Are We Ready To Get Back To Racing?

Ask any expert and they’ll tell you straight. But as spring turns to a reluctant summer and riders feel the itch to get back to something like normal, organizations like USA Cycling are asking the question: are we ready to race?

The divide between willingness and readiness can’t be overstated. In Michigan, the state has only just allowed group gatherings of ten people or less, and many cycling groups have stuck to that number or even fewer when organizing training rides. There is a lingering hesitancy to getting your normal weekly ride going again, and with good reason. Experts expect to see the number of cases rise over the next few weeks, driven by states reopening across the country. Additionally, summer gatherings, even those outdoors, are contributing to the spread. 

Races across the country have either canceled or postponed events since mid-March, with many organizers looking for open dates in August, September, or October. Even that might not be enough to allow for safe gatherings, and only time will tell if factors like reopening, easing of travel restrictions, and the possible return to school this fall could mean total cancellation. 

That hasn’t discouraged racers, and they’re eager to get back into competition. Earlier this month, USA Cycling held a virtual conference with over 600 event directors from across the country to discuss elements of race safety and measures mass gatherings will take to keep their participants safe. They also unveiled the results of a recent survey, which gather the thoughts of over 8,000 racers on when they would be willing to race again. 

Just as importantly, the survey also gives race directors a look at what expectations those racers might have. The most important question was simple; If you still have events on your 2020 calendar, will you participate? 

In a word, yes. 72% of men and 59% of women said they are planning on racing the events left on their schedule this year. Those are big numbers, but for smaller events, losing something like 30% and 40% of a total field could have a large impact on the financial viability of races with under 200 participants. While big races may have more support from larger sponsors, grassroots races could struggle, even if they take place as planned. 

The other interesting response focused on where racers would be willing to participate in events. Most seem to be planning on staying close to home, with 76% saying they’d race locally, 64% saying they’d extend their travel to their region, while only 30% planning on attending national events. Without having pre-pandemic numbers, it’s hard to say just how different these patterns are to a normal season. 

Take a second to see the full survey here, and let us know what factors will determine your willingness to race this summer or fall.