This year's Tour of Cambridgeshire Granfondo has been cancelled organisers confirmed today.
The closed road sportive was set to take place on 26 September 2021. But, for the second year running, organisers Golazo Cycling have been forced to cancel because of complications arising from the pandemic.
"It is with a heavy heart that, despite the Tour of Cambridgeshire team straining every sinew to deliver this year's event, the organisers have been forced to postpone the event to June 3rd - 5th 2022," reads a statement on the event website.
"As with all events - especially ones requiring road closures - the organisers would need to enter into some major contracts and financial commitments in the coming days if they were to deliver the event in September. The organisers were hoping that lockdown restrictions on the numbers of people allowed at a sporting event (4000) and social distancing would have been relaxed on June 21st.
"Sadly, this was not the case, and risk assessments around a fair start procedure and control at feed stations make the event impossible to deliver in a compliant manner at this time."
The organisers also cite difficulties obtaining insurance for the event as one of the key reasons for the cancellation.
All entrants will now have their place automatically transferred to the 2022 edition instead.
"We are very conscious that the money we hold for entries is not our money, it is our participants and we are not prepared to gamble with that," says Golazo Cycling Director Tom Caldwell.
"We've truly tried our best and put countless hours into trying to deliver the event without recompense as we are not eligible for government support, and we are determined to protect the events' long-term future as we love this event, our sport, and the exciting plans we have in store for our participants at the next edition."
The 2022 edition has been scheduled for 3-5 June 2022.
For more information including a FAQ section, see the event website at www.tourofcambridgeshire.com.
Isle of Man Granfondo is new UK qualifier for World Championships
The Tour of Cambrigeshire was the UK's main qualifying event for the UCI Granfondo World Championships. This year's finals are set to take place in East Sarajevo from 5-10 October.
UK riders hoping to take part will now have to look a little further afield for a qualifying event - and, in a timely move, the Granfondo Isle of Man has been added as a qualifying event for 2021.
Taking place on the weekend of 4-5 September, the Granfondo will include a time trial and road race alongside the non-competitive sportive, with the top finishers earning a place at the finals in October.
Find out more and enter at www.ucigranfondoworldseries.com.
Switch to gravel?
One interesting option for riders left disappointed by the cancellation is to switch to off-road. Golazo also organise the King's Cup Gravel Festival and British Gravel Championships, with the first edition set to take place on 17-19 September 2021.
Based at the King's Forest in Suffolk, the event will include a gravel race, gravel fondo, time trial, team relay and family riding events.
The organisers are offering entrants to the Tour of Cambridgeshire the option of transferring their place to the King's Cup instead. WIth travel restrictions likely to remain in place late into the year, the option to stay local and swap the road bike for a gravel rig may well prove tempting to some.
Find out more at kingscupgravel.com.
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