The big targets are no longer on the horizon, and it all starts now with Inside Out Cross.

This weekend starts off the 2013 season in earnest with Inside Out Cross in Greenville, Michigan. It’s the last race before the Top Banana Competition kicks off, and looks to draw a large and talented crop of riders. For the Grand Rapids crowd, it’s another jaunt nearby, while the Great White North looks to send down riders from Einstein Racing, Hagerty-TOLaw U-25, OtS-kolotc.com and a massive contingent from North Country Cycle Sport.

Inside Out is the last tune-up ahead of the Top Banana Competition, which begins at St. Fatty’s Day March 2. Inside Out makes its Top Banana Competition debut March 10, so this weekend offers a valuable prelude to the first cyclocross battle of the season to make the Competition. Watch for the return of Craig Gietzen, Dan McGraw, Mickey Humpula and the undefeated Chelsea Strate. Ryan Cross, Jason Young and a few others may raise the bar in the A Race, with Chad Wells representing NCCS with a shot at the win.

The next few races won’t decide the overall standings for the Competition, but they’ll offer a rather comfortable head start for those willing to put in races this early and with such a stacked schedule on the docket. There’s 25 points for the winners in three races, and for any rider to score points at Inside Out, St. Fatty’s and Barry-Roubaix, the lead could even survive to the June calendar on the road.

Take a second to revisit the recap of the last Inside Out event and the video, posted below.