The 2020 RBC GranFondo Whistler is the latest in the long list of events that have been cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. The event which was slated for Saturday, September 12, 2020, attracts upwards of 5,000 cyclists from around the world to ride up the iconic Sea-to-Sky highway from Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver to the finish line in the town of Whistler where riders enjoy post-race festivities, including food and a concert at the Celebration Plaza in Whistler Village. The 2020 RBC GranFondo Whistler event was also supposed to be the host of the 2020 UCI GranFondo World Championships and it would have been the first time the championships were held in North America.
The event cancellation comes after the recent announcement of the BC government’s 4-phase re-opening plan where large events and mass gatherings would only be permitted in the fourth phase of the plan which is conditional on at least one of the following; wide vaccination, “community” immunity, broad successful treatments. This fourth phase would not likely happen before September 2020 and thus the organizers of the RBC GranFondo were left with no other option but to cancel the event.
Read the Full Statement from the RBC GranFondo Whistler Team
A personal message from Neil McKinnon, founder of the RBC GranFondo Whistler:
Not only has the RBC Whistler GranFondo been a staple on the cycling calendar over the past decade but through the RBC Foundation, the RBC GranFondo Whistler has been a huge supporter of youth cycling by donating funds to support programs like Cycling BC’s iRide, a cycling skills and safety awareness program for kids in BC.
Without events like the RBC GranFondo Whistler and the support of our partners, Cycling BC would not be able to continue delivering the cycling programs and activities to the tens of thousands of kids around the province through programs like iRide.
Cycling BC is grateful to the RBC Foundation and the team at the RBC GranFondo Whistler for their support and we look forward to a triumphant return of the event in 2021.
While we know this is a challenging time for many people in our province, if you have the means and are able to, please consider making a donation to Cycling BC, iRide, and High Performance development programs supporting youth cycling in BC.
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