This year's new Velo Essex sportive has been cancelled. Hyped as the biggest mass participation event ever to take place in Essex, the inaugural edition was set to take place on 20 September.
Organisers Active Sport have blamed poor early sales and uncertainty over coronavirus for the decision to pull the event.
In a statement on the event website, the organisers say that only partial refunds of 45% of the entry fee will be returned to those riders who had already signed up.
"One of the key reasons for making this announcement with just under six months to go until the event was that we still have a considerable number of entry places left to fill," explains a statement on the event websoite.
"We were initially confident of selling the balance of entries over the coming summer months, however the escalating Covid-19 pandemic has meant we are unable to rely on these sales to cover the significant cost of staging this event. To compound matters, the important operational planning we should be undertaking is now severely compromised by the restrictions we are now all facing.
"Our rider Terms & Conditions do not require us to provide a refund under these special circumstances. However, having calculated the significant staffing, planning and marketing costs incurred over the last six months, we are able to refund 45% of your entry fee (merchandise and camping purchases will be refunded in full). You will receive a refund automatically which will be paid within the next 3-5 working days."
The announcement follows last week's decision by Active Sport to cancel another of their events, Velo Birmingham & Midlands, with entrants offered no refund at all.
> Petition demanding refunds from Velo Birmingham hits 1300 names >
While the coronavirus outbreak has affected every sportive across the country, the organisers of the Velo Series are to our knowledge alone in withholding entrants' money without offering rolled over entry to a future edition.
The move has sparked fury among riders who have entered, with several contacting us at Sportive.com to voice their anger.
"I have had bookings for various events and trips that have been cancelled and I'm pleased to say all the companies in question have offered a full refund or a voucher covering the full or more amount paid," writes one reader.
"In this challenging time it is good to know that we are being supported. I will be rebooking all activities as soon as possible," they continue.
"I will NOT however, be rebooking Velo Essex. I think it is disgusting that we have not been offered a FULL refund and also disgusting you hide behind your T&C's. No other cycling event has behaved in this way in the past. I hope that the riders you have let down show this event the same amount of support when it is rescheduled."
The decision by Active Sport leaves a serious question mark hanging over the long-term future of the Velo sportive series. There is no doubt an appetite for large-scale closed road sportives, but wIth the Velo organisers now having axed five sportives over three years, trust among many prospective entrants is dangerously eroded.
The company apparently relies on strong pre-sales to recoup the higher costs of running a closed-road event, but may now find themselves in a catch-22 situation whereby cyclists are hesitant to risk early entry to future events, knowing they won't be refunded should the organisers decide to cancel for any reason.
For the full statement and further information, please visit the Velo Essex website at www.veloessex.com.
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