Down to the sprint.
The 2026 Berkeley Streets race was full gas from start to finish and came down to a sprint for the line, with a loud crowd along the course. Congratulations to Josef on a strong ride.
View on Instagram (opens in a new tab) ↗
Day 2 — Berkeley Omnium
Berkeley Streets Criterium
Fast racing. Downtown energy. Berkeley.
A closed-circuit criterium through the heart of downtown Berkeley, tight corners, short laps, and a bunch sprint to close out the Omnium weekend.
Race Overview
Fast laps. Tight corners. One sprint.
Criterium racing compresses everything exciting about road racing into a short, intense format. Both races are USA Cycling (USAC) sanctioned and held under the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA).
FormatCriterium
LocationDowntown Berkeley, CA
Laps / DurationTBD for 2027
CategoriesElite, Novice, Collegiate, Women, Junior
Berkeley OmniumDay 2 of 2
Berkeley Streets is Day 2 of the weekend, paired with the Berkeley Hills Road Race → on Day 1. Together, they are the Berkeley Omnium. New to crits? Start with What is a criterium? →
Watch the Race
Experience the criterium.
Fast laps, tight corners and team tactics on a closed downtown circuit. Watch a full P/1/2 race, a short teaser, a Cat 4 racer's video, and an Elite 4 podium from the Berkeley Bicycle Club Criterium.
Now showing
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work - 2024 Berkeley Streets Criterium P/1/2
The P/1/2 race at the 2024 Berkeley Streets Criterium on the downtown Berkeley circuit.
1:00:25 · Video by NorCal Extra · Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
4 criterium videos
Experience Berkeley Streets
Loud crowds. Fast finishes.
Finish-line interviews and team results from the 2026 Berkeley Streets race, shared by the Berkeley Bicycle Club on Instagram.
One, two overall.
Cycle Sport Specialized brought a deep squad: Ivan won the Berkeley Omnium overall and Mattheus finished second overall.
View on Instagram (opens in a new tab) ↗Rachel wins again.
Coalition Cycling brought its squad to the 2026 Berkeley Omnium, and Rachel took the win again after winning the Berkeley Hills Road Race in 2025.
View on Instagram (opens in a new tab) ↗
This is downtown racing.
Berkeley Streets compresses everything exciting about road racing into a closed circuit through the city. Here's what actually happens on course.
Speed
Short laps mean the whole field is always at race pace, there's no easing off.
Corners
Tight downtown corners reward riders who can carry speed and hold their line.
Positioning
The bunch stays compressed all race, losing position early costs you late.
Attacks
Short laps make every attack visible, and every chase immediate.
Sprint Finishes
Most editions come down to a bunch sprint on the final lap.
Spectators
Close enough to the barriers to hear the field come through every single lap.
The Course
A closed circuit through Downtown Berkeley.
Short laps, tight corners, and a bunch that stays together lap after lap until someone attacks or the whole field comes down to a sprint.
Short laps on a closed street circuit
Tight corners that reward positioning
A bunch that stays together lap after lap until someone attacks
A finish that regularly comes down to a field sprint
Come Watch
Free to watch. Impossible to look away.
Admission is free. Bring the family, bring the neighbors, this is downtown Berkeley's best free show, and the same riders pass by every few minutes.
- Downtown Circuit CornersWatch the same riders pass repeatedly, lap after lap
- Finish LineEvery category's sprint finish, all day
Gallery
Around the corner.
Fast laps through downtown Berkeley.
The next generation races here too.
Alongside the main event, the kids clinic and kids race give East Bay kids their own low-pressure introduction to racing, right on the same downtown circuit. No pressure. No expectations. Just learning, riding, and building confidence.