#intelligentsiacup

[marksteffen]

Prep. #intelligentsiacup (at Elgin, Illinois)

[jasonistar]

Girls having a blast in the pace car #intelligentsiacup #bike #glenellyn #SRAM (at Lake Ellyn Park)

[stayradadventureteam]

It's hot and muggy as hell. Stay hydrated out there, especially those racing the #intelligentsiacup today!! #roadslikethese #roadisnotdead #stayradadventureteam

[scubasteve8219]

What a finish!!! @intelligentsiacoffee @sramroad @bapa_org #cycling #intelligentsiacup (at Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM)

[scubasteve8219]

@bapa_org @intelligentsiacoffee #intelligentsiacup #cycling @sramroad (at Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM)

[scubasteve8219]

Great night for a bike race! @bapa_org #intelligentsiacup (at Longwood Drive)

[weshipyourride]

BikeFlights.com partners with the Intelligtensia Cup

BikeFlights.com has partnered with the Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM to help riders get their bikes to and from the elite race series in Chicago this summer. For 2016, the series will happen during 10 days from July 15 to July 24.

“The Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM is becoming one of the biggest series in the country. One of our main draws is our back-to-back schedule that gets you eight races in 10 days,” said Intelligentsia Cup Marketing Director Mark Zalewski. “We feature two road races and six crits, two of which are part of the USA Pro Road Tour.”

With races for all types of riders including pros, elites, juniors, masters, women and age-groupers, the Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM began in 2012.

The action will kick off on the first weekend, Friday-Sunday, July 15-17. The very first race of series on that Friday was part of the original Superweek Series and is only for pro men and women and Masters 1/2/3 men. That Sunday’s race will double as the Illinois State Road Race Championships. The first rider from Illinois to cross the line in each category will be the state champion.

New for 2016 is a Challenge Ride - held on the same Sunday as the state road race championships. “It’s open to anyone with a bike and helmet - you don’t have to be a racer,” said Zalewski. “You get to ride on the course of the race, and it’s a great way for racers to include their family in the happenings.”

Adding a fixed gear category to the final crit two years ago worked out so well that this year the series will feature two such races, sponsored by Fyxation Bicycles as part of a four-race omnium - the other two events occur earlier in the season.

For both Saturday races in the series, there will be a new handcycling category.

Intelligentsia, the series’ title sponsor, was founded in Chicago, but now has stores as far away as Los Angeles and New York. One of its shops will host a coffee shop recovery ride on the Monday after the first weekend of racing, and the final race in the series will happen in front of its local coffee roasting works on the west side of Chicago.

Presenting sponsor SRAM is also local to Chicago and will be providing neutral support so riders won’t have to bring a lot of extra gear with them.

Logistics

The Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM includes two new venues and three new courses for 2016 - all eight races are located either in the city of Chicago or in the surrounding suburbs and all are accessible by public transit. Riders who stay in a single central location will have minimal travel to each day’s racing.

“We suggest that you ship your bike to any of the many great local bike shops in the area, to the hotel where you will be staying or to FedEx near your accommodations,” said Zalewski. “I’ve used BikeFlights.com multiple times personally and there is no better or easier way to get my bike across the country. Not having to schlep it through an airport is worth it alone!”

Check out our Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM Event Shipping Guide or visit the race’s website to find out more about the event or to register. All registered riders are eligible for a $5 off per leg ($10 round trip) for this shipping to and from the event - you can contact the promoter for a special shipping discount link.

Visit our BikeFlights.com Shop Finder to locate a bike shop near where you will be staying to where you can ship your bike and get help, if needed, assembling it ahead of the races.

All photos courtesy of the Intelligentsia Cup powered by SRAM.

[herothebrand]

30+mi/hr criterium pro-bike race in Chicago #IntelligentsiaCup http://www.intelligentsiacup.com/ (at Goose Island Beer Co.)