USA CRITS 2026 runs April 11 through May 23, featuring eight criterium races across four Southeastern states: Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The 17th edition offers a $230,000 total prize purse, split equally between men and women ($100K each) plus $30K in team and series bonuses.
All races stream live and free on Outside.tv. The Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight headlines the calendar as the anchor event, now in its 46th edition. Speed Week is suspended for 2026 due to conflicts with the FIFA World Cup in Atlanta.
The series is produced by Swagger LLC, founded by Gene Dixon, continuing its mission to elevate professional criterium racing in America.
2026 USA CRITS Schedule – All 8 Races
The 2026 USA CRITS calendar spans eight races from April 11 to May 23 across four Southeastern states. Winston-Salem Cycling Classic closes the season as the series finale on May 23.
Rock Hill Spring Classic joins as a points race for the first time in 2026, previously running as a non-series event. The schedule features a mid-series cluster with three races over three days: Greenville (Apr 30), Spartanburg (May 1), and High Line (May 2), all within 150 miles of each other.
| Race | Date | Event | Location |
| 1 | April 11 | Sunny King Criterium | Anniston, AL |
| 2 | April 18 | Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight | Athens, GA |
| 3 | April 26 | LaGrange Cycling Classic | LaGrange, GA |
| 4 | April 30 | Greenville Cycling Classic | Greenville, SC |
| 5 | May 1 | Spartanburg Criterium | Spartanburg, SC |
| 6 | May 2 | High Line Criterium | Suwanee, GA |
| 7 | May 16 | Rock Hill Spring Classic | Rock Hill, SC |
| 8 | May 23 | Winston Salem Cycling Classic | Winston-Salem, NC |
Mid-Series Cluster – 3 Races in 3 Days
Greenville (Thursday, April 30), Spartanburg (Friday, May 1), and High Line in Suwanee (Saturday, May 2) form a grueling mid-series cluster. All three races fall within 150 miles, testing team logistics and rider endurance across consecutive days. Series contenders must manage recovery while chasing points in this unique three-day challenge. Riders can optimize performance by understanding proper gear adjustments for varied terrain across the three courses.
Course Updates for 2026
Sunny King Criterium debuts a new course for 2026, moving one block over to 10th Street in Anniston. The updated layout features fresh pavement and a slightly less steep gradient on the finish stretch, potentially reshaping sprint dynamics at the season opener.
Athens Twilight Criterium — The Marquee Event
Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight runs April 17–18, 2026, in downtown Athens, Georgia. The 46th edition remains the longest-running and largest city-center criterium in America, drawing 20,000+ spectators to historic downtown streets.
The 1 km (0.6-mile) loop hosts pro racing under the lights Saturday evening. Women’s Pro Criterium covers 40 km starting at 7:00 PM, followed by Men’s Pro Criterium at 80 km from 8:30 PM. Athens Twilight made history in 1980 as the first nighttime criterium in the US in nearly a century. Several Athens Twilight competitors also race at USA Cycling National Championships, including the Pro Road Nationals criterium in Charleston.
The weekend delivers a full festival atmosphere beyond racing. Events include the Twilight 5K run, the Gambler community bike ride, Kids Zone with mini-races, the Fat Tyre Criterium, live music, food trucks, and a beer garden. Friday night features Races on the Stage, indoor trainer racing powered by TrainingPeaks Virtual.
Speed Week 2026 – Suspended for One Year
Speed Week will not run in 2026. The FIFA World Cup brings four group play matches to the Atlanta area in June, prompting three Georgia cities to redirect funding toward World Cup activities.
The Spin the District races in College Park, Hapeville, and Union City are all suspended for 2026. With only four of the typical eight races confirmed, Swagger LLC decided not to continue with a partial schedule. All three races plan to return in 2027.
“Hopefully everybody takes advantage of World Cup soccer, because that’s what they’re spending their money on,” said series founder Gene Dixon. “They’re gone for just a year.”
Prize Money & D1 TEAM Program
USA CRITS 2026 offers a $230,000 total prize purse, split equally between elite men and women. Individual race payouts total $100,000 per gender, with additional series and team bonuses.
| Category | Amount |
| Elite Men (individual race payouts) | $100,000 |
| Elite Women (individual race payouts) | $100,000 |
| Series Bonus — Top 10 Elite Men | $5,000 |
| Series Bonus — Top 10 Elite Women | $5,000 |
| Team Bonus | $20,000 |
| Total | $230,000 |
The D1 TEAM program supports elite squads with structured incentives. Teams consist of 4-6 riders per event (up to 9 on roster) and receive a $5,500 travel stipend. Early registration before February 1, 2026, saves $500. Teams must register before March 1 to be eligible for series points. Individual riders without a full squad can join composite teams through series organizers.
2025 Champions & Riders to Watch
Lucas Bourgoyne (Team Cadence Cyclery p/b Waldo Racing) and Aylena Quevedo (Kingdom Elite Racing) enter 2026 as defending USA CRITS champions.
| Category | Champion | Team |
| Elite Men | Lucas Bourgoyne | Team Cadence Cyclery p/b Waldo Racing |
| Elite Women | Aylena Quevedo | Kingdom Elite Racing |
Bourgoyne led wire-to-wire in 2025, winning the opening race at the Sunny King Criterium and never relinquishing the series lead. He now wears the US national criterium champion jersey. His Cadence Cyclery squad features fellow national champion Luke Fetzer, plus Cade Bickmore and Danny Summerhill.
Quevedo claimed the elite women’s title with consistent finishes throughout the series. Riders to watch in 2026 include Alfredo Rodriguez (2nd overall 2025) and Michael Garrison (3rd overall 2025), both hungry to dethrone Bourgoyne.
How to Watch USA CRITS 2026
All eight races stream live and free on Outside.tv with no subscription required. For international road racing coverage, see our guide on how to watch the Tour de France Femmes 2026, streaming on Peacock in the US. In-person spectating is also free at all downtown courses.
| Platform | Coverage | Cost |
| Outside.tv | All 8 races live-streamed | Free |
| In-person | Spectator-friendly downtown courses | Free |
Race days feature category racing throughout the day, with pro finals in the evening often under the lights. Pro Women’s races run approximately 60 minutes, followed by Pro Men’s races at 75 minutes. Criteriums are spectator-friendly by design, with fans seeing riders pass multiple times per lap on short downtown circuits.
Conclusion
USA CRITS 2026 brings elite criterium racing to the Southeast with eight races and $230,000 on the line. Athens Twilight headlines the calendar as America’s premier downtown crit. All races stream free on Outside.tv.
Speed Week returns in 2027. Follow BicycleXpert for schedule updates, race results, and full coverage throughout the series.
