I’m sure it’s something or multiple somethings. In the end there’s not enough money.
Part of the problem with professional event promoters that aren’t local. If an early Spring event needs 200+ people at $85/each just so it doesn’t get cancelled - I can’t see how this isn’t anything other than dead man walking.
Reading further comments from the promoter I’d be surprised if this event happened next year or ever again.
Losing one event in isolation wouldn’t be so bad but it’s been a rough year for gravel and XCM overall. The main promoter in Georgia cancelled half their events before the season started, #2 guy from Florida just took all his gravel events off the calendar with no explanation, we’re down 8-9 events from what was available last year.
I did a crit once. It was horrible and not in a fun way at all. It was also Grant Park (which has a significant climb in it, for non-atl folks) And I was in Cat 5.
And I only had to ride my bike for like 30 minutes all day! Unlike these HOURS long gravel events.
They should just make the gravel events shorter. Like, an hour or less. And maybe keep them contained in a small area so you don’t have to close roads or pay cops to control intersections. And people will be so focused on the racing that they won’t be able to look at the scenery, so it doesn’t matter if the course is just a bunch of laps on a shorter route.
I did my first roadie-style (no singletrack) gravel race a few week ago and good god CX is so much more civilized. I’d take an hour of dying vs 4 hours of very fast but not quite dying.
CX is my one true love tho. Track also sucks in comparison. Two hours of sitting for half an hour of racing.
Come BMX race with me, we need pack fodder. They keep putting fast guys in my motos and it’s embarrassing. Plus I’m always in last place so you’ll acquire points quicker!
