SILVER CITY, NM (March 12, 2020) — Coming just three days after announcing that the race had been saved by an influx of funding from Leah Sturgis via partnerships with Cyclestream TV and Wildlife Generation, the Tour of the Gila, a leading UCI stage race held in New Mexico, has been cancelled for 2020 due to concerns about the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
The race was to be held from April 29–May 3, 2020 and was scheduled to be the 34th edition.
The event posted the following release on their Facebook page today:
Tour of the Gila is Cancelled for 2020
Jack Brennan, Tour of the Gila race director, is saddened to announce the cancelation of the 34th Annual Tour of the Gila, which was scheduled for April 29 through May 3, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 health concern, Brennan carefully considered the situation and after discussions with local officials and others associated with the event, the race was canceled. Brennan really appreciates the guidance on this matter. Brennan states, “Silver City Mayor, Ken Ladner and Silver City Town Manager, Alex Brown, provided leadership and guidance that was important in making this difficult decision. Public and participant safety is always of most importance; thus, this hard decision had to be made.”
Brennan shared, “The event planning started almost a year ago and was well into its final preparations. The UCI Men’s and UCI Women’s race had 11 foreign teams registered to participated from all over the world, including Ecuador, France, New Zealand, Canada, and Mexico. There were going to be 19 professional men’s teams and 12 professional women’s teams. The amateur field was looking big and strong. Overall, Tour of the Gila was staged to be one of the largest and best caliber races in its 33 years.”
“Special thanks is extended to all the sponsors, all of the state, county, and municipal agencies, and all of the wonderful volunteers. I am disappointed we are not racing this year, but looking forward to 2021. Plans are beginning now. We will see you in Gila 2021 and also for Gran Fondo, Saturday, October 10, 2020,” Brennan shared.
For more information on the Tour of the Gila, visit https://tourofthegila.com. For more information on all there is to see and do in Silver City, or to plan your visit, go to www.visitsilvercity.org.
