POSTPONED UNTIL 2027
Pen Velo is disappointed to announce the cancellation of the 2026 Beat the Clock series due to unforeseen logistical issues.
We are planning for the return of the Beat the Clock series in 2027.
About Beat the Clock..
Beat the Clock (BTC) is a fun, low-key time trial series which allows cyclists of all ages and abilities to test their speed and skill on a 10-mile out-and-back course on Canada Road. It is open to all cyclists (or teams of 2-4 riders) – no USAC or UCI racing license is required.
Need to know more? Check out our FAQ section for everything you need to know about BTC!
A portion of the proceeds will go toward funding the Bicycle Sunday program run by the San Mateo County Parks Department. This program closes the north end of Canada Road every Sunday, allowing people of all ages to cycle, walk, run, skateboard, skate-ski or participate in almost any non–motorized activity (ball and Frisbee sports excepted).
Event Information:
Registration: Participants MUST pre-register online at https://www.bikereg.com/. (See reg links above for each event). No day-of registration is available.
Schedule: Start lists will be published the Friday preceding the event. All registered riders will receive an email with their start time no later than 4pm PT. The first rider will start no earlier than 7am (depending on the number of riders, it may be a little later than that). We will insure that riders who are registered for multiple categories will have enough of a gap between their start times so that there will be sufficient amount of time between the end of one ride and the start of the subsequent ride. Riders should arrive at the start area about five minutes ahead of their assigned start time to avoid rushed or missed starts.
Venue: The number pick-up and staging area is on Canada Road in Woodside, 0.4 miles north of the Jefferson Avenue intersection (on the flat part of the road).
Route: Route: The route starts across from the registration area and is an out-and-back course on Canada Road with the turnaround point south of the Canara Road/Hwy 92 intersection for a total distance of approximately 10 miles. This finish line is just under the large oak tree north of the registration area. The first 2.6 miles of the course is open to vehicle traffic and you must only ride in the designated bike lane and be aware of vehicles and other cyclists. There will be cones and course marshals at the intersection with Edgewood Road and the turnaround point to assist you. This is a low-key fund-raising event, not a race. Common sense is in order, safety first.
COURSE MAPS: (Strava) (Google Map)
Safety: The Beat the Clock TT events are not sanctioned by USA Cycling (USAC). However, we will be implementing the following USAC regulations to ensure participant safety:
- Make sure your bike works!: Participants shall ensure that their bicycle is in good working order and has functioning front and rear brakes (USAC CH1, 1I3(b)).
- Protect your noggin!: Participants shall wear a helmet (compliant with USDOT or CPSC standards) while participating in the TT event. This includes warmups on the road, but not on rollers or stationary trainers (USAC CH1, 1J1)
- No earbuds or headphones!: Participants may not use an audio playback device of any kind during their TT ride. This includes systems with earbuds or bone-conduction headphones. (USAC CH1, 1J6). If you are wearing headphones or earbuds at the start line, you will be asked to remove them (unless they are hearing aids not connected to an audio playback device).
- Numbers on the right!: Each rider will receive a single race number, which is to be pinned to the RIGHT SIDE of the jersey or skinsuit in such a way that it can be easily seen by the timing crew, who will be situated at the finish line on the right side of the road. Numbers are to be placed on the outside of clothing and may not be placed inside pockets or behind any material that limits their visibility. (USAC CH1, 1J7(b)) Check out this link for examples of correct and incorrect number placement: https://www.crca.net/crca-news/2018/4/number-pinning-instructions
Rules for Merckx Category: Riders registered in the Merckx category must ride standard road bike setups – no time trial or triathlon bikes, no clip-on aerobars, no disc wheels. Aero helmets and skinsuits are OK. We won’t be policing wheel rim depth, but riders should use what they normally use on their road bike. If you ride with 80-90mm deep wheels, more power to you, but it’s not what Eddy would do….
Directions and Parking: From I-280 take the Woodside Rd exit, take Woodside Rd west, then turn right on Canada Rd. Proceed 2 miles to the registration area. Park head-in on the shoulder of the road nearest the freeway (west side of Canada Rd.) before the registration tent. Additional parking is available on Runnymede Rd, near the intersection with Canada Rd., south of the registration area. When you park, please be considerate and do not block any driveways.
Event History
Beat the Clock was started in 2005 by Patt Baenen-Tapscott as a fundraiser for the Livestrong Foundation. Patt, Carola Berger and their team put on a great series of events for 10 years before handing over the reins to Pen Velo. PV put on the series for the first time in 2015. It was on hiatus from 2020-2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. BTC returned during the 2023 season.
Results Archives:
2025:
Saturday, June 21
(RESULTS sorted by start time)
(RESULTS sorted by speed)
(VIDEO by Stan Tsang)
Saturday, July 26
(RESULTS sorted by start time)
(RESULTS sorted by speed)
Saturday, August 23
(RESULTS sorted by speed)
(VIDEO by Stan Tsang)
2024:
May 18 (RESULTS)
June 22 (RESULTS)
August 24 (RESULTS)
2023:
April 22 (RESULTS)
May 20 (RESULTS)
June 17 (RESULTS) (VIDEO by Stan Tsang)
July 8 (RESULTS) (PHOTOS by Melissa Manalo-Haley)(VIDEO by Stan Tsang)
August 26 (RESULTS)
2019:
#1 – April 6 (RESULTS)
#2 – May 18 (RESULTS)
#3 – June 8 (RESULTS)
#4 – July 27 (RESULTS)
2018:
#1 – February 10, 2018 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time) Photos by Magnus Gille
#2 – April 7, 2018 – CANCELLED due to inclement weather forecast.
#3 – May 19, 2018 – RESULTS
#4 – July 28, 2018 – RESULTS
2016:
#1 – March 19 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time)
#2 – April 30 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time)
#3 – May 28 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time)
#4 – July 9 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time)
2015:
#1 – February 14 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time) – VIDEO
#2 – April 25 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time) (Photos by A. Komlik) (Photos by C. Huffman) – VIDEO
#3 – May 23 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time)
#4 – September 5 – RESULTS (by Start Time) (by Finish Time)
Course records for the 10-mile Canada Rd. course can be found HERE.
Results from 2005-2014 can be found HERE.