To the Cycling BC community,
We have heard your concerns and criticisms over the past couple of days regarding the race categories offered at the upcoming Tour de Concord Vancouver Criterium on June 30th.
We admit that we don’t always get things right the first time, or even the second or third. However, we are always striving to make things better and live out our vision of making cycling accessible to all.
The decision to not have a Cat 4 women’s race at the Tour de Concord Vancouver 2022 was not ill-intentioned but it was flawed. Our data showing low participation rates in this category was inaccurate and we recognize that we can do better. As a result, we met with the organizers involved and are working through a potential new schedule which would include new start times and categories, including a Women’s Cat 4.
On the surface, race organizing seems simple but as many race organizers can assure you, it is complex with many stakeholders and moving parts at play including local government, sponsors, permits, volunteers, staff, public & rider safety, local community interests, time, and financial constraints, to name a few.
We are still working through getting changes approved and finalized with all the parties involved; we will update registration and post a new schedule as soon as we are able to. We are hoping for confirmation later today or in the coming days; we appreciate your patience with us.
We can learn a lot from these experiences and we are all-in for seeing cycling succeed in our province and country. No, we didn’t get it right the first time but we’re making changes.
The key to the success of this event will be your participation and support: to race, to volunteer, and to cheer. Let’s show the city, the sponsors, and the community that cycling is here and we’re here to support it.
To that end, we are asking for your support to help make this event a success. If you can support the event by volunteering, please contact me directly at erin@cyclingbc.net or fill out our volunteer sign-up form so that we can show up as a community to make the event run smoothly and showcase our sport to the wider community.
As we rebuild our race calendar in a post-pandemic world, it is important to recognize that our pool of organizers, sponsors and donors is not yet up to pre-pandemic capacity. Our support for their events is essential if we want our race calendar to thrive.
We appreciate your ongoing support and passion for cycling in BC. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Erin Waugh
CEO
Cycling BC