Guide · Berkeley Omnium
A weekend of bike racing in Berkeley
What to expect from two days of Bay Area bike racing, whether you're racing, watching, volunteering or bringing the kids.
The short answer
The Berkeley Omnium is a two-day spring bike racing weekend organized by the Berkeley Bicycle Club. Day 1 is the Berkeley Hills Road Race, raced since 1957 over the Three Bears climbs near Orinda. Day 2 is the Berkeley Streets Criterium on a closed circuit beside Ohlone Park in Berkeley. The 2027 Omnium is April 17–18, 2027, and both days are free to watch.
Two days, two very different races
The Berkeley Omnium joins two races into one weekend and one overall competition. Every category races both days, and results combine into an overall Omnium standing. The two days could hardly be more different, and that's the point.
Day 1: the Berkeley Hills Road Race
Peter Rich promoted the first Berkeley Hills Road Race in 1957, and 2026 was the 70th edition. Over those decades the race has been won by Jonathan Boyer in 1979, two years before he became the first American to ride the Tour de France, and by Olympic speed skating champion Eric Heiden in 1983. Today's racers climb the same Three Bears near Orinda, and the race is still typically decided on Papa Bear.
The history of the Berkeley Hills Road Race →
Day 2: the Berkeley Streets Criterium
The second day moves the racing into the city: short, fast laps on a closed circuit along Berkeley Way and McGee Avenue beside Ohlone Park. Tight corners keep the field together, finishes tend to come down to a bunch sprint, and spectators see every rider go past lap after lap.
The Berkeley Streets Criterium →
New to bike racing? The two formats test riders in completely different ways.
If you're racing
Both races are USA Cycling sanctioned and held under the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA), and registration runs through BikeReg. The 2026 fields were Elite (Cat 1/2/3/4 · Full podium), Novice (Cat 5 · New racers welcome), Collegiate (Open to collegiate teams), Women (Combined & categorized), Junior (Age-appropriate distances). 2027 categories, fees and start times will be posted with registration.
Berkeley Omnium registration on BikeReg →
The 2026 Omnium paid a $10,000 cash purse in the Pro/1/2 races, split 50/50 between the men's and women's fields. Riders coming from other regions will find a weekend that combines a historic hilly road race with a downtown crit, a pairing that suits all-rounders.
Preparing for your first Omnium, or your first race? Coaches in the Omnium community work with racers from their first group ride on up.
Who you'll see on the start line
Juniors
Junior fields race age-appropriate distances, and the Omnium puts money behind the next generation: a portion of every entry fee goes to six East Bay NICA high school teams, $21,000 in 2025 and $28,610 in 2026. The Berkeley Bicycle Club's own junior program, led by Todd Edminster, brings young riders from club rides to racing.
Collegiate racers
Collegiate racing joined the Berkeley Omnium in 2026, giving Cal Cycling and other university programs a field at both the Berkeley Hills Road Race and the Berkeley Streets Criterium.
Collegiate racing at the Omnium →
Women racers
Women race both days in combined and categorized fields. In 2026 the Pro/1/2 purse was split equally between the women's and men's races, and Omnium proceeds supported Women's On Track, hosted by Eclipse Racing.
How the Omnium invests in women's racing →
Clubs and teams
Club and team racers fill most of the fields, from Bay Area clubs to teams traveling from farther afield. Many of the same clubs also send volunteers.
If you're coming to watch
Both days are free to watch. The criterium is the easiest place to start: stand at a corner to see the field brake, lean and sprint out of it, then move to the finish line for the last laps. The road race is spread over a long loop in the hills, so you'll see the riders once a lap and read the race from who is still together.
Bring the kids. In 2026 a kids clinic hosted by Trek Berkeley and a kids race ran alongside the Berkeley Streets Criterium, with ice cream from Mr. Dewies at the finish. Plans for 2027 kids events haven't been announced yet.
The people who make it happen
"Berkeley Omnium doesn't happen without volunteers. Full stop." That's how the Berkeley Bicycle Club put it after 2026. Course marshals, registration, results and timing, follow cars and motos, setup and teardown, and course prep days are all handled by volunteers, and most roles need no racing experience.
Clubs pitch in as crews. In 2026 the club thanked the Cal Cycling Team, Revolution, San Jose Bicycle Club, Dolce Vita, Terun, Monarch, TMBEquator and volunteers from Super Sprinkle.
Volunteer at the Berkeley Omnium →
Why the Omnium matters to Northern California racing
Local bike races only happen when a club decides to put one on. Permits, course prep, safety planning, officials, volunteers and sponsors all have to come together every year, and the Berkeley Bicycle Club, formed in 1979, has organized the Berkeley Hills Road Race ever since.
The weekend is also a pathway. A child's first kids race, a high schooler's NICA team funded by race entries, a junior field, a collegiate field, then the elite race: the Omnium has a place for each step. Riders have taken it all the way: Luke Lamperti won the 2019 Berkeley Hills Road Race and turned pro in 2021.
Questions
A weekend of bike racing in Berkeley: FAQ
When is the 2027 Berkeley Omnium?
The 2027 Berkeley Omnium is April 17–18, 2027. Day 1 is the Berkeley Hills Road Race and Day 2 is the Berkeley Streets Criterium. Race times and registration details haven't been announced yet.
Can spectators watch the Berkeley Omnium?
Yes, both days are free to watch. The Berkeley Streets Criterium is the easiest to follow in person, since the field passes the same corners and finish line every lap.
Watching the Berkeley Streets Criterium →Can junior and collegiate cyclists race the Berkeley Omnium?
Yes. The 2026 Omnium had junior fields racing age-appropriate distances and, for the first time, collegiate fields at both races. 2027 categories will be posted with registration.
Collegiate racing →Is there a kids race at the Berkeley Omnium?
In 2026, yes: a kids clinic and a kids race ran alongside the Berkeley Streets Criterium. 2027 kids events haven't been announced yet.
Kids at the Omnium →