West Dundee River Challenge opens cycling series; next up is Tour of Lake Ellyn

The West Dundee River Challenge, held for the eighth time on Friday, opened the first day of the Chicago Grit, a 10-day cycling series that next heads to Glen Ellyn.

The grueling 1.5-kilometer circuit had a little bit of everything: fast descents, tight corners and a steep climb to the start/finish line on Washington Street, aptly named the “Legbreaker” by race organizers because of its steep incline.

“All of our courses are unique,” ​​said Marc “Marco” Colbert, race director and co-founder of Chicago Grit.

For spectators, the Glen Ellyn course is a highlight because of its beautiful surroundings. Cyclists will race around Lake Ellyn, the hilltop, the Tudor-style Glenbard West High School and a festival-like setting on Saturday. Live music will be played on the boat deck of Lake Ellyn.

“It’s a nice atmosphere, but I think what really draws them back is that, especially if you’ve never seen a professional race up close, it’s pretty worth seeing,” said Jim Burket, promoter of the Ray Whalen Builders Tour of Lake Ellyn.

The second leg of the Chicago Grit marks the start of a three-day series within a series: the DuPage Triple Crown, where the red winner’s jersey is at stake.

“This is the biggest professional road cycling series in the country for those 10 days… it’s definitely a place where the guys come and cut their teeth,” Burket said of the elite cyclists.

Burket is once again supporting the Glen House Food Pantry as the tour’s charitable partner and will donate proceeds from the event to the nonprofit. The pantry is now housed in a newly renovated Craftsman-style home and welcomes people who live, work or go to school in DuPage County.

“The number of people they have helped since they moved in last year has increased quite a bit,” Burket said.

Colbert expects at least 400 participants from more than 15 countries to take part in the 10-day Chicago Grit cycling race.

A criterium or crit is a cycling race that consists of several laps on a closed circuit.

During the West Dundee Criterium there was a community festival with bouncy castles, shopping, food, drinks and music.

— Daily Herald writer Katlyn Smith contributed to this report.