Riders storm the beach at the 2011 Big Bad Wolf. © Kristie Hancock
By Brian Hancock
Back again for another lap in 2012, the Michigan Stomach of Anger (SoA) cyclocross series adds three new races to the fold for the upcoming season. The SoA series was born last year out of a select few races hosted by independent cyclocross promoters in Michigan. For 2012, the larger promoters on the east side (Tailwind Racing) and the west side (Kiss Cross) of the state will each be adding one race into the SoA series, making it the ultimate cross section of cyclocross racing in the lower peninsula.
The 2012 SoA series starts off on 9/7 under the lights with a Kiss Cross Friday night race at the Cannonsburg Ski Area. On Saturday, 9/8, the Ithaca Grand Prix of Cyclocross presented by Token Products is once again will storm the amphitheater of pain in Woodland City Park in Ithaca. This opening weekend of cyclocross will set the stage for tough racing.
The next SoA race is on 9/23 at the former Red Cedar golf course in Lansing. Michael Babcock and the crew has created Michigan’s only cyclocross park and is hosting the first of two Swamp Thing races there this fall.
On 10/20, Mad Anthony will once again rear his angry head at the historic Fort Wayne in downtown Detroit. The course at Mad Anthony is centered around the fort and has a fantastic racing environment.
Next up on 10/27, Tailwind’s new venue at Lake Orion High School will jump into the racing series for another whirl. The Tailwind events are fantastically professional and will remind you of USGP-style courses.
The second Swamp Thing race in Lansing on 11/18 will have late fall Michigan weather as the temperatures begin to cool. The series ends with a fantastically euro environment at the Big Bad Wolf race on 12/9 in Midland. This course features a long frozen beach and volleyball courts to rival the sand at Koksijde in Belgium.
For more information on the race series, check out www.StomachOfAngerCX.com.
