May 22/20 9:03 am - Gran Fondo World Championships Cancelled (B.C.)

Posted by Editoress on 05/22/20
 

On Wednesday, May 6th, the provincial government of British Columbia announced their four-phase reopening plan for the province. Mass gatherings like the 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships and the RBC GranFondo Whistler will only be permitted within the fourth phase of the planned normalization of operations, which falls past the originally scheduled event date (September 9-13, with GranFondo on September 12th). Given this announcement, the organizers have decided that there is no alternative but to cancel this year's RBC GranFondo Whistler and the 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.

The organizers spent the last months considering all possible options and scenarios by which this year's RBC GranFondo Whistler might be able to go ahead but believe the decision to cancel is the correct one to protect the safety and health of the participants, volunteers, and hosting communities.

Over the past decade the RBC GranFondo Whistler has grown to become one of the premiere bike rides in North America and the world, reflected in its being granted the right to host the 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships. The cancellation of the 2020 event is not a step taken lightly, and the team has already begun working toward the return of the event in 2021 and welcoming thousands of cyclists to test themselves on the Sea to Sky Highway surrounded by the beauty of British Columbia.

Martin Thibodeau Regional President, British Columbia, RBC Royal Bank: "While we are all very disappointed the 11th annual RBC GranFondo Whistler will not proceed amidst these unprecedented times, RBC is poised and excited to work hand-in-hand with our race partners throughout the rest of 2020 to make the 2021 RBC GranFondo Whistler the most memorable in the event's history."

Registered riders have received an email communication detailing the next steps with their entry and purchases, and full details can be found at www.rbcgranfondo.com/whistler/statements and www.rbcgranfondo.com/world-championships/statements-uci.

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