The WICX Series announced its cyclocross racing schedule in the middle of last week and it was stuffed to the gills with competitive opportunities. Compared to last year's slate of 16 races, this year brings an impressive 21 to the table!

Where did all these races come from?

The calendar kicks off with an upgraded race at Englewood, which is now a 2-day, nationally-classed UCI race. Then the WICX Series kicks off in earnest with the return of 11 series races—plus three new race venues—and the state championship race at the end of the year.

Peppered throughout the schedule are another two days on the UCI national calander at the Trek factory, the Midwest regional championships, and the the wild and wacky Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship.

The schedule looks a little something like this:

Why is Wisconsin so popular?

There's a seemingly endless buzz in the background that suggests cyclocross is dying, but there seems to be something about it that continues to capture the imagination of Wisconsinites. It could be due to a combination of factors. Maybe it's because our ideal riding seasons are shorter, so we're primed to ride in worse conditions. Maybe it's the quality green space and varied terrain that makes race courses more exciting.

Or maybe we've got great athletes with a contagious passion.

In episode 104 of the Road is Dead podcast, the participants chatted about the strengths of Wisconsin's cyclocross scene late last year, at the close of the cyclocross season.

After complimenting the quality of the race venues, race Tim Strelecki goes on to note that "the attendance that goes to the races in Wisconsin is good talent…They're all good dudes. Same with the women's fields. All the fields are competitive."

When host Robert Curtis asks why, Strelecki speculates:

"The Wisconsin scene just cares more about whatever races they're putting on. Their mountain bike scene is solid. Their cyclocross scene is solid. Their road racing scene with Tour of America's Dairyland is solid.

And [if] you give quality events like that to people who have been in the sport for a while—or are just entering a certain discipline of cycling—they're gonna stick around. And guess what? When they stick around, they get better and better and better…and then their talent pool goes up, and they can compete on a national stage.

"I mean, you look at the level of talent that comes out of Wisconsin, it's…unreal."

To listen to this part of the discussion, you can skip ahead to the 26-minute mark.

More info

Cyclocross is an all-weather form of short-track bike racing over a combination of obstacles and mixed terrains, including grass, mud, dirt and sand. It's usually raced atop road-style bikes with mountain bike-style tires, but in the US most bikes are welcome to ride.

Race days are broken out amongst ages, genders and skill levels. Participants can race as many or as few races as they desire, but more participation earns more points in the overall standings.

For more information on the WICX Series, visit wicxseries.com. To register, keep your eyes on the schedule.