After a two-year hiatus, RBC GranFondo is coming back better than ever with a record 7,000 registered cyclists—approximately 400 more than the previous high—for the Sept. 10 event.
"We are thrilled to welcome a record attendance to this year's RBC GranFondo Whistler," said the event's "chief enthusiast officer" Neil McKinnon in a press release. "The sport of cycling has never seen so much interest in B.C., and the event continues to attract a truly international audience. We look forward to continuing to grow the event to over 10,000 riders in the years to come."
The long-running, industry-leading, amateur cycling event takes participants along a 122-kilometre route from Stanley Park in Vancouver, across Lions Gate Bridge and up Highway 99 to Whistler.
To accommodate the mass ride, Lions Gate Bridge will be closed from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m. the day of the event, while a dedicated traffic-free lane will be installed on the highway for the entirety of the route.
In addition to attracting worldwide participation with 48 countries represented, GranFondo also provides a significant economic benefit to the area, generating north of $3 million dollars for Whistler, and nearly $5 million for the province of B.C., according to organizers.
Despite not having an in-person event since 2019, GranFondo's virtual events in 2020 and 2021 were still able to rase more than $41,000 for Food Banks Canada, Feeding America and Cycling BC youth programs.
After the race, participants are encouraged to check out the free Whistler Summer Concert Series at Whistler Olympic Plaza where The Hairfarmers will be performing.
More information on the race and schedule of events can be found on the RBC GranFondo website.
Registration for the 2023 race opens the day of this year's event, with the best pricing of the year being available from Sept. 10 to 14. Next year's event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
