The list of sporting events, conventions, races, and other gathers that have been cancelled due to the coronavirus continues to grow. Not only have the Olympics been postponed until next year, we also know that Wimbledon is off the schedule for this summer and the Outdoor Retailer gear convention is shuttered as well. Now, we can add one more great event that has been forced to reschedule thanks to the pandemic as the Dirty Kanza gravel bike race has moved its dates to September.
In a press release that came out yesterday, race organizers revealed that the incredibly popular race will now be held on September 10-13 of this year. Originally, it had been set to take place May 29-31, but considering that we are rapidly approaching that date and there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, it seems prudent to reschedule. Hopefully, by September we'll all be getting back to a more normal schedule and the worst of the virus will have passed. Considering how influx things are at the moment however, it is still anyone's guess as to how long the pandemic will continue.
Athletes who have already signed up for the race will have three options as to how they want to proceed. They can maintain their registration and race in September instead, they can defer their registration to the 2021 Dirty Kanza event with a waived deferral fee, or they can request a full refund. Life Time, the organizers for the event, reaffirm that they are committed to supporting the cyclists and ensuring that they stay safe, while respecting whatever decisions they make in regards to the race.
"We know that our athletes have trained hard for Dirty Kanza, so we wanted to maintain the event on our 2020 calendar," says Kimo Seymour, president of Life Time Events and Media. "In choosing the rescheduled date, we applied careful consideration to avoid interfering with other scheduled races. While delayed from our typical timing, we believe this new date will allow athletes, promoters, sponsors and partners to come together for a fantastic event. Working together will be vital to ensure the health of our cycling community both on and off the bike."
My take is that moving to September was a good decision on the part of Life Time. It gives the virus a chance to hopefully blow over by then and hopefully provide cyclists with an opportunity to still prepare for the rescheduled event. If I were riding, I'd probably take a "wait and see" attitude for now, but as always it's best to err on the side of caution when it comes to your own safety and health.
You can find out more and view the video announcing the change in schedule on the Dirty Kanza website.
