Breck Epic mountain bike race canceled

In an email to participants this morning, race organizer Mike McCormack delivered the news that the 2020 Breck Epic would be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The prestigious mountain bike stage race in Breckenridge, Colorado was scheduled for August 16 – 21.

“By August 16, we are unlikely to exit Phase 3 of Summit County’s recovery guidelines in time to loosen mask requirements or social distancing restrictions,” McCormack wrote.

In addition to the uncertainty around state and local directives regarding group size and requirements for large gatherings, McCormack also said that the “prevailing sentiment” he received from most racers was that they wouldn’t race if required to do so in masks. Furthermore, more than one-third of this year’s field was international, making travel to Colorado another obstacle that potentially couldn’t be overcome.

The Breck Epic is as beloved for the high country riding as for the entire race production, including McCormack’s ebullience and enthusiasm. Participants can choose between riding with a partner or solo and may race for three or six days. Every year, the event brings as many as 600 racers and their friends and families to Breckenridge to enjoy all of the amenities of the storied ski town.

If participants choose to travel to Summit County regardless of the race cancelation, McCormack encourages them to ride the local courses. He also announced an online achievement-based event, “Epic in Place” to launch early next week and continue throughout the summer.

“Virtual events make our eyes reflexively roll, but we think that with (Epic in Place), we’ve come up with something that will help maintain the sense of community that represents the heart of what we all do together,” McCormack wrote.

Racers who requested refunds prior to an April 16 deadline will be refunded in full while others will be provided compensation codes for the 2021 race.