Cat 5 World Championships
The Cat 5 World Championships @ Fulton Market Grand Prix
Glory. Chaos. Questionable Life Decisions.
Welcome to the most entertaining race in America (this is not an exaggeration).
There are prestigious bike races.
There are tactical bike races.
There are beautiful, calculated displays of athletic excellence.
This is not one of those races.
The Cat 5 World Championships at Chicago Grit have become something far bigger than just a bike race — they are a full-blown spectacle. A chaotic, crowd-fueled, wildly unpredictable celebration of beginner bike racing where ambition dramatically outweighs experience and absolutely anything can happen. And we mean that quite literally.
Every year, riders from across the country descend on Fulton Market chasing the same dream: to become Cat 5 World Champion. Some arrive with pristine bikes, matching kits, and detailed race plans. Others arrive with backwards numbers, borrowed wheels, and the confidence of someone who watched one YouTube crit video three nights ago (and thinks they can take on Justin Williams).
By the end of the night, none of that matters.
The Cat 5 World Championships are pure Chicago Grit energy — loud crowds, tight corners, massive attacks, blown legs, impossible confidence, and moments so absurd they instantly become legendary.
And this year, for the first time ever…the women will get their own Cat 5 World Championships. Double the unhinged call ups, double the chaotic clip ins off the line, double the full gas racing, and double the hype.
You will NOT want to miss this.
OUR ANNOUNCERS
The Cat 5 World Championships would not be complete without the absolutely unhinged energy of our legendary commentary crew — turning every missed clip-in, wildly optimistic attack, and sketchy corner line into a moment of cycling history. Part race analysis, part stand-up comedy, part live sports chaos. Below are the legends that make every minute memorable.
TODD BUSTEED
Todd is a professional announcer and voice actor who grew up in Brookfield, Illinois. Todd is extremely knowledgeable in the sport of cycling and the rapport between he and our other announcers is simply electric.
BRAD SOHNER
Brad started his career in cycling the summer he took a job as a stagehand. Brad quickly learned he had a golden voice and a knack for calling races – and the rest is history. Brad now travels all over the world as a professional announcer (including to China, where he is quite famous).
FRANKIE ANDREU
Frankie is a former professional cyclist who gives a nice insider perspective to round out our announcing team.
