Oh - forgot Gelncoe Grand Prix. Huge race. USA Crits/NRC many years. Used to be my surefire way of assuring I would see the pros every year. Hell I got to be in their commercial one year. They had a guy who does national campaigns for companies like comcast come in and shoot it on his free time because he was a local and liked cycling.
Their race director (Jon the guy in the video who is in the suit) is an amazing soul who did more work for the local cycling scene than any of us deserved - but he moved on and had to pass the reins. They ran it last year without him. Attendance was dropping like a rock over the last 4-5 years. Huge payouts but they couldn't afford the start fees and transport for some of the teams like they had been in the past - result : teams didn't show. They didn't have the money to travel and it was usually the day before Philly.
Rough budget was something like $150k-$250k. they had block parties and expo, and a food truck collection of like 10 trucks. Always a celebrity name as a starter or announcer. something like 500-600 kids in the kids races. Crazy.
They raised immense amounts of funds for schools even taking to supporting schools in at risk neighborhoods (mine in Elgin) towards the end as there was only so many smart boards they could buy for the Glencoe schools.
They called it quits for this year. The GGP is no more. The work to generate the funds. the hand holding, the low turnout, etc. All factors. They say they might take some time off and come back but I just don't see that ever happening.
Downer's Grove - home of the national criterium championships for years and years - gone. Evanston - Gone. Glencoe - Gone. Elk Grove - Gone.
I was charged with trying to find a place to hold our state crit championships this year because the race that won the bid decided to fold. We have like 6 crits left in the state outside of intelli. all but 2 of them refused to even bid.
I'm sorry but a BS article from someone who has no real concept of what is truly going on is not going to save the sport. It's going to be shared and make everyone feel shiny and new during winter while they are training but will melt in May.