Guide · Race Calendar
Northern California bike racing calendar & guide
Verified upcoming dates for Northern California road races and criteriums, featuring the Berkeley Omnium, and how to turn a calendar into a season.
Planning a racing season in Northern California starts with a calendar, and in the off-season the calendar is never finished. Organizers announce dates on their own schedules, permits get approved, and some races change hands. This page lists only the upcoming dates we've confirmed with the organizers, says plainly what isn't announced yet, and helps you decide which races belong in your season.
The short answer
Northern California road racing dates are published on the NCNCA calendar, run by the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association, which covers sanctioned bike racing in Northern California and Nevada, and on each organizer's own site and registration listing, usually on BikeReg. This page collects the upcoming road races, criteriums, time trials and stage races whose dates we've verified with their organizers, featuring the Berkeley Omnium, plus practical advice for choosing races and planning a season.
Upcoming Northern California races
The table lists only races whose organizers or official registration listings have published the next date. Early in the off-season that list is short, because many organizers haven't announced the coming season yet. Races drop off this page once they've happened.
Every date here comes from the organizer's page or official registration listing. Dates can change, so confirm on the official link before you book travel.
| Date | Event | City or area | Format | Status | Official details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley Hills Road RaceBerkeley Omnium | The Three Bears, near Orinda (East Bay hills) | Road race · Berkeley Omnium, Day 1 | Confirmed | Race detailsDate source: Berkeley Bicycle Club announcement | |
| Berkeley Streets CriteriumBerkeley Omnium | Downtown Berkeley, beside Ohlone Park | Criterium · Berkeley Omnium, Day 2 | Confirmed | Race detailsDate source: Berkeley Bicycle Club announcement | |
| Golden State Race SeriesCategories: Pro/1/2 through Cat 5, men, women and juniors | Rancho Cordova (Sacramento area) | Three days of racing (formats not yet published) | Confirmed | Rio Strada Racing |
Next dates not yet announced
These races have run in recent seasons, but their organizers haven't published the next dates yet. Check each official page for news.
- Copper Valley Circuit RaceCircuit race · Copperopolis, Calaveras CountyVelo Promo
- Snelling Road RaceRoad race · Snelling, Merced CountyVelo Promo
- Land Park CriteriumCriterium · Land Park, SacramentoLand Park Criterium on the NCNCA calendar
- Bariani Road RaceRoad race · Bariani Olive Oil, ZamoraSacramento Golden Wheelmen
- Cat's Hill ClassicCriterium · Downtown Los GatosCat's Hill Classic from San Jose Bicycle Club
- Santa Cruz Classic CriteriumCriterium · Downtown Santa Cruz, Main St and 3rd StVelo Promo
- Copperopolis Road RaceRoad race · Milton, around Salt Springs Valley Reservoir near CopperopolisVelo Promo
- Winchester Circuit RaceCircuit race · Winchester Country Club, Meadow Vista, east of AuburnWinchester Circuit Race on the NCNCA calendar
- Regalado Road RaceRoad race · Near Oakdale, Stanislaus CountyVelo Promo and Golden Chain Cyclists
- Dash for CashCriterium · Pleasanton Criterium course, Franklin Drive, PleasantonDash for Cash on the NCNCA calendar
- Sand City CriteriumCriterium · Sand City's warehouse and art gallery district, Monterey BaySand City Criterium from Coureur Monterey Bay Racing Team
- Helen Pool 4th of July CriteriumCriterium · Downtown Davis, Third Street between E and FHelen Pool 4th of July Criterium from Davis Bike Club
- Pescadero Coastal ClassicRoad race · Pescadero, San Mateo County coastPescadero Coastal Classic from Alto Velo
- SF Giro (il Giro di San Francisco)Criterium · Levi's Plaza, San FranciscoSF Giro on Instagram
- Oakland Grand PrixCriterium · Uptown Oakland, by Lake MerrittKaiVelo, Velo Promo and Team Oakland
One reason for the gaps: Velo Promo, which has put on Northern California races since 1978, has said it will still promote a few races, but most of its events will either be picked up by local clubs or disappear. It has named clubs taking over some of them, including the Giro di San Francisco (Super Sprinkles Racing), Winters (Dolce Vita) and Patterson Pass (Team Fremont).
New dates appear first on organizers' sites and registration listings, and on the NCNCA calendar.
Featured: the Berkeley Omnium
The Berkeley Omnium is a two-day spring race weekend organized by the Berkeley Bicycle Club. The Berkeley Hills Road Race is Day 1 and the Berkeley Streets Criterium is Day 2; the next edition's dates are in the calendar above. Two very different races make one overall competition, and you can enter either race or both.
A weekend of bike racing in Berkeley →
Day 1: the Berkeley Hills Road Race
Raced since 1957, the Berkeley Hills Road Race loops over the Three Bears climbs on Bear Creek Road near Orinda. Each lap is 18.76 miles with 759 feet of climbing and fast, technical descents, and the race is typically decided on Papa Bear. It rewards climbing, pacing and patience.
The Berkeley Hills Road Race course →
Day 2: the Berkeley Streets Criterium
The Berkeley Streets Criterium is raced on short laps of a closed course beside Ohlone Park in downtown Berkeley. Tight corners keep the field together, so it rewards cornering, positioning and repeated accelerations more than climbing.
The Berkeley Streets Criterium →
Both days are free to watch, many of the clubs that race it also send volunteers, and part of every entry fee has gone to East Bay NICA high school teams. It is a racing weekend run by the local racing community.
The Omnium's community impact →
Course maps and videos are on the race pages. Categories, distances, start times and fees for each edition are posted with registration on BikeReg.
How to choose races for your season
Choose races that fit your skills, your category and your life, not only the closest or the best known. A few questions sort most calendars quickly:
- Course profile: does it climb, is it flat and fast, is it technical? Pick some courses that suit you and some that teach you.
- Pack skills: tight criteriums ask for confident cornering in a group; hilly road races spread riders out more.
- Category availability: not every event offers every field. Check the official listing for your category, age group or gender.
- Travel: early starts and long drives add up. Group nearby races, or share a ride with your club.
- Budget: entry fees, a license, travel and lodging. A few well-chosen races beat many rushed ones.
- Recovery: hard races on back-to-back weekends cost more than they look on paper.
- Goals: learning, finishing with the group, upgrading or winning call for different calendars.
Beginners
Look for a race with a field for new racers, usually called Novice, and a course that suits what you can already do. Our beginner guide covers group-riding skills, categories, licenses and race day in detail.
How to start bike racing in Northern California →
Once you've picked a race, our first-race guide walks through registration, packing, a race-day timeline and what the racing feels like.
Your first bike race: what to expect →
Juniors
Junior fields and distances vary from race to race. NCNCA also runs a Junior Series, which has included the Berkeley Hills Road Race; series riders have needed a one-day or annual USA Cycling license and to live in the Northern California/Nevada district.
Collegiate riders
Some races add collegiate fields alongside their open fields, as the Berkeley Omnium has. Check each listing to see whether yours is offered.
Collegiate racing at the Omnium →
Masters
Masters fields are grouped by age, and often by category, and they vary from race to race. Some events are part of national masters series: the Golden State Race Series has been a USA Masters Cup event.
Experienced racers
NCNCA publishes district championship policies each year and designates the championship races. Check the current year's designations before planning a season around a title, and remember that one-day licenses can't be used at championship events.
Understand the race formats
Each format asks for different preparation. Knowing which ones you're racing shapes your training more than any single workout.
Road race
A long mass-start race on open roads, often with climbing, where the field breaks apart over time. Prepare with endurance, climbing and descending, and practice eating on the bike.
Criterium
Many laps of a short closed course, raced for a set time. At the Berkeley Streets Criterium, fields have raced from 30 to 60 minutes. Prepare with cornering, braking and repeated hard accelerations.
Circuit race
A mass-start race on a loop longer than a typical criterium course and shorter than a road race loop. It mixes the steady effort of a road race with the repeated terrain of a crit.
Time trial
Riders start alone at intervals and race the clock, so drafting isn't part of it. Time trial bikes are generally allowed unless the race announcement restricts them. Prepare for a steady, sustained effort and practice pacing it.
Stage race
Several stages over consecutive days, usually ranked overall by total time. Recovery between stages matters as much as fitness.
Omnium
Several races combined into one overall standing. At the Berkeley Omnium, riders who start both races in their category are scored on points from the road race and the criterium added together. The Golden State Race Series has combined a Friday time trial, a Saturday criterium and a Sunday circuit race into an overall omnium. Omniums reward versatility and recovery.
Build a realistic racing plan
A good season has a shape: a few races that matter most, more races to learn from, and enough rest that you arrive at the important ones fresh.
- Priority races: pick one or two that you'll build toward and taper for.
- Learning races: use others to practice skills, test pacing and fueling, or try a new format, without pressure on the result.
- Recovery: leave easier weeks after hard races, and don't pack every weekend.
- Life: work, family and travel are part of the plan, not obstacles to it.
- Review: after each race, note one thing that went well and one to practice.
The Berkeley Omnium makes a natural spring goal: a climbing road race and a criterium on one weekend. You don't have to race both days. Pick the race that suits you, or race both if the overall is your goal.
Before you register: a checklist
- Category eligibility: confirm your field on the official listing, including category, age group and gender.
- License: USA Cycling sanctioned races need a license. One-day licenses are limited to the lowest category, Novice, and can't be used at championship events.
- Course details: route, climbing, laps or duration, and where the start and finish are.
- Entry deadlines: when pre-registration closes, and whether day-of registration exists. It can cost more.
- Cancellation policy: whether you can get a refund or transfer your entry. Some races offer transfers but no refunds.
- Equipment rules: a helmet meeting USA Cycling standards, plugged handlebar ends, no aero bars in mass-start races, and mass-start bikes for riders 14 and under.
- Travel logistics: start time, parking or transit, and lodging if the start is early and far away.
USA Cycling's rulebook and first-time racer page have the current license and equipment requirements.
USA Cycling: first-time racer →
Rules change from year to year, so check the current rulebook rather than last season's habits.
Find the local racing community
Clubs make a racing season easier: people to train with, advice on which races to do, and teammates at the start line. Not every club ride is beginner-friendly or race training, so ask about the pace and whether the ride regroups before you go.
- NCNCA lists its member clubs across Northern California and Nevada, and a page of clubs with junior programs.
- The Berkeley Bicycle Club's monthly WTFN Sunday Social Ride is a no-drop ride that welcomes riders returning to cycling or building endurance.
- Early Birds, run by Velo Promo with NCNCA, has offered winter skills sessions with mentors for riders of all levels; check NCNCA for its next sessions.
- Cal Cycling, UC Berkeley's collegiate racing team and bicycle club, supports new cyclists and has co-hosted the Berkeley Omnium.
Find a club near you in NCNCA's directory.
See the teams that race Berkeley, and the clubs that put on races across the region.
Teams of the Berkeley Omnium →
Looking for structured help? Coaches in the Omnium community work with racers from their first group ride on up.
Explore the Berkeley Omnium
Whatever else ends up on your calendar, start with Berkeley: read what each day asks of you, look at the courses, and check the current race details. When registration opens, categories and start times will be on BikeReg.
Questions
Northern California bike racing calendar & guide: FAQ
Where can I find the Northern California bike racing calendar?
The NCNCA calendar lists sanctioned races in Northern California and Nevada, and organizers publish dates on their own sites and registration listings, usually on BikeReg. This page collects the upcoming dates we've verified, with links to each official source.
The NCNCA race calendar →When are next season's race dates announced?
It depends on the organizer. Some publish their next dates months ahead, others closer to the season. New dates appear on organizers' sites, registration listings and the NCNCA calendar, and we add them here once they're confirmed.
How do I choose my first road race or criterium?
Pick a race with a field for new racers, usually Novice, on a course that suits your skills: a criterium if your cornering and pack skills are solid, a road race if you climb well and ride steadily. Practice on group rides first.
How to start bike racing in Northern California →Do I need a USA Cycling license?
Yes, for USA Cycling sanctioned races. A one-day license, limited to the Novice category, lets you try a race; an annual license makes sense if you'll race more often. One-day licenses can't be used at championship events.
USA Cycling: first-time racer →What is the Berkeley Omnium?
A two-day spring race weekend organized by the Berkeley Bicycle Club: the Berkeley Hills Road Race, raced since 1957, on Day 1 and the Berkeley Streets Criterium in downtown Berkeley on Day 2.
The Berkeley Omnium →Can I enter just one Berkeley Omnium race?
Yes. The Omnium has offered entries for the road race or the criterium on its own. To be scored in the overall omnium, you start both races in your category. Check the current race information when registration opens.
Where do I confirm categories and registration deadlines?
On each race's official registration listing and race information. For the Berkeley Omnium, categories, start times, fees and deadlines are posted with registration on BikeReg.
The Berkeley Omnium on BikeReg →