Cyclists will be delighted to hear that sportives and other cycling events can return from September, as British Cycling moves one step closer to normal service.
The national governing body for cycling says that non-competitive rides can restart from Saturday, September 5 after new guidance was approved by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
But there will be some restrictions for participants to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, including limiting the number of riders in a group and staggering start times.
British Cycling’s delivery director, Dani Every, said: “After an incredibly successful re-introduction of some competitive events earlier this month, I’m delighted that we are now able to resume sportives and other non-competitive events from September 5.
“There’s so much more to these events than just a bike ride – they promote community cohesion, support local causes and support many to achieve goals that they never thought possible – and after the wave of enthusiasm we have seen for cycling this year we hope to see them go from strength to strength in the months and years ahead.”
While these rides can go ahead, cyclists will not be allowed to ride in groups of more than six at any point during the event, riders will be released in waves of six riders or less at 45-second intervals, and organisers must ensure there are no more than 24 participants at the start line at a time.
Organisers must also provide enough space at event villages, start/finish areas, and feed stations to allow for social distancing.
The return of sportives is the next step in British Cycling’s comprehensive plan to return to normal service.
Some competition formats have already returned to the calendar including time trials, closed circuit racing and track cycling, while road racing remains banned for the time being.
But this latest announcement marks the return of events like the Great Exmoor Ride on September 6, Cheshire Cycling Sportive and the Tour of the Cornfields.
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Every added: “We have a number of great events set to take place on the first weekend of September and I’m sure that thousands of our members and cyclists generally are already gearing up to show their support for local organisers, and tackle what for many will be their first big cycling challenge of the year.”
