The TBD “NYC” Cyclocross Race Calendar
Cross isn’t just coming, it’s here. If you haven’t already mounted (or glued) your races tires, made sure your rear derailleur is fully functional, and spent at least 9 hours dismounting and remounting your bike pretending to run barriers while regular people look on in confusion (I see those two logs in the secret corner of the park!!!), you are already behind the ball. If you’re new to cyclocross, start here and here. Otherwise, get in the car, it’s time to drive too far for hopefully a few meager results.
There are still no races in NYC (RIP Rainey Park), but a look at the calendar for the year proves one very important thing: Cyclocross has healed. The calendar is packed, and you can once again race twice every single weekend without ever having to leave the tri-state area. This post focuses on the local series that are popular with NYC racers and offer races within ~ 2 hours of the city and a few of the UCI weekend races that are worth the logistics. With apologies to NYCX, MABRA, and NECX which all have excellent races, but tend towards the 3-hour drive mark. We’ve thrown in a few honorable mentions, for those of you absolutely desperate to drive 60 extra miles every weekend.
Much like a recipe blog where the author talks to you at length about how corn and tomato season conjures childhood memories when you just want to get to the instructions, here’s a link to take you directly to the TBD race calendar. Cyclocross is in GOLD, because it is the best.
Below you’ll find more in-depth series information with bikereg links and links to past TBD content, including forecasts and race recaps.
Series
NJBA CX (New Jersey)
Field Structure:
Men: Elite 1/2/3, Cat 3, Cat 4, Cat 5, Masters 40+ 4/5, Masters 40+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 50+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 60+ 1/2/3/4 (HPCX differs slightly)
Women: 1/2/3, 3/4/5, Masters 45+
Juniors: Junior boys 9-12, Junior girls 9 - 12, Junior Boys 13-14, Junior girls 13-14, Junior boys 15 - 18, Junior Girls 15 - 18
Singlespeed: Open!
Series standings: Series points affect your position in the start grid, but there is no overall series competition.
Races(with bikereg links!): Bubblecross (9/7), HPCX (10/12), Cooper River CX (10/19), Beast Cross (11/16)
Notable facts: NJBA CX is one of the few series that gives Cat 3 women the option to race with the 1/2s or with the 3/4s (or race twice!) as well as separate fields for the men’s 3, 4, and 5s respectively. U19 women get free reg at Cooper! The field times vary slightly at each race, but they largely start at the civilized time of 9AM and Cat 5 men are one of the last races of the day, rather than the traditional first.
Bonus at NJ races: Multiple junior development squads with fast kids who will make you feel slow!
Race highlights: Bubblecross has now, for many years, replaced (old) Whirlybird as the first race of the local CX season. It is a unique race offering some of the silliest features in cyclocross - it’s got single track! It’s got a beach with deep sand! It has a kind of sketchy gravel descent that hurls you right into that sand! The hype is high and the vibes are big. TBD loves Bubblecross.
HPCX is the best race put on by college students and the Rutgers cycling team has kept it up year after year. So good, in fact, it used to be a 2-day UCI race. Though not yet announced, HPCX is often the NJ state championship. In this author’s humble opinion, these are two of the best races on the calendar.
PACX/WPCX (Pennsylvania)
Field Structure:
Men: Elite 1/2/3, Cat 3/4, Cat 4/5, Masters 40+ (races with Elite 1/2/3), Master’s 40+ 4/5, Masters 50+, Masters 60+, Masters 70+
Women: Elite 1/2/3, Cat 4/5, Masters 45+ (races with Cat 3/4/5)
Juniors: Women U19( Racing Age 15 - 18), Men U19, Boys Junior U15, Girls Junior U15
Singlespeed: Open!
Series standings: Series points affect your position in the start grid, but there is no overall series competition.
Races (with bikereg links!): Whirlybird (9/13), Pineapple Cross (9/14), Carpenter Cross (9/20), Crossasaurus Awesome (10/4), WCCX (11/2), Sly Fox (11/9), Jive Turkey Cranksgiving (11/15).
Notable facts: PACX and WPCX are technically two different series, with some races closer to NYC than others. Cat 3 women have to race in a 1/2/3 field in PA, but it’s ok because the races are a mere 45 min (as opposed to the 60 min NJ races). Cat 4 men get two choices and can race twice! Your coach thinks that’s a great idea!
Notable races: PACX is replete with silliness. For the second year in a row, (new) Whirlybird and Pineapple are an omnium with a real live cash prize for every category. Pineapple, which is raced on the Fifth Street CX course, also offers a relay race, something which I would like to strongly encourage all race promoters to consider. Crossasaurus famously offers a tandem CX race, and there’s also Sly Fox. Rather than try to explain Sly Fox, please enjoy this video of Davey Dawson taking a hand up while riding to the top of a hill most people have to run (there is also maybe a half naked man in this second video? Sly Fox.)
PMCX (Connecticut)
Field Structure:
Men: Pro 1/2/3, Cat 3/4, Cat 4/5, Cat 5, Masters 40/50/60+ 1 - 4
Women: Pro 1/2/3, 3/4, 4/5, Masters 40+, Cat 5/Novice
Nonbinary: Cat 1 -4, Cat 4/5
Juniors: Open 6 – 8, 9-12, 13-14, Junior Boys 15-18 (Cat 3/4/5), Girls 6-8, 9-12, 13-14, 15-18 (Cat 3/4/5)
Singlespeed: 2 fields: WTFNB and Open
Series: Most of the Connecticut races rebranded last year as Project Mayhem CX, and with it a full series of really well-organized races - some old and some new - drawing racers from both NY and New England. There are prizes for the top 3 in each category and a PMCX Champion’s Jersey awarded to the winner (it’s a good jersey!).
I am once again, asking you, to bring back Cheshire Cross.
Races (with bikereg links): Belltown Throwdown 1 (9/6), Hidden Valley CX (9/21), Belltown Throwdown 2 (9/27), Newtown CX (10/05), Damned at the Dam/Mansfield Hollow (10/11), Moran CX (11/16), Orchard Scorcher (11/30)
Notable facts: The series is aimed at inclusivity and giving more WTFNB racers an opportunity to try cyclocross. The races offers multiple WTFNB fields, clinics, and sometimes a half price novice field for men and WTFNB racers.
Notable races: The best thing about every CT race is that it’s always guaranteed to include a section of single track, so the courses really reward those hours spent at Cunningham or on your mountain bike. Orchard CX made incredibly good use of, as its name implies, an orchard, where you could cap off your race with some cider and a donut. Real New England stuff.
Honorable Mentions:
NEBRA (New England): Few NECX races will be a waste of your time. The Cyclocross force is strong up in New England and it all but guarantees that races are typically well-attended and well-organized. If you are looking to get your season started ASAP, Blunt Park and Hydra Cross are worth the trip. Later in the season, Treehouse CX offers two days of racing with a production value that punches above its weight thanks to a sponsorship from the Tree House Brewing Company.
MABRA (Mid-Atlantic): MABRA offers a wide variety of age/cat combinations, and believes that Masters starts at 35 (at least for Men), if you’re looking to start your masters career earlier. We also hear one of their regular race MCs is really, really funny.
Race Weekends
Charm City CX
Date: September 27 - 28, 2025
Location: Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD
Field Structure:
UCI Fields: Elite Women, Elite Men, UCI Junior Women 17/18, UCI Junior Men 17-18
Men’s Fields: Cat 2, Cat 3, Cat 4/5, Masters 40+ (3/4/5) Masters 40+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 50+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 60+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 70+ 1/2/3/4
Women’s Fields: Cat 2, Cat 3, Cat 4/5, Masters 40+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 50+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 60+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 70+ 1/2/3/4
Juniors: Boys 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 Girls 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, Men U19 Non-UCI, Junior Women U19 Non-UCI
Singlespeed: Men 1/2/3/4, Women 1/2/3/4
Series: Charm City, along with Go Cross, Trek CX Cup, and Rochester CX are all part of the USCX series. Most fields are part of the series (though some are not, so choose your field accordingly if you are chasing this goal).
Logistics: Rain or shine (or both in the same weekend!), Charm is an absolute favorite of NYC racers and most make the trek down every year. The planning and logistics are worth it for the 2 full days of racing, spectating, and the general vibes. Plan to get there on Friday to pre-ride and book a hotel, AirBNB, or your friend’s couch ASAP!
Notable facts: Maghalie Rochette will be running a free women’s beginner clinic on Friday!
Really Rad Festival Of Cyclocross
Date: October 24 - 26, 2025
Location: Cape Cod Fairgrounds, Falmouth, MA
Field Structure:
UCI Fields: Elite Women, Elite Men, UCI Junior Women 17/18, UCI Junior Men 17-18
Men’s Fields: Cat 2/3/4, Cat 4/5, Cat 4/5, Masters 40+ (3/4/5) Masters 40+, Masters 50+, Masters 60+, Masters 70+
Women’s Fields: Cat 2/3/4, Cat 4/5, Cat 4/5, Masters 40+, Masters 50+, Masters 60+, Masters 70+
Juniors: Boys 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 Girls 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, Men U19 Non-UCI, Junior Women U19 Non-UCI
Logistics: This is one of the longest drives from NYC, but well worth it. Housing is plentiful and cheap because it’s off season in Falmouth. There’s also lots of nice cyclocross friendly single track around if you want to stay a few extra days (or the whole week and then go straight to NoHo).
Notable facts: Absolutely one of the best organized races on the calendar, and an opportunity to really test yourself against some of the best racers in New England. It’s got a sand pit! Impossibly tall barriers! A variety of weird steps! Donuts! Foliage! Really Rad has very quickly became a favorite of TBD’s.
CYcle-Smart Northampton Cyclocross
Location: Look Park, Northampton, MA
Date: November 1 - 2, 2025
Field Structure:
UCI Fields: UCI Elite Women/U23/Collegiate A, UCI Elite Men/U23/Collegiate A, UCI Junior Women 17-18, UCI Junior Men 17-18,
Men’s Fields: Cat 2/3/Collegiate B, Cat 4/Novice/Collegiate Men C, Masters 40+ 1/2/3/4, Masters 55+ 1/2/3/4
Women’s Fields: Cat 2/3/Collegiate Women B, Cat 4/Novice, Masters 40+/55+ 1/2/3/4,
Juniors: Boys 9-12, 13-14, 15-16 | Girls 9 - 12, 13-14, 15-16 (Cat 1/2/3/4),
Non-binary: Open
Logistics: Regulations around AirBnBs near NoHo are extremely strict, so options are limited. Plan ahead! Get there on Friday to take advantage of the course inspection with Stephen Hyde and Austin Killips.
Notable facts: I have tried to make this entry family friendly and keep the censors happy, but at this point, only expletives will do. TBD f*cking loves NoHo. We love it whether it’s -20, a perfectly normal nothing to worry about 65 degrees in November, and we love it while New England freaks are absolutely kicking our asses. NoHo is the perfect race, even when the course doesn’t suit you.
DCCX/Pan American CHampionshipS
Date: November 7 - 9, 2025
Location: Armed Forces Retirement Home, Washington, DC
The infamous DCCX W
Field Structure:
PAN AM Saturday: (All fields require a UCI license)
Men’s Fields: Elite, U23, Masters 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, Masters 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75+,
Women’s Fields: Elite, U23, Masters Women 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75+
Juniors: Junior Men, Junior Women
Sunday:
UCI: UCI Elite Women, UCI Elite Men, UCI Junior Men, UCI Junior Women
Men’s Fields: Cat 3/4, Cat 5/Novice, Masters 40+ 1/2/3/4), Masters 40+ (3/4/5), 60+, 70+, Masters 50+ (1/2/3/4)
Women’s Fields: Cat 2/3/4, Masters 40+ (1/2/3/4), Cat 4/5
Juniors: Boys 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, Girls 9-10, 11-12, 13-14
Singlespeed: Men, Women, Non-binary
Non-binary: One race, all categories
Logistics: It’s DC. One time it took me 3 hours just to drive out of Dupont Circle. Godspeed.
Notable facts: DCCX used to be a 2 day race, part of the now defunct Beltway Series with Charm City CX. While it hasn’t returned to its former weekend of racing (thereby making it not entirely worth the long trip for the last few years), this year it is the host of Pan Ams! Come to spectate Pan Ams on Saturday, and race one of the best courses in Cyclocross on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Rochester CX and Go Cross (or really any any major UCI weekend) offer the same high production, competition, and spectating as any of the above, if you’re willing to make the `5-6 hour trip. Rochester is one of the most technical courses on the circuit, while Go Cross might be for you if you thrive in the heat.
We’ll update the calendar regularly, and bring you weekend forecasts, photos, and race reports all season.
See you at Bubblecross, and if you made it this far in the post, you might also just be crazy enough to make it through the entire season to our final, and most honorable mention: Ice Weasels.
