Bike races are popular across the globe but if you do not have the time or budget to go overseas and join Tour de France, there is always a back-up! You can find several bike race events in the US alone that you must include in your bike racing bucket-list. Here are some of them!

Mt. Tam Century Ride

California is huge enough to offer you not just amazing bike trails but races as well. One of the most beautiful rides in northern California, this event will provide coast access to the most challenging climbs the region has. During the ride, you will pass through towering redwoods, various twists and turns to the Alpine Dam and the views of California’s astonishing inland lakes. This 100-mile ride has a lot of climbing that will surely test your bike skills and endurance. You can join this ride during August, so be sure to never miss the opportunity of riding this tour especially if you’re a true born-Californian!

Tour of California Race

California races are as undeniably good as its tourist destinations! If you are aiming to experience the same race the pros enjoy, then the Tour of California is your best shot! Amateur riders will race the entire Tour of California just hours before the pro peloton arrives. If you ride too slowly, you’ll be hauled off the course to give way to the pros.

Established by Carmichael Training Systems, this race is a real deal versus the world’s bests. As mentioned, you will be almost shoulder to shoulder with the pros because you will share the same accommodation with them, too. Added to this is the fact that the race is fully equipped with professional bike mechanics, feed zones, and team cars. A true dream-like race experience only a place like California can offer!

Race Across America

The race’s title is indeed huge and the fact that this happens from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland proves it. 3,000 miles, 12 states and almost 170,000 feet of vertical terrain makes this race even bigger than it already is. It is even 30% longer than the Tour de France.

It might sound hard, but you can make the tour within 12 days if you’ll travel solo. With the length of this tour, checking this off from your bucket-list is truly a big achievement for every cyclist. Definitely, with its name, this ultra-endurance race is indeed a must for every cyclist across the globe.

Barry- Roubaix Race

Your March will never be the same once you’ve experienced Hastings, Michigan’s finest cycling race. Tagged as the world’s largest gravel bike race, it offers a huge amount of prize money of over $32,000 and tough trail conditions.

The riders of this 62-mile race must be able to surpass every type of bike terrain one can ever think of. This includes areas of mud, snow (because hey, it’s still March!), and gravel sections — they really made it hard for the prize money. You may not be in Belgium as its name reflects but, the experience is truly remarkable for every rider who will finish the race.

Sea Otter Cycling Classic

Right after your March ride is Monterey, California’s April ride that is for every bike lover. Sea Otter Classic is a must for all bike lovers that features a weekend-long event. You can try downhill mountain biking to one of the most popular Gran Fondos in the country in this bike race.

Dirty Kanza Race

Located at the Flint Hills region of Kansas, this exclusive race which is held on May’s first Saturday (after Memorial Day) is gaining popularity nowadays. Over 1,500 cyclists flock to accept the challenge in one of the ultra-endurance gravel races in the world. Its location, of course, suggests that this race involves terrain filled paths, which makes it more thrilling to ride. Exclusive race means you will be riding this remote, rugged region that is one of the two remaining tallgrass prairies on Earth. The Dirty Kanza race offers a 100-mile and 200-mile race for you to choose from. Expect the upgraded challenge and be sure to prepare before conquering this terrain-filled event.

Tour of Battenkill Race

This Greenwich, New York-based bike race is another bucket-list entry you can cross off during the month of May. Experience the hidden natural beauty of New York by joining the race that will take you through amazing family farms, rural villages and pass by the region’s historic bridges.

Bike racing with astonishing views is the ideal one, right? America’s Queen of the Classics is also the biggest pro and amateur bike race in the country. So if you are looking for a backcountry race adventure, the Tour of Battenkill is the one for you.

Safety tip: Make sure to wear the proper bike helmets when racing!

Tour of Utah Ultimate Challenge

Another bike race that’s held during August is Utah’s very own ultimate bike challenge. The “ultimate challenge” is a hint that you must focus on training to get fit before surpassing this ride. Commended as one of the hardest single-day biking events in the US, this race is one of the most ambitious race a cyclist can experience.

Yearly, the location changes across Utah but the complexity is always as crazy as the other. Your legs and lungs are going to be tested and trained here. Need not worry for Utah is known for its amazing bike trails, systems, and natural beauty — all your hardships will be rewarded not just by the skills you’ll learn during the ride but with the astounding views it has to offer.

Start training and hit these top bike racing events America has to offer!