race

Photo Credit: Rob Ritzenhein

Two weeks later, on November 11, racers will venture to historic Fort Wayne in Detroit, Michigan, for the Mad Anthony Cyclocross race. As #4 of the Bike Law MICX series, it’s reasonable to expect those gunning for the series title will be at the top of their form, and the competition will be fierce. This venue is arguably one of the most unique places to race in all of the U.S., as much of the racing takes place within or on the actual walls of the fort! The Mad Anthony Cyclocross race is surely one not to miss!

November 18 – Advantage Benefits Cyclocross Race

Photo Credit: Wade Burch

Wrapping up the Bike Law MICX Series on November 18 is the third annual Advantage Benefits Cyclocross race, in Rockford Michigan. Racers will again travel to the west side of the state and compete at the Art Van Sports Complex on what is always a very “power-oriented” race course. Promoter and course designer Adam McIntyre plans to again incorporate features which will challenge all ability levels, from beginners to pros, and due to the layout of the venue, there isn’t a bad seat in the house for spectators.

More information on the Bike Law MICX Series of races is available at http://www.michigancx.com!

Additional Michigan Cyclocross Races

In addition to the five races that make up the Bike Law MICX Series, we are excited about many other USA Cycling sanctioned races including, Big Bad Wolf in Midland (Revolution Racing), Wixom Cyclocross in Wixom (thank you Tim Faas), and the return of Vet’s Park CX in Ann Arbor, on October 21 (Ann Arbor Velo Club). We also hope to make it to several unsanctioned races, including some of the Kisscross Series races and are hopeful the Czar of Michigan Cyclocross will again organize DICX, in Detroit.

Video Credit Scott Kroske

Feature Photo Credit: Wade Burch

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