Granfondo tweaks course, name ahead of event’s return

3,000 riders expected for return of Penticton cycling event

Two key changes are planned for this Sunday’s edition of a major Penticton-based cycling event that’s returning after a twoyear hiatus due to the pandemic.

Most important for the 3,000 riders from six different countries who registered for the Okanagan Granfondo is the elimination of the traditional Vancouver Avenue hill climb at the start of the course.

Jason Curran, a spokesperson for the soldout event, said the change resulted from a move to a wave start, which will see riders leave in groups over a one-hour span, rather than all at once like in years past.

“What it does is increases the safety for all riders. You’ll hopefully reduce the congestion and the big, large groups, particularly on the highways,” explained Curran.

The other big change saw former Belgian cycling champion Axel Merckx’s name dropped from the event title after he split up with his wife, Jodi, who still heads the company that has organized the granfondo since 2014.

What hasn’t changed, however, is the spirt of the Okanagan Granfondo, which is designed to offer riders a safe, fun way to explore the South Okanagan with thousands of like-minded people.

There are four different distances offered, ranging from the 48-kilometre cortofondo to the 153-km granfondo.

The first cyclists will leave Sunday at 6:30 a.m. from Main Street near Gyro Park in downtown Penticton and ride out to Summerland, before heading south to Oliver and returning to Penticton through the White Lake Grasslands Protected Area.

The last cyclists are due back around 3 p.m.

While the participants are out on the course, a free, family friendly party is scheduled to take place in Gyro Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a beverage garden, barbecue, kids’ activities and more, all of which is open to the public.

Road closures are planned in both Summerland and Penticton to accommodate the event. Most closures will last just a couple of hours, except for the daylong closure of Main Street between Wade and Kinney avenues.

Detailed timelines for the road closures are available online at okanagangranfondo.com/traffic.

The festivities actually get underway on Saturday with the kids’ piccolofondo, which will take over Lakeshore Drive from 9-11 a.m.