WELKOM TO THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL BELGIAN WAFFLE RIDE CALIFORNIA
THE HELL OF THE NORTH (COUNTY)
THE UNROAD RACE ’26
Welkom, winnaars, wanderers, roadies, gravelleurs, and all of you brave enough to pin on a number and point yourselves toward the kakaboulet.
Fifteen years ago, we kicked this thing off as the only Euro-style Spring Classic on American soil. Now, in 2026, we are back again with the madness, the myth, the long view, and the beautiful bad judgment that has always defined the Belgian Waffle Ride. This is the 15th Annual BWR California and the 40th BWR overall, returning to the Del Mar Polo Fieldsfor another weekend of suffering, spectacle, waffles, coffee, beer, and terrain that refuses to be polite. BWR California is also the second stop of the Quad-Tripel Crown of Gravel Series, and the 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbel (click here) makes clear that Del Mar carries extra weighted points, so your placing here matters a little more than usual.
The spirit remains the same. This is not a road race with dirt sectors sprinkled in. It is not a gravel Fondo in costume. It is Unroad. This year brings a revised layout, a proper Roadie-Oh on Saturday, a full BWR on Sunday, and thirty sectors of joy, judgment, and beautifully poor life choices. This is the best Waffle course we have ever offered, with a back half that softens only slightly before the final sting of Zick-Zack followed by Saint Lusardi.
THE VENUE
Our home this weekend is the Del Mar Polo Fields, 14989 Via De La Valle, Del Mar, CA 92014. From Interstate 5, take the Via De La Valle exit, head east, and about 2.8 miles down the road you will see the entrance to the venue on your right. There is a parking fee charged by the Polo Fields, and there is no overnight parking or camping at the venue.
Before we get too far into this. If you need to send your bike, It will go to our favorite shop, Cadence Cyclery in Encinitas. Go here to organize the shipment with our friends are Ship My Gear:https://sendmygear.com/events/bwr-california/
THE WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 30
The weekend opens with the Quick n Dirty Summer Series, Race 1, at 4:00 pm. The 2026 BWR CA Expo Guide also lists early vendor load-in from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm, with no security Thursday night.
Friday, May 1
At 10:00 am, the Gravelstoke x BWR Shakeout Ride rolls from Lost Abbey’s Confessional. Early Roadie-Oh packet pickup runs from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Lost Abbey’s Confessional,2007 San Elijo Ave, Cardiff, CA 92007. Vendor load-in is from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Saturday, May 2: Roadie-Oh + BWR Unroad Expo
The gates open at 7:00 am. At 7:15 am, riders can grab waffles and coffee from Corsa Pro, and early morning packet pickup begins. The Roadie-Oh rolls out at 8:30 am for all distances. The BWR Unroad Expo runs from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The first 24-milers are expected in at 9:45 am, the first Metric Century riders at 12:00 pm, and the first Century riders at 1:30 pm. At 12:00 pm, there is a BIKE MS Shakeout Ride at the Van Rysel booth. Make sure to sign upHERE. The recommended BWR rider briefing is at 2:00 pm, the Century and Metric Century awards are at 3:00 pm, and the course closes at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, May 3: 15th Annual BWR California + BWR Unroad Expo
The gates open at 7:00 am. Waffles and coffee from Corsa Pro begin at 7:15 am, along with early morning packet pickup. Riders are called to staging at 8:10 am, rider call-ups begin at 8:12 am, and the national anthem is at 8:18 am. The waves go as follows: 8:30 am for Waffle Men, 8:40 am for Waffle & Wafer Women, and 9:00 am for Wafer Men and all Wanna riders. The BWR Unroad Expo runs from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. The first Wanna riders are expected in at 10:30 am, the first Wafer riders at 12:00 pm, and the first Waffle riders at 1:30 pm. Awards begin at 2:30 pm for Wafer Top 5 Overall, 2:45 pm for Wafer Age Groups, 3:00 pm for Waffle Top 5 Overall, and 3:30 pm for Waffle Top 3 by Age Group. The course closes at 6:30 pm, and the gates close at 7:30 pm.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT REGISTRATION
A government-issued photo ID is required to redeem your packet. Riders may pick up only their own packet unless waivers are signed and they have a copy of the other rider’s ID. Saturday packet pickup starts at 7:15 am for the Roadie-Oh and BWR-related activities, and Sunday packet pickup also opens at 7:15 am. The 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbel notes that riders receive a race number and RFID tag, and that seat post numbers are being used again, so bring your bracket if you have one. You can get yourself one at reg!
The rider briefing will also make clear that helmet stickers belong on the front of the helmet, and race numbers should be mounted properly, not bent, wrapped, or otherwise transformed into timing-proof sculpture.
THE ROADIE-OH
The Belgian Waffle Roadie-Oh was born before COVID, launched in its first edition with Peter Sagan in tow, then got interrupted, then came back swinging. In 2026 it rolls on with three route options: 24 miles, 66 miles, and 100 miles. For riders taking on the Century and the Metric Century, the Q/KOM competition adds another layer of spice, with timed climbs and, for the Century, combined best times determining the winnaar. The 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbelpositions the Roadie-Oh as North County’s grandest Gran Fondo, running over some of the same beautiful, dangerous, storied roads and climbs that echo into the BWR the following day.
THE BWR CALIFORNIA
Sunday is where the fuller gospel gets preached.
The 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbel can be foundHERE. It describes the event as a brutal, beautiful blend of terrain and intent, built to test endurance, skill, and resolve. Riders will battle through a gallery of 30 unroad sectors to reach the line. The same Bijbel makes clear that the current structure creates a Women’s Only Wave for both Waffle and Wafer female racers, with Waffle Men having their own wave and Wafer Men plus all Wanna riders starting together. The new layout is meant to create earlier separation and sharpen the race from the opening miles onward.
At somewhere around 107 miles and 7,450 feet of climbing, the Waffle is technically shorter than some BWRs, but the 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbel warns riders not to be fooled. It is not the raw elevation that breaks you. It is the constant terrain shifts, the deep sand, the rock gardens, the doubletrack, the dirt, the DG, and the singletrack that rearrange your expectations and then ask for more.
ROADIE-OH AND BWR SAFETY
Here is the serious part, the part that matters more than the romance.
You are on open roads all day, whether you are riding Saturday or Sunday. You are expected to obey the rules of the road at all times unless otherwise directed by a uniformed officer, sheriff, or official traffic control personnel. Riders should go slow on descents, assume two-way traffic on all trails and fire roads, and treat every caution sign as if it was written by someone trying to keep your clavicle where it belongs. If it says slow the funk down, then slow the funk down. The yellow line rule is in effect all day, and crossing it is grounds for immediate disqualification. There is no littering anywhere. Put trash in bins at feed zones or keep it in your pockets.
If you have a medical emergency, call 911 first. If it is not life-threatening, call for assessment and then call the rider hotline. If you have a mechanical or other issue, call the rider hotline and make arrangements to get back to the venue, including Uber if necessary. The Race Hotline is 619-408-1650. Aid stations have first aid kits, but riders should still plan responsibly and not confuse support with sorcery. There will also be EMT personnel at numerous locations out on the course, typically at the feed zones.
The courses are well-marked, but riders remain responsible for themselves throughout the event, including navigation, traffic interaction, and following the marked route. If a rider leaves the course, they must return to it without gaining an advantage. Outside support is allowed only from stationary locations, with limited exceptions such as rider-to-rider assistance, neutral aid, and resupply at local businesses. Drafting another rider is allowed, but drafting a non-participant rider or a vehicle will result in disqualification.
COURSE MARKINGS
Download your route from the Race Bijbel, but on the day, trust the actual course markings. The 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbel is explicit that the final course is determined by arrows, flags, and course marshals, as last-minute safety changes may require deviations from published files. The rider briefing notes say road sections are marked with white signs and red arrows. Dirt and unroad sectors use blue pin flags as well. If your head unit and the flags disagree, the flags win the argument.
Here is the Collection of Routes.
Important course note:
Wafer riders along Bandy Canyon after exiting Sandy Bandy, will stay on the road all the way to the top. Don’t follow the Waffle signage that leads them back into the dirt at Ysabel Creek Road.
Waffle riders please follow the arrows back into the dirt.
Another course note:
We have swapped the two sectors that take us to and from Kakaboulet.
On the way out, we stay on the wider gravel road toward Kakaboulet. It’s calledHodgendam Omgekeerde -https://www.strava.com/segments/41302183
On the way back after Kakaboulet, we will take, in reverse, this more technical sector -Bochtig en Zanderig Omgekeerde:https://www.strava.com/segments/41302217
FEED ZONES
You are never very far from help, though sometimes the nearest help may technically be behind you.
Riders are generally never farther than about 20 miles from a feed zone, and that everyone except lead-race bottle hand-up situations should expect to fill their own bottles. Feed zones are staffed by volunteers and sponsors, so be kind to the people saving your day. If you drop out, your best option is often to have someone ready to pick you up or arrange an Uber. Otherwise, you may wait a while.
For 2026, there are six feed zones on the Waffle course, four for Wafer, and one for Wanna. The Feed Zones have Neversecond C-Series Hydration, Neversecond Fuel Bars, Neversecond Gels, Neversecond Sodium Boosters, KENETIK Ketones, and Pickle Power Juice, along with bananas, water, Coke, pretzels, and chips. The Bijbel even describes Pickle Power Juice as “salty, briny, and strangely effective,” which feels scientifically sufficient for race day. And everyone knows, the Neversecond product is the best in the business.
CUT-OFFS
The 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbel gives two major Waffle cut-offs.
The first Waffle cut-off is at mile 31.8 at 11:30 am for men and 11:40 am for women. Riders missing that cut are sent onto the Wafer route, which becomes a 64-mile ride. The second Waffle cut-off is at mile 48.1 in Ramona at 12:45, where riders are redirected toward Pamo Valley and then Boden Canyon, so they won’t miss the best part. There is a feed zone at the bottom of that hill where the turn is made. The official course cut-off is 6:30 pm, allowing a ten-hour finish window for most riders.
RACE FORMAT AND FAIRNESS
There is a new start wave structure, and its rules make clear that Elite Women cannot draft off men, and men cannot draft off Elite Women. The intent is to preserve the integrity of the women’s race while keeping the event open, welcoming, and competitive. BWR offers classifications for Women, Men, and Gender Diverse, with age group competition determined by the rider’s age on December 31, 2026.
EXPO, FOOD, AND THE REST OF THE GLORIOUS CARNIVAL
The 2026 BWR CA Expo Guide describes BWR as competitive on course, welcoming at the finish, and that is exactly the mood this weekend is meant to carry. The Unroad Expo surrounds the action with riders, families, friends, brands, stories, waffles, coffee, beer, non-alcoholic beer, apparel, and enough gear to make a very rational person become temporarily irrational. The 2026 BWR CA Race Bijbel notes free-flowing Athletic Brewing NA, a finisher’s beer trophy from Lost Abbey, Mumu merchandise, KENETIK, ALMSTHRE, sponsor items, and a rider experience stacked with fuel before and after the race.
And because no one becomes nobler by being underfed, there will be several food vendors to choose from: Party Burgers, Meches Fish Tacos, Alohana Acai, and WTF Waffles. Being coffee achievers, we are delighted to announce Corsa Pro is providing all the coffee for the weekend, so make sure to thank them. Profusely. Preferably while achieving a caffeinated state of readiness.
Practical finish-line details: trophy beer pickup inside the Unroad Expo at the registration tent, free rider beer available at the registration tent, a Survivor banner photo, and food in the Expo. Thank you. Lost Abbey.
FINAL WORDS
This weekend is not about being tidy. It is about being ready. Fortunately, the weather is going to be perfect. Not hot and not cold for both days.
Know your schedule. Know your route. Know your start time. Know your cut-offs. Bring your ID. Mount your number correctly. Respect the volunteers. Respect the venue. Respect the signs. Respect the yellow line. Follow the arrows. Fuel early. Fuel often. Say thank you. And when the course asks its question, answer honestly.
Ride hard. Ride smart. Ride with some grace when you can, and with some grit when you must.
Have fun!
Welkom to the 15th Annual Belgian Waffle Ride California.
Welkom to the 40th BWR.
Welkom to the Hell of the North (County).