The season.

The annual NICA season runs from Nov. 1 to early May each year. We practice twice a week in San Antonio and race in the Texas NICA league’s South Conference.

Alamo City Femmes riders celebrating on a Texas NICA race podium

How a season works

  1. Sept. 1

    Registration opens

    Families register in Pit Zone, the national league’s system. Register before Nov. 1 to be ready for the first practice.

  2. Nov. 1

    Practices begin

    Two practices a week build skills, fitness and trail confidence.

  3. February–April

    Race season

    Four Texas NICA South Conference race weekends. Racing is always optional.

  4. Late April/Early May

    State Championships

    The season wraps with a statewide celebration at the Texas NICA State Championships.

  5. May – October

    Off-season

    End-of-season celebration, off-season group rides and non-NICA racing.

A practice week

Every practice starts with the whole team together for a bike check and warm-up. Then riders split into Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced pods, so everyone rides at the right level.

Locations sometimes change for weather or to prepare for race courses. Team families get updates in FlySport.

Thursday evenings

Skills

Drills at McAllister Park: braking, cornering, climbing and more, with each pod working the same theme at its own level. On race weeks, skills practice moves to Wednesday.

Sunday afternoons

Trail rides

Pods ride routes matched to their pace and distance, usually at McAllister Park and Leon Creek Greenbelt, with occasional trips to trails around the Hill Country.

Femmes riders racing on a dirt course

2027 race weekends

We race in the South Conference of the Texas Interscholastic Cycling League. Racing is always optional: on race weekends, riders can also pre-ride the course or join a GRiT ride.

Rain dates: April 3–4 and April 17–18.

Full schedule at Texas NICA
  1. Feb. 6–7

    Bluff Creek Ranch

    Warda

  2. Feb. 20–21

    Forrest Creek

    Dale

  3. March 6–7

    Brazos River Park

    Sugar Land

  4. March 20–21

    Kerrville

    Kerrville

  5. April 24–25

    State Championships

    Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area, Spicewood

An Alamo City Femmes rider in a pink and black team kit riding a wooded dirt trail

GRiT: Girls Riding Together

Ride with GRiT.

GRiT is NICA’s program for getting more girls on bikes. On race weekends, GRiT time opens the course to girls only. Coach Meghan, our GRiT coordinator, also leads GRiT group rides through the year.

Ride this season.

Girls in grades 5 through 12 can join. No experience needed. Register before Nov. 1 to be ready for the first practice.