By Josh Peacock, Events and Partnership Manager with Cycling Canada

Bicycle racing. Amidst a global pandemic, this is a term that is no longer top of mind as our country’s full attention shifts to battling the recent COVID-19 outbreak. In the meantime, cyclists of all backgrounds have been forced to hang up their bike or switch to alternate means of getting their fix. For some, our Domestic Events Calendar represents a selection of fun weekends away to connect with friends in the cycling community and have a good time on bikes. For others, it’s an important opportunity to nab important points for selection to provincial or national teams. No matter what angle you look at it, cycling events have been instrumental in bringing our community together for as long as we can remember.

Amidst this outbreak, we are entering an unprecedented time in recent history where access to sporting events of all kinds has been all-but eliminated for the foreseeable future. We are now faced with many questions, whose answers are still evolving: When will we be able to attend events again? What will the calendar look like when they’re back? What will the events look like given a new post-pandemic reality?

Over the past several weeks, I have spent significant time chatting with our national event organizers and although the topic of discussion has not been easy, I have left each conversation with a renewed sense of pride and community. Event organizers have been, and will continue to be, the integral backbone of competitive cycling in this country. They have nurtured the growth of every discipline in the sport and in the process have impacted every single athlete within it. Behind every weekend warrior who is attempting their first provincial cup race or Olympic hopeful competing on home soil, stands an organizing committee who has set the stage. For decades, these organizers have spent countless hours producing these moments, many doing this outside of their regular jobs to provide us with the stage on which to compete and make special memories. For many, this is a venture of passion and is seen as an opportunity to give back to a sport they absolutely love, but yields little-to-no monetary benefit. In a time where we are surrounded by uncertainty, our organizers continue to demonstrate that same level of support and enthusiasm for us to enjoy our favourite pastime. Here are a few ways we can return the favour.

Understand. There are many different things at play when determining whether to postpone or outright cancel an event. Of everyone being affected within the sport, event organizers may have the largest group of stakeholders that need to be consulted when making important decisions such as this. Be patient as you await news regarding the status of the event – rest assured they’re working on it with your best interest, health and welfare in mind!

Be receptive and interact. Over the coming weeks and months, event organizers may reach out to ask questions or look for feedback on various topics. Many are taking this chance to go back to the drawing board and find ways to make improvements for the event’s eventual return. If you can spare the time, consider taking a few minutes to respond to an email, complete a survey, or comment on a social media post from the event organizer. Send them a note of thanks, or remind them that you’re excited to be on the start line whenever the event returns.

Re-assess your refund. Producing cycling events is not an inexpensive feat. Most organizers face up-front fees that are processed months in advance of realizing any type of revenue to offset them. If you have the means and if the option exists, consider deferring your registration fee for the next edition of the event in favour of a refund. If collecting a refund, be patient as the organizer navigates sometimes complex refund processes to get your money back. Be open to the idea that each registration refund may come at a cost to the organizer (transaction fees, refund fees, etc.), and understand that the refund may not be for 100% of your registration.

Support those supporting us. Take a look at that old event t-shirt you wore during your home workout yesterday or maybe at the race plate sitting next to your toolbox. One thing you can’t miss are those beloved sponsor logos. Just like registration fees, our organizers (and sport as a whole) rely heavily on the gracious support of sponsors to survive. Take some time to recognize event sponsors. This does not have to be a monumental effort – it can be as simple as following an event sponsor’s social media pages, or sending a brief message of thanks. Think of that local bike shop who supported your favourite race and make that extra effort to pay them a visit when all of this is over. Our sponsors have stepped up countless times over the years to support us. Now is the perfect time more than ever to show our appreciation.

Throughout many of the conversations I’ve had in previous weeks, perhaps the biggest sense of optimism comes from those already excited about being able to race their bikes again. One of my favourite takeaways from coach Dan Proulx’s blog post was that “cycling has taught us to be strong, to believe in ourselves, to believe in others and to trust that everything always works out as it should”. Rest assured, when things return back to (an albeit new) normal, our organizers will be there as they always have been to give us all an excuse to hang out, ride bikes and drink beer together. Until that day, don’t hesitate to show your local organizer some love in difficult times, knowing we will get through this together.

By Dan Proulx, Head Coach for Cycling Canada’s National Mountain Bike Team

Given the rapidly changing landscape in every area of life, it’s hard to know if the words here will seem wise in a week, a month or a year’s time. For now, all we can do is control the controllable – so I’ll write to you with ideas about cycling based on where we are today.

The pandemic crisis gives everyone reason to pause and reflect on what truly matters in life. For many of you, there might be a sudden affirmation that cycling is one of the things that makes your life wonderful. It keeps you fit, allows you to reduce stress and maintains physical and mental wellness. It may even help strengthen your immune system. Beyond those benefits, you may have suddenly realized how much freedom and joy cycling gives you – even on your hardest days.

The current pandemic is a chance to reflect on all the good that cycling does for the mind, body and spirit. A friend of mine who is a very good cyclist and works as a nurse in an intensive care unit said, “Things are ramping up, but manageable at the moment…not sure what lays ahead. Trying to keep a training routine up for some stability and an outlet outside of the chaos of work.”

A National Team athlete shared, “Cycling has always been my way of coping with stress. I don’t know what I would do without it.”

In my work with Dr. David J. Smith (“Doc”) at the Canadian Sport Institute in Calgary, we’ve talked about the current situation creating a natural element of grief for some athletes; the events they had been aiming for are cancelled or postponed and the routine of daily training has been altered. It’s normal for athletes to experience some low energy right now. It’s normal to feel a little uninspired. The most important thing is to be okay with that – knowing that in a couple of weeks you’ll likely feel better and will want to get back to dreaming and planning for future cycling success. Don’t force things at the moment – if you need to take a break, do it now because we might have a jam-packed calendar when cycling eventually resumes.

At the end of the day cycling, for most of us, is so much more than racing and training. Cycling is in our blood and it’s a part of who we are. Cycling is something that brings us joy and creates positive energy that we share with others. The bike is an expression of hope – it’s our paint brush – a way to express ourselves on an endless canvas of roads and trails. Even in a self-isolation situation, indoor cycling is our mental escape and a connection to our dreams. It elevates our physical and mental well-being. It simply makes us feel good.

If you’re stuck indoors, use this time to gain fitness with some great trainer workouts. As our Mental Performance Coach at the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, Sharleen Hoar expressed: “Revisit your goals. Maintain a schedule. Check in with teammates and members of your cycling community. Build belief in yourself by reviewing all the work you’ve done to get here. Look for positives in this situation. Control the controllables and let go of the rest.”

If there is anything that sport and cycling has taught us, it’s that we can get through anything. The lessons on resilience that we’ve learned in sport will carry us through life’s tough moments. Cycling has taught us to be strong, to believe in ourselves, to believe in others and to trust that everything always works out as it should.

Whenever the pandemic ends, I’m confident that cycling will be more popular than ever. The current situation shows us that life is precious and that it should be enjoyed to the fullest extent possible. When it’s safe to do so, there will be nothing better or more important than taking the time to go play on your bike.

My friend who works in ICU added, “I don’t think I took racing or training for granted before, but when this is over, it’s all going to be savoured more than ever before.”

With optimism things will get better. We’ll get there together!