Prospera Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan

LOCATION: Penticton, B.C. DATE: July 12 DISTANCES: 55 km, 92 km, 126 km, 160 km COST: $160–$550 depending on registration date and distance WEBSITE: granfondoaxelmerckx.com

Why spend a day riding in the Okanagan when you can enjoy a whole weekend in wine country as part of the Granfondo Axel Merckx. This year marks the event’s 10th anniversary; the 2020 edition promises the same comprehensive level of care and support for riders they have come to expect from the Merckx name. Full support along a traffic-controlled route in the beautiful British Columbia Interior is just the starting point. A post-ride barbecue and a weekend full of festivities make this an event for the whole family. “Overall, the course scenery is amazing with the cliffs of Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park, the Okanagan lakes and wineries galore,” says Joel Vosburg, who rode the 160-km route in 2018 and the 126-km in 2019. “It can feel more like a fondo near Lake Garda, Italy, than a ride in Canada.