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Greetings!
Welcome to September!
It's hard to believe that we just blitzed through six months of road racing. From our early season events that included six collegiate race weekends, to random blizzards in April and May, through the heat and rain of July, to a strong finish in August and in Steamboat over Labor Day Weekend, our event directors delivered an amazing calendar of bike racing for the Colorado cycling community. A huge 'Thank You' is due to these people, and our officials, volunteers, sponsors and host communities for making the 2013 road racing season a tremendous success.
Our eyes now turn to crisp mornings, golden aspen leaves, dusty trails, skinny knobbies and the start of the 2013 cross season. One of the beauties of cross is the high quality race experience: whether you're battling at the front, the middle or the back, you are battling with yourself and your friends to find the best line, the smoothest corner, and the perfect effort. Cross is a fantastic race experience!
Cross this year runs from the first week of September with the Back to Basics Midweek Series and the opening weekend of the Kick-It Cross Festival and Time Trial, 1st Ever BRAC Women's Cross Camp, and Cross of the North #1, to the final day of the USA Cycling National Championships in Boulder on January 12, 2014.
That is four freakishly awesome months of cross ahead of us - complete with cowbells, costumes, tailgate parties, Pre-J events, and insanely rad racing for our whole spectrum of athletes. Enjoy!
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I am stepping down as Executive Director at the end of this year for family reasons. In the last three years, it has been my great pleasure to work with many people whose commitment and hard work are the foundation of our cycling community. Thank you all for your amazing contributions.
BRAC is currently searching for the right person to fill the role of Executive Director. Please see this link for complete details.
Chris execdir@coloradocycling.org *** Nationwide Insurance - The Presenting Sponsor of the 2013 Colorado Cross Cup!  We are incredibly proud to announce that Nationwide Insurance is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2013 Colorado Cross Cup. This sponsorship was made possible by Garrett White, a former professional road racer who now rides with Primal Racing, and is a manager and one of the leading agents at Nationwide in Colorado. "We are very excited to support local athletes and to be part of the burgeoning Colorado cyclo-cross racing community," said Garrett. Our events and athletes will see an immediate impact from this sponsorship, with course tape, course fencing, and, for the first time, cash prizes for the Senior Men Open and Senior Women Open for the overall Colorado Cross Cup competition. We are proud to announce that the 2013 Colorado Cross Cup will feature EQUAL PRIZE MONEY for our men and women (1st -$500, 2nd - $300, 3rd - $200). This sponsorship allows us to support our event directors, our athletes, and our younger Pre-J (age 6, 7 & 8) riders. "This is truly a great situation for Colorado racing," said BRAC Board President Clint Bickmore. "This sponsorship goes directly into elevating our Cross Cup and Colorado cross racing yet another level. Thank you Garrett and Nationwide for being part of the 2013 Colorado Cross Cup!" *** Opening Weekend of 2013 Cross Season Three Events in Two Days! September 7 & 8 in Fort Collins  Cross Racing by Mountain Moon Photography.
We are very fortunate to work with great clubs and individuals who can work together to create great things. One such great thing is the opening weekend of the 2013 Cross Season - which will feature three events at the same venue - the old USGP course in Fort Collins. 
Kick-It Cross Festival & Time Trial Saturday Morning September 7 
BRAC Women's Cross Camp Saturday Afternoon September 7 (SOLD OUT). 
All Day Sunday September 8
*** It's Not All Cross Don't Forget the Bear Creek Lake Time Trial Series Thursdays in September 
Our fearless event director from KHMTT, Alan Boisvert and his Lima Beans, once again brings you a super fun racing experience with the Bear Creek Lake Time Trial Series in Lakewood. This venue features great views, smooth pavement, challenging hills, and a couple of hard turns to keep you honest. 
Enjoy your evenings at Bear Creek Lake Park, and thank a Park Ranger, because they make this series and cross races possible at this amazing venue. Please NO GLASS containers in the Park! *** BRAC Membership Benefits 
Many companies, both local and international, support our organization and our members with great discounts, and many provide cash returns for our Development Programs. Check out this link for 50% off cycling skin care products from BALM Co, 40% off the entire selection of Rudy Project, world-class bike fits from Retul and the Denver Fit Loft, and many others. Please see our Member Businesses & Benefits page for a complete list of companies and individuals who support our organization. Thanks all who contribute to our cycling community! *** Colorado Track Racing in September 
Colorado Mesa U at the 2012 Collegiate Track Nationals. The big story for Colorado track racing in September is National - as we welcome the nation's best collegiate racers at the 2013 Collegiate Track National Championships to the Colorado Springs Velodrome. Please watch the homepage for tune-up races prior to this big event.
As many of you know, the Boulder Valley Velodrome was hit by a tornado last month. No one was injured in the storm, but damage to the track was significant from 100+ mph wind, torrential rain and three feet of mud that flooded the infield. The clean up is complete and the construction is back on track - and we look forward to the Opening Day at this great facility.
*** Cycling Community Profiles Track Stars Cari Higgins and Kirsten Williams 
Cari Higgins on the boards. Photo by Detroit Spoke.
Two very awesome Colorado women are featured in this issue of the Colorado Racing News: track stars Cari Higgins and Kirsten Williams. Both ladies are with the Exergy Twenty16 Racing Team, are incredible athletes, humble about their achievements, and committed to supporting other women and beginner racers. Kirsten is recovering from a broken wrist sustained in a crash at Junior Nationals - we all wish her a speedy and full recovery! For the complete interviews, please see: Cari Higgins StoryKirsten Williams Story  Kirsten is shown here with BRAC's Chris McGee and Golden Civic Foundation's Carol Chapman, at the 2013 Foundation's Grant Award Party. Kirsten was poised and awesome as she told 150+ Golden business leaders about her journey as a competitive cyclist. Photo by Megan Hottman/BRAC. *** BRAC has Joined the USA Cycling
Race Clean Program
As part of our commitment to providing a safe, fun, and healthy racing environment for our athletes, last year BRAC budgeted $5,000 to bring USADA services to local events for education and testing of performance enhancing drugs. In 2013, USA Cycling created the Race Clean Program, which provides both a partnership with USADA and substantial funding to support Local Associations (such as BRAC) in our efforts to ensure clean sport. BRAC has joined this program, and invested the budgeted funds in the program. "We are proud to be part of larger movement to bring education and testing to local events, and protect the health and efforts of our members," said Chris McGee, BRAC Executive Director. USADA has been given our racing calendars, and USADA staff will schedule testing dates without notifying BRAC, USAC, or other entities. *** BRAC on Facebook and twitter We are close to 3,000 followers on our Facebook page! Check us out for tons of photo albums from our races and connections to many other cycling organizations. 
We have re-launched the BRAC twitter feed, and it is live!  Please see @BRAC_ACA to follow us. *** Junior Info - Cross Camp!  2012 BRAC Junior Cross Camp. Photo by BRAC.
The 2013 Junior Cross Camp will be held on September 27, 28 & 29 at the Easter Seals Camp in Empire. Campers will be treated to fun, interactive learning sessions that are both on- and off- the bike, and including nutrition, bike maintenance, dismounts, remounts, cornering, shifting, braking, and balance work. The goal of our junior camps is to provide kids with the cycling skills and confidence to succeed in the sport, and to take these lessons into their daily lives. The Junior Cross Camp is pre-registration only at www.Madsync.com. For complete info on the Camp, please see the junior pages on our website. Please note that this Camp will be capped at 115 athletes and we are currently over 100 registered! Get after it! Donations of cycling clothing (in good shape) are now being accepted at BRAC HQ in Golden. We will distribute this clothing at the Junior Cross Camp. Give an extra life to your old kits, and help a junior with their cycling clothing needs. Thanks in advance for your support! *** Upcoming Meetings, Summits & Even a Happy Hour October 1 - 'Year of the Cycling Woman' 2013 BRAC Women's Summit - Prestige Imports in Lakewood October 15 - Event Directors Meeting for 2014 Road Season - Boulder Beer in Boulder October 23 - BRAC Happy Hour at Great Divide - Great Divide Tap Room in Denver November 20 - Annual Meeting of the Club Council - Rocky Mountain PBS in Denver November 22 - Road & Track Cup Awards Party - American Mountaineering Center in Golden January 18 - Cross Cup Awards Party - Prestige Imports in Lakewood For details on these events, please see the Complete BRAC Calendar. ***
Thanks for sharing this e-newsletter with your
friends and family. Enjoy a great day on your bike!
A HUGE Thank You to Amanda Cyr and Maggie Meisinger, who have been instrumental in the creation of this issue of the Colorado Racing News. | 
