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Sea Otter Classic 2020 & Bicycle Leadership Conference cancelled, Sea Otter Play goes virtual + more postponed events

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Following an unfortunate trend for all events scheduled for 2020, the Sea Otter Classic was postponed – and now it’s cancelled. That includes the Bicycle Leadership Conference that was planned to be held just before the rescheduled Sea Otter Classic festival.

Originally scheduled for April as in past years, the 2020 Sea Otter Classic had been rescheduled for October 1-4th in hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic would be winding down by then. Clearly, that hasn’t happened, and the decision has been made to cancel the event for 2020 entirely and focus on the new date of April 15-18th of 2021 to hopefully hold the actual event once again.

In the mean time, Sea Otter has announced the Sea Otter Play Digital Bike Festival presented by Continental that will take place form September 1-20th of 2020 (ride challenges start the 1st, the actual festival will be Sept. 17-20). The virtual experience will include a virtual product expo, multiple cycling challenges, plus a fundraiser for COVID-19 relief. The event will be a coming-together of all the Sea Otter partners from Europe, Canada, and Australia.

From the Sea Otter Classic

First of all, thank you for your overwhelming support of the Sea Otter Classic. As previously noted, our management team has been preparing to host the event in October. After frequent discussions with Monterey County health officials, it has become clear that we cannot host an event that will meet our health and safety standards. This has always been our top priority. Consequently, we have decided to cancel the Sea Otter Classic scheduled for October 1-4, 2020. The Bicycle Leadership Conference is also cancelled. More information regarding the cancellation of the Sea Otter Classic and the Bicycle Leadership Conference will be available on July 17th.

While a year without Sea Otter is hard to comprehend, we knew this was a possibility. So, we’ve been developing a new event to keep us all connected. We are pleased to bring you Sea Otter Play presented by Continental! This premier immersive virtual experience will feature over 350 innovative cycling companies in a digital format. The event will include several cycling challenges, fundraising for COVID-19 relief, and cycling’s largest digital festival. Our partners from Sea Otter Europe, Sea Otter Canada, and Sea Otter Australia will join us in this inaugural event.

“As a presenting sponsor of all Sea Otter global events, Sea Otter Play represents an innovative opportunity to connect with riders around the world,” Oliver Anhuth, Global Head of Marketing for Continental Bicycle Tires.

Sea Otter Play will be held during September 2020. The ride challenges will start on September 1st and the festival will be held September 17-20. The industry response to this event has been terrific. For many sponsors and exhibitors, this will be their first opportunity to showcase their latest innovations to a global audience. We’re excited about what our September event will bring to the cycling industry and are making every effort to ensure your faith in us is rewarded with fun for you and your family.

“With new challenges come new opportunities. SRAM is excited to take part in Sea Otter Play.” David Zimberoff, vice president of marketing at SRAM.

Thank you again for your support during these challenging times. We encourage you to stay connected to our events and social channels for news and updates in the coming weeks. From all of us at the Sea Otter Classic, be safe. We look forward to hosting you digitally in September and being back with you in Monterey in April 2021!

Sea Otter Classic 2020 & Bicycle Leadership Conference cancelled, Sea Otter Play goes virtual + more postponed events
Photo c. Trek

2020 Trek UCI World Cup Waterloo & Trek CX Cup cancelled

Unfortunately, the same fate has fallen on Trek’s weekend CX festival that is usually held at their headquarters in Waterloo, WI. That means both the UCI World Cup Waterloo and Trek CX Cup have been cancelled, but will return on October 8-11, 2021.

From Trek:

[Waterloo, WI] — Trek announced today that UCI World Cup Waterloo and Trek CX Cup, the weekend-long festival of fun held at Trek’s global headquarters in Wisconsin since 2013, will not proceed as scheduled in 2020.
Due to risks associated with COVID-19 and the already stacked schedule for UCI road and mountain bike racing this fall, Trek has chosen to forgo hosting its marquee cyclocross event this year. To continue with the event as scheduled would further complicate a demanding, highly unusual calendar for the professional cycling community and race organizers alike.
But the brand is committed to returning in 2021 and making the largest cyclocross event in North America even more fun for an even broader audience of new and veteran cyclocross riders.
The 2021 World Cup Waterloo and Trek CX Cup will be held on October 8 – 11, 2021. Tomas Van Den Spiegel, CEO of Flanders Classics, was instrumental in securing these dates on the 2021 race calendar.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Trek to help grow cyclocross racing in the United States,” said Van Den Spiegel. “This is not the season anyone anticipated, but the future is bright for UCI cyclocross racing in North America, and we’re grateful to have in Trek a partner equally committed to seeing this goal realized.”
Next October, the event will return to Waterloo in full force with racing and spectating for professional and amateur athletes, food, music, and all the signature elements (including the Secret Bar) that create the best cyclocross atmosphere in the United States.
“This event is the embodiment of Trek’s hospitality and the spirit of fun that makes this company what it is,” said Trek CFO Chad Brown. “We put an enormous amount of enthusiasm and resources into making it a weekend where people experience the best cycling has to offer, year after year. It’s unfortunate that the 2020 event can’t happen, but this decision was made for the good of the community we love.”
“The whole team looks forward to this event for the full year,” said Trek Factory Racing CX’s Evie Richards. “It’s the absolute best event on the calendar, and there’s nothing else like it. I know the race will be back and better than ever in 2021.”
In 2017, the race at Trek’s headquarters became the first-ever World Cup cycling event to offer equal payout to both the men’s and women’s fields. Trek made this move to promote positive change on a global scale for a more equitable World Cup payout structure, and many races in other series, including World Cup events, have followed suit.
In recent years, the UCI-sanctioned event brought as many as 10,000 racers and spectators from around the world to Trek’s hometown. Each year since 2017, Trek also provided a free worldwide Livestream on trekbikes.com of the Elite races.
The 2021 World Cup Waterloo and Trek CX Cup are scheduled for October 8 – 11, 2021. Next year, attendees can expect the same world-class hospitality Trek brought to previous editions of this early season highlight, along with a signature festival-like atmosphere and an unforgettable weekend of partying, racing, and fun.
Sea Otter Classic 2020 & Bicycle Leadership Conference cancelled, Sea Otter Play goes virtual + more postponed events

2020 Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride Asheville postponed, Cedar City to run as scheduled

Highlighting how differently many states are addressing the pandemic, the Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride for Asheville has been postponed for 2021, but the BWR in Cedar City is “virtually certain to happen.” The Asheville event was originally scheduled for August 30th, and has now been rescheduled for May 14-16th, 2021. Somehow, in spite of all the other cancellations (and BWR San Diego moving to Nov. 8, 2020), BWR seems confident in their ability to host the BWR Cedar City event on October 17th, 2020.

Riders who have registered for BWR Asheville have the choice of deferring to the 2021 event, or to transfer their registration to the BWRCC in October.

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