Opening race in the new MABRACross Super 8 Series, the Tacchino is back and better than ever!  The course will feature rolling grass fields, gravel, two dirt track sections, numerous off-cambers, and a spectator-centric layout that encourages tifosi to take in the race while enjoying a beverage, a Belgian sausage, and a funk band.  It's hosted at Rosaryville State Park, a perfect outdoor location with a playground, over 12 miles of rolling singletrack trail, and spectator pavillions, conveniently located 15 minutes East of Washington D.C. 

Race Results

Follow Il Tacchino on Twitter (@TacchinoCX) or Facebook ("Tacchino Ciclocross") for the latest rowdiness!

Registration

• Online Registration at BikeReg.com here: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=14070.
• Online registration closes at noon on Friday, September 23, 2011. Please note that BikeReg charges an additional fee for online registration. There are no refunds and no mail-in registration.
• USAC Road or Mountain license required. One-day licenses can be purchased for $10 on race day; please note "one day" under license when you register online if you will need one. Only Cat 4 riders can race on a one day license, please renew ahead of time and bring your license (or a receipt from USA Cycling) if you plan on racing in a higher category race. 
• There will be a $10.00 day-of-registration fee, except for juniors. Save money, pre-register!  We will waive the fee if you're registering for a second (or third) race on the day.   
• Onsite registration opens at 7:00 AM and closes 30 minutes before each race.If you're racing later in the day and registration is getting shelled by racers in the early races, please be cool and pick up your number when the early morning rush subsides.  We'll give you your number if you show up early, but you'll know, and we'll know...  We're also working on setting up a number pickup pre-check in for the evening before the race, somewhere in Northern Virginia, to make your race day morning a little less hectic.  We will keep you posted and let you know if that works out, with announcements here and on the www.squadracoppi.com website.    
• All USAC Cyclocross rules apply. Event will be held rain or shine. USAC Event Permit Pending.
• For age-graded categories, your cyclocross racing age is your age on December 31, 2012. 
• The 125 rider limit is for the combined field in a race.  Registration will close once the limit has been reached by any combination of classes within the field. 

Venue

• Rosaryville State Park is graciously hosting us for a third year, and we will return to the picnic pavillions.  The course will feature rolling grass fields, gravel, two dirt track sections, numerous off-cambers, and at least two sets of obstacles.  There will be one double-sided pit on the course and a bike wash if weather requires it.  
• Parking fee: Maryland DNR imposes a $3 entry fee per vehicle, which is waived if you have a Maryland DNR season pass.  Pass the entry kiosk and proceed up the hill to pay an attendant and enter the marshalled parking lot.  Racers are encouraged to carpool.
• Driving with the team tent, a bunch of gear for multiple riders?  We'll give you a great spot right on the course near the amenities.  Email the direttore di corse at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to get this preferred parking.  Team parking & tent slots is limited so first-come first-served. 
• Pineapple Alley Catering will provide a selection of Belgian sausages and pommes frites for sale, tasty Belgian deserts and if you're 21 or over you will be able to wash it down with a selection of Belgian beer (Duvel Green!  Ommegang Hennepin!) while you watch the races and get your funk on with Gallons-to-Ounces, the World's Greatest Classically Educated Funk Band.  Op uw gezondheid!

Directions

• Google or MapQuest: Rosaryville State Park, 10 West Marlton Ave, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772.
• Alternately:  From I-95 north or southbound, directly east of Wash ington DC:  At exit 11A, take MD 4 / Pennsylvania Ave east to US Route 301. At end of exit, turn right on US 301.  Continue on 301 for 3.8 miles.  Turn right on West Marlton Ave, just past small brown sign for Rosaryville State Park. After 200 yards, turn right again at park kiosk and proceed straight, up the hill to the parking attendant.  Rosaryville State Park is approximately 20 minutes by car from I-495 and a half hour by car from downtown D.C., 45 minutes from Baltimore, and 78 hours by car from Hoogerheide, NL. 
• Racers and fans are asked to stay away from the Rosaryville Rd entrance (which takes you to the Mt. Airy mansion) and to enter the park instead via the West Marlton Ave entrance off MD Rte 301 south.  

MABRA Super 8 Series

• Since there are no series standings, call-ups will be based on your final points in the MABRAcross Series standings last year, and then gridded by order of registration.  You MUST pre-register if you want a callup or to be gridded by the points you scored last year!  Promoter may apply limited discretion where appropriate. No call-ups for M4, W4 and juniors.

Additional Notes

• Get a race T-shirt when you pre-register or from Woof Designs' website.  $14.  Pre-orders close on Monday, September 19 at noon. 
• Get a nifty flag with Il Tacchino Combattivo on the BikeReg registration page.  
• Can I ride my mountain bike?  Yes!  We welcome new riders and singlespeeders, including SS MTB'ers.  A UCI rules change made disc brakes legal in cyclocross this year so you can ride your SS or geared mountain bike or cross rig with disc brakes.
• MABRA's mountain biking friends with the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE) and their trail liaisons to this park helped us to obtain this venue and they keep the trails maintained year-around.  We in the cyclocross community owe them one.  Please repay the favor by respecting the park, respecting the sport, and respecting yourself and others while at this event.  Please consider checking out the MORE website and doing a trail workday on a multi-use trail to help maintain our parks, and keep them open for bikers, hikers, and equestrians.
• We also owe a debt of gratitude to the Rosaryville Conservancy, which operates the park on behalf of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.  Along with Pineapple Alley Catering, they operate the spectacular Mount AiryMansion on the South side of the park.  It is available for day, evening and weekend affairs such as corporate parties or weddings.  If you could use a venue of that sort, please consider them.  Support those who support the sport!
• Our event vendor, Pineapple Alley Catering, will be selling alcohol at this event.  We will not tolerate underage drinking, and for those who are of age, please drink responsibly, and have a designated driver.  A couple extra beers isn't worth your life, or somebody else's. 
• The park is hike-in, haul out, with no trash hauling service to handle large crowds.  Squadra Coppi will have some trash bags around the course and pavillion area to help you keep it clean, but we're going to have to haul that stuff personally, in our own cars.  Don't make us stink!  Take your trash with you to the extent you can.  Anybody caught littering the park with empty Gu packets will be eviscerated with rusty farm tools and DQ'ed from the race.  N o littering!
• There's also a grass triangle comprised of native grasses and critters that will be marked off.  It is part of an environmental restoration experiment.  Do not stand, ride, roll around in, dig up, or eat these native grasses.  If you do, we will eviscerate you with rusty farm tools and DQ you from the race. 
• Want to warm up or cool down on the trails? Absolutely. We hope you take advantage of the amazing work MORE has done in this park.  The outer loop consists of 10 miles of marked, smooth, well-groomed single track trails that are built to be environmentally friendly and sustainable per IMBA standards.  They are best on a mountain bike but are definitely cross bike accessible. Please be courteous to other users, and don't ride on the trails if they are soft or muddy, i.e. after a r ecent (24-48 hours) moderate to heavy rain. 

Directions

From I-95 north or southbound, directly east of Wash ington DC: At exit 11A, take MD 4 / Pennsylvania Ave east to US Route 301. At end of exit, turn right on US 301. Continue on 301 for 3.8 miles. Turn right on West Marlton Ave, just past small brown sign for Rosaryville State Park. After 200 yards, turn right again at park kiosk and proceed straight, up the hill to the parking attendant. Rosaryville State Park is approximately 20 minutes by car from I-495 and a half hour by car from downtown D.C., 45 minutes from Baltimore, and 78 hours by car from Hoogerheide, NL.

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