Berkeley Omnium: Saturday on the Three Bears. Sunday downtown.

The Berkeley Bicycle Club, a Berkeley cycling club formed in January 1979 when Velo Club Berkeley merged with the Berkeley Wheelmen, has organized the Berkeley Hills Road Race ever since. The organizing team is made up of people from across Northern California racing, and many of them race too.

The Berkeley Hills Road Race (BHRR) is Day 1 of the Berkeley Omnium and one of the longest-running road races in the United States. The course loops over Mama Bear, Papa Bear and Baby Bear on Bear Creek Road near Orinda, and the race is typically decided on Papa Bear.

The Berkeley Hills Road Race was first held in 1957, promoted by Peter Rich, and 2026 was its 70th edition. The Berkeley Bicycle Club has organized it since the club formed in 1979. In 2020 the race was cancelled because of COVID-19 and ran as a virtual event on Strava.

The Berkeley Streets Criterium, often called Berkeley Streets, is Day 2 of the Omnium: a criterium, or short-lap race on closed streets, through downtown Berkeley. Tight corners keep the field together, finishes often come down to a bunch sprint, and spectators see the riders pass lap after lap.

A road race is a long race over open roads, often with climbing, where the field breaks apart over hours. A criterium is a shorter race of many laps on a short closed course, where the bunch stays together and the finish is usually a sprint. The Berkeley Omnium races one of each.

Yes. Junior fields race age-appropriate distances, and proceeds after race costs go to six East Bay NICA high school teams: $28,610 in 2026. In 2026 a kids clinic and kids race also ran alongside the Berkeley Streets Criterium.

Yes. Collegiate fields appear in the Berkeley results from 2022 on. In 2026 there were collegiate fields for Cal Cycling and other university programs at both the Berkeley Hills Road Race and the Berkeley Streets Criterium.

Yes. Women race both days in combined and categorized fields, and in 2026 the Pro/1/2 cash purse was split equally between the women's and men's races.

The 2026 Omnium paid a $10,000 cash purse in the Pro/1/2 fields, split equally between the men's and women's races. Other prizes were merchandise from event sponsors.

Local clubs such as the Berkeley Bicycle Club, San Jose Bicycle Club, Dolce Vita Cycling and Super Sprinkles Racing; teams from Sacramento and Southern California; Coalition Cycling from the Pacific Northwest; Good Guys Racing from New York City; and in 2025, two riders from Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The Teams of the Omnium page tells their stories, with results from the official race records.

Yes. The race's past winners include riders who went on to race professionally, and in 2023 Tyler Williams, a former professional with Axeon–Hagens Berman and Israel Cycling Academy, won the men's Pro/1/2/3 race for L39ION of Los Angeles. USA Cycling Domestic Elite teams such as Voler Factory Racing, SpeedBlock-Terún and CycleSport.com have raced it too.

Train for repeated climbing on tired legs: the road race is raced over the Three Bears climbs on Bear Creek Road near Orinda, in the East Bay hills, with fast technical descents and a race typically decided on Papa Bear. Practice pack skills and descending on group rides, and check the race page for your category's details once the next schedule is announced. Our preparation guide covers training, positioning, pacing, fueling and race morning.

In 2026 the NorCal road season included Sacramento Golden Wheelmen's Land Park Criterium and Bariani Road Race in March, the Cat's Hill Classic in Los Gatos later that month, the Berkeley Omnium in April, Rio Strada Racing's Golden State Race Series right after, the SF Giro over Labor Day weekend, and the Oakland Grand Prix in September. Each is put on by a local club or promoter, and every one needs racers to keep going.

Yes, both days are free to watch. The criterium is the easiest race to follow in person, since the field passes the same downtown corners and finish line every lap.

The Omnium is run by volunteers: course marshals, registration, results and setup crews. Most roles need no bike racing experience. To sign up, use the contact form and choose Volunteering, or answer a few questions in the volunteer role finder to see which jobs fit.