Just as cyclocross stars like Wout van Aert make their season debut in Europe, cyclocross racers in Norcal emerge from a few weeks off for the holidays to prepare for what is the “peak season” of cyclocross for many of them: Rockville Cyclocross Series in Fairfield, CA.
This year, the eight-week cyclocross series in Norcal that runs every Sunday in January and February will have quite a number of changes.
Don’t worry, the grassroots Fairfield-based cyclocross series that is within an hour of the Bay Area and Sacramento isn’t changing location or raising prices from its ultra-affordable $25 entry fee.
The 2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series promises to be the best year yet with a new website, online reg, and free racing for first-timers and juniors in memory of Phil Heiman. photo: J. Silva
Rather, the race series has expanded race-for-free options, finally added an official website, is offering and encouraging online registration, has a new bike shop owner in Mike Flood at the helm of promotion, has a new podium introduced in the middle of last season, and unfortunately will be forever missing one of its most loyal and friendly racers in Phil Heiman. Read on to learn more about what’s in store for this season’s best-kept secret cyclocross series.
Juniors Race Free in Memory of Phil Heiman
Ask any longtime Rockville Cyclocross Series racer who their favorite racer is, and Phil Heiman would be at the top of nearly everyone’s list. The affable Masters racer was a mainstay of Rockville cyclocross, and thrived in the sloppy conditions that often greeted Rockville racers at the Solano Community College campus course. The worse the conditions, the brighter Heiman’s smile.
We’ll all miss Phll Heiman this season, but juniors will race free thanks to the Rockville Cyclocross Junior racing fund in his name. The 2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series promises to be the best year yet. photo: J. Silva
Unbelievably, Heiman will be missing from the start line this year, due to his death from a freak accident at a Sacramento Cyclocross race. Heiman swallowed a bee while warming up, and although not allergic, stopped breathing when his throat closed due to a sting. He received medical attention and eventually reached the hospital, but it was too late. After a week in a medical coma, Heiman passed surrounded by family.
With the blessing of his family, Rockville Cyclocross Series has established the Phil Heiman Memorial Junior Race Fund to encourage and support more youth in Heiman’s favorite discipline of cyclocross. Thanks to an anonymous donor, all Juniors race (in the Junior’s race) for free this season, and supporters can ensure Heiman’s legacy continues by contributing to the fund during registration at BikeReg.com or in person at the event. Rockville Cyclocross hopes to fund many future entries to continue Heiman’s legacy.
2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series serves up cyclocross and #shortrack gravel fun for all ages. Juniors race free this season in memory of Phil Heiman. photo: J. Silva
NICA racer? Road racer? BMX racer? Track racer? Rockville Cyclocross is the perfect way for younger racers to have a blast while getting in a great workout and improving their bike handling skills, on a mountain bike, gravel bike, cyclocross bike or hybrid. And now it’s free!
Free for the Cyclocross Curious
Perhaps you’re one of the many that race announcers are referring to on Discovery+ or Max when explaining what on earth is happening with people racing perfectly good bikes in terrible conditions. Doesn’t it look like fun? Or perhaps you have a gravel bike and can’t afford to spend $300 and take a whole weekend just for a little competition. Or maybe you’re just looking for a way to ride offroad and not destroy the local trails during the rainy season. Regardless of your motivation, Rockville Cyclocross welcomes you to its cyclocross races to try out this amazing sport called cyclocross, or as we nicknamed it, #shorttrackgravel.
Smaller fields create a friendly vibe and a great community. 2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series promises to be the best year yet. photo: J. Silva
The Rockville Cyclocross series promoters are confident you’ll have a blast, and are doing their part to grow the sport, participating in the free first-timer promotion in partnership with Cyclocross Magazine. First-timers who have never raced cyclocross can try one race for free by contacting the promotion team and they’ll get you signed up for your try-before-you-buy race.
There are man-made and Mother Nature-made barriers The 2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series promises to be the best year yet. photo: J. Silva
Spread the word and help grow the sport!
Eight Weeks of Grassroots Cyclocross Fun
Held on a serpentine, often muddy course at Solano Community College, the race series is grassroots cyclocross at its best. This series historically boasts just two start times, an affordable entry fee ($25 for adults) without race day surcharges, one-day license fees, or controversial call-ups.
The Fairfield location, just a mile off Highway 80, offers easy access for racers from all over Norcal, about an hour’s drive for most racers from the San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland and San Jose areas.
Sure, it’s the same venue each week, but promoters mix it up with the course direction, occasional LeMans start, and barrier placement. 2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series promises to be the best year yet. photo: J. Silva
The series tracks overall points, with a volunteer uploading results to Crossresults, but most racers are not there for points or prizes but for a no-frills day of racing with friends on a fun course.
While Rockville has been raced by top talent including Dan English, Marcis and Noah Shelton, John and Linda Elgart, Bob Downs, tracklocross champ Kell McKenzie, SSCXWC champ Li King, you won’t see a team tent, a slew of pit bikes, or a UCI official checking tire widths.
With free racing for first-timers and juniors, the 2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series promises to be the best year yet. photo: J. Silva
In fact, most racers typically “race up” at Rockville, with B racers typically racing the A field, and older Juniors racing with the Bs and often in the A fields. Sandbagging is frowned upon at Rockville and there’s little incentive to do so. “Very mediocre B racers in other series can win the A race title if they consistently show up,” says Cyclocross Magazine’s founder Andrew Yee, referring to a past title he fell into. “I show up not for a chance at a title but simply because Rockville Cyclocross to me is cyclocross racing in its purest form.”
Those who stick around to the series’ end are rewarded however, with a special final day of racing, complete with its typical races, but adding a hilarious, spirited relay race, a potluck, series prizes and handmade trophies in the spirit of BostonCross. Racers who compete in a minimum of six races are eligible for series titles. Eight races mean you can drop your two worst results.
The series finale promises a memorable day for the cyclocross community with relay racing and a fun potluck BThe BQ. 2025 Rockville Cyclocross Series promises to be the best year yet. photo: J. Silva
The race series does not have a large budget and wants to keep racing affordable. You can help by spreading the word, to friends, teammats and on socials.
I’m Ready – When and Where?
New this year is the race website on the Rockville Bike Shop site and online reg on BikeReg. There is also a public Facebook page for the series and finally an Instagram account.
Here are the details:
When: Every Sunday from January through February 2024, starting January 7, 2024.
Where:
Solano Community College
4000 Suisun Valley Road
Fairfield, CA 94534
(get directions)
What time:
9:00 a.m. Cs and Juniors, men and women
10:00 a.m. A and B men and women. Rain or shine.
Cost for :
$25 adults, $0 for juniors, with full-season pre-pay discounts available for adults. For the first three Sundays in January, first-time cyclocross racers can race one race for free. Pre-reg helps everyone!
More info:
- Race Website
- Online Registration
- Rockville Cyclocross on Facebook
- Rockville Cyclocross on Instagram
- Email form for Rockville Cyclocross
Rockville Cyclocross Series in Fairfield, CA happens each Sunday in January and February at Solano Community College. © J. Silva / Cyclocross Magazine
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