Beverly Hills Cycling Classic 2016 Go Guide

Join the Beverly Area Planning Association on Friday, July 15, for the 13th annual Beverly Hills Cycling Classic.

The start/finish and festival grounds are centered at Beacon Therapeutic Center, 107th and Longwood Drive, with the race course running in a one-mile loop between 105th Place and 108th Place, Longwood Drive to Hoyne and Seeley avenues.

• Related: 'Bikes and Brews' Returns July 15

Three exciting pro/am races provide plenty of action for spectators all around the race course. It’s the best neighborhood party of the summer at the festival.

Also, step up for the Bikes and Brews Festival. featuring a selection of craft beers from local breweries, a family bike ride around the course, kids’ activities and a summer raffle.

Here’s your guide maximizing the fun at Bikes and Brews:

The Festival

Food Truck Friday: The all new Bikes and Brews festival opens at 4 p.m., offering a selection of craft beers from Chicago’s favorite breweries, entertainment and an expanded Kids Zone. The event is BAPA’s second summer Food Truck Friday, and set be there are The Roost Carolina Kitchen serving fried chicken and homestyle fixings, 5411 Empanadas serving authentic baked homemade empanadas, and more. Calabria Imports will be serving sub sandwiches and their signature chips.

The Brews

Six Chicago breweries will be pouring their microbrews. They are:
One Trick Pony Brewery, a small microbrewery located Lansing, the tasting room serves eight selections of hand-crafted beer. At Bikes and Brews, they’ll be pouring Storm Cat, an American Amber Ale with a grapefruit and tangerine essence, and Prometia Belgian Tripel.

Revolution Brewing in Logan Square produces about 50 different beer styles each year. They’ll be serving Anti-Hero IPA, an iconic ale with a crisp bitterness and floral and citrus aromas, and Fist City Chicago Pale Ale, a supremely drinkable brew for those who love hops.

Half Acre Beer Co. brews American micro beers that push for raw intensity. They’ll be pouring Daisy Cutter a beer that’s only brewed once a year, and Akari Shogun, a refreshing summer brew with a somewhat lighter alcohol content.

Horse Thief Hollow is well known for their stable of favorite brews as well as an ever changing selection of special beers. At Bikes & Brews, they will serve Ridge Rider, a new American Pale Ale, and Summer Swelter, a Lemon Hefeweizen.

Blue Island Beer Co.’s brews are inspired by classic styles and brewed for history and flavor. At the festival, try Hard Luck IPA and Massive Political Corruption Amber Ale.

Argus Brewery, known for premium craft beers that offer flavor, depth and unusual character, will be serving two brews.

The Entertainment

Coyote Riot will take the stage at 8 p.m., ramping up the party with their foot-stomping brand of country/bluegrass/roots. Guitar, banjo, harmonica and fiddle – get ready to have some fun.

The Racing

Founded in 2012 as the Prairie State Cycling Series, the Intelligentsia Cup brings competitive bicycle racing to the Chicago metro area, featuring top-level professional and elite amateur athletes. The Beverly Hills Cycling Classic is day one of the nine-day series.

World Champion Paralympian Joe Berenyi will be the official race starter. Once an avid recreational cyclist, Berenyi lost an arm and knee cap in an accident. He quit biking, then later decided he should try to get back on a bike. Once he started biking, he knew he could take the sport farther. He has gone on to win several national and world championships as a paralympian.

Races: Masters’ race, 4:30 p.m.; women’s race, 5:30 p.m.; men’s race, 7 p.m.

NEW! Family Ride: Ride your bikes to the event and join the fun for a ½ mile family ride on the race course starting at 6:30 p.m. All riders must wear helmets. Free bike valet will be provided at the festival site.

About the racing: Riders in these races are in top condition, racing at speeds up to 30 mph, making the one-mile loop in about 90 seconds, Because these races are so fast, spectators must make sure they do not cross the course without the help of a designated course marshal, and do not stand too close to the street – crashes occur. Pay close attention to kids and pets.

Look for the racers to show their skill and strategy! Riders are competing for point toward winning that night’s races as well as points for the overall Intelligentsia Cup, and cash prizes (called primes) that are awarded for laps. You’ll notice that riders from the same team will work together to enhance their position in the race and prevent other riders from doing so. Ways they do this include riding in tight groups that are hard to get around known as pelotons; boxing in riders to prevent them from getting ahead; drafting (using another rider as a windbreaker) to save energy while maintaining speed; tucking in to make their bodies as compact as possible to reduce wind resistance; and breaking away – moving ahead of the pack.

The Kids Zone

Kids just want to have fun, and the expanded Kids Zone will be the perfect place for it! Dappers Game Zone, a 32-foot, air conditioned truck designed for party-style kids’ gaming will open for a small charge.
Advocate Children’s Hospital will be offering bike safety information and helmet checks, and will be offering bike helmets for just $11. Kids can also enjoy face painting, activities and the playground.

The Summer Raffle

Tickets to BAPA’s Summer Raffle will be on sale at Bikes & Brews. Don’t miss your chance to win. Prizes include two round-trip tickets on Southwest Airlines, a brand new Giant Cypress bike donated by Beverly Bike and Ski, and a one-night stay at downtown Hyatt. Raffle tickets are $20, and are also available online through BAPA and at Eventbrite (search BAPA Summer Raffle). The drawing will be held in September. Proceeds from the raffle will be shared by Special Olympics Mount Greenwood and BAPA’s community-based programs.

The Sponsors

Beverly Bike-Vee Pak Racing Team returns as presenting sponsor. Underwritten by Beverly Bike and Ski and Vee Pak Manufacturing, the racing team is composed of several amateur riders who compete in races throughout the area. Tony Reinks and Bob Murray from the team will be competing in the Masters’ race at Bikes & Brews! Look for the red, white and blue jerseys.

Also sponsoring the event are Mike Haggery Buick – GMC – Volkswagen, Beverly Bank & Trust, the 19th Ward Youth Foundation, Smith Village, AT&T, Beverly Bike and Ski, The Beverly Review, and BAPA.

BAPA hosts the Beverly Hills Cycling Classic as a community-building summer event. This year, we’ll be asking for a $5 donation to the Bikes & Brews festival area to support BAPA’s community-based programs.
For more information, call 773-233-3100 or visit the Beverly Area Planning Association.