2021 Centuries: Looking Grim [updated 5/5/21]

Normally at this time of year we’d be looking at a roster replete with centuries and gran fondo rides for the following year. But the pandemic has thrown these events into question. That shouldn’t be surprising because it takes at least six months of planning to pull off a large public event. Clubs and organizations that cancelled 2020 events and looked forward to 2021 have been concerned and privately tentative as COVID-19 worsened in early fall and some have already hit the eject button in order not to waste club effort and precious funds on another cancelled event.

The news of vaccines on the immediate horizon, which we greet with relief, has probably led to even more decisions to cancel because it does not look like enough people can be vaccinated before summer to make these events viable. Not all events have been cancelled, at least to date. Below is the list of events and their current status. Some events are becoming “virtual”. This usually means that you can ride one of the routes on your own during the specified window of time. Some rides are partially supported. Keep in mind that events that are currently listed as taking place may still be cancelled or postponed.

Saturday Feb 13: Velo Love Ride. 60 or 100 mi. No word on this event but very unlikely to happen.
Saturday Feb 20: Tour de Palm Springs. 102, 51, 26, 9 mi; reg open now, $40. This is a virtual event.
Saturday Feb. 20: Pedaling Paths to Independence. 65 or 25 mi; $45-40. No word on this event but very unlikely to happen. $25 donation. Now a virtual event; ride a route between 2/27 through 3/7.
Saturday, March 6: Blossom Bike Ride. 60, 45 or 20 mi; $50. CANCELLED
Saturday March 13: Solvang Century. CANCELLED.
Saturday April 10:May 15-23: Cinderella Classic & Challenge. Limit of 800; $25-45. But registration is not open. CANCELLED but there may be a virtual Cinderella–stay tuned. Now a virtual event.
Sunday April 25: Mt. Hamilton Challenge. This ride hasn’t been held the last three years. CANCELLED.
?April. Eroica California. No word yet and no date announced. Now rescheduled for Sept. 12. Registration is not open yet.
Sunday April 26 Chico Wildflower. $60-40. This ride was calendared but has been removed, which probably means it’s cancelled. It’s now a virtual event from April 26 through May 9. Registration is now open. You can choose one of the traditional century routes or do their (easier) Adventurer ride or their new Scavenger hunt.
Saturday, April 17: Mr. Frog’s Wild Ride. 100 & 50k routes. $55-65. Registration is open. The roads near Murphys are incredible. Now the registration page is gone. (3/17)
Sunday April 18: Bike Around The Buttes. No word yet and no date announced. CANCELLED.
Sunday April 18: Primavera Century. CANCELLED
May 20-23: Sea Otter Classic. reg not open yet; $90-110. Has been postponed to October 7-10, 2021.
Saturday April 24: Tierra Bella. CANCELLED
Saturday April 24: Wildflower Century. CANCELLED
?Saturday April 24: Devil Mountain Double. No word yet and no update on website as to whether it will be offered in 2021.
Saturday May 1: Siskiyou Scenic Bicycle Tour. 103, 90, 68, 38, 21, 8 mi routes. $65-20. Reg is open. [This event took place, the first one in northern California!]
Saturday May 1: Wine Country Century. Has been tentatively postponed to October. Now scheduled for Saturday September 25.
Sunday May 2: Grizzly Peak Century. Will either be virtual in May or possibly postponed to fall. Will be a DIY event early September as well as a fully supported ride Sept. 12.
May 7-9: Campovelo Napa Valley. $2,995-$175. Also offered weekend of June 4-6 and a women-only event October 22-24. Chef Chris Cosentino’s orgy of food and cycling. Registration is open. You need to provide a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination. SOLD OUT!
?May: Delta Century. 100, 62, 25 mi routes. $35-55. No word yet on whether they’ll proceed. CANCELLED
Saturday May 8: I Care Classic. 100, 62, 33, 10 mi routes. No update yet on whether this will actually happen. It’s in Santa Clara County, which has been cautious with reopening, so don’t count on it. CANCELLED
Saturday May 21: Davis Double. No word. A third party site claims the ride will be on “Saturday May 21” but this is obviously incorrect. (The third Saturday in May is May 15, 2021, not May 21, which is a Friday.) Now it looks like the DD is going to be done as a virtual event this May.
Saturday May 15: Tour delle Vigne. Reg is open; $65. Now postponed to October 2021.
Sunday May 16: Strawberry Fields Forever. Reg is open; $75. CANCELLED
Saturday May 22: Devils Slide Ride. 100, 64, 40k; $90-45. Reg not open yet. CANCELLED
May 28-31: Paso Robles Cycling Festival. Reg is open; adult: $73; camping: $18.50/night. Now tentatively postponed to October 15-17.
Sunday May 30: Levi’s Gran Fondo. CANCELLED
?June: Supertour. No word on whether Supertour will take place in 2021.
Saturday June 12: Gold Country Cycling Challenge. 100, 100k, 42 mi, 10 mi. $45-70; reg open now. Now postponed to Saturday September 11.
Sunday June 6: Sequoia Century. 100, 72, 59, 44 mi; $95-45. Reg was supposed to open 1/2/21. WW may cancel this event. Virtual event from June 1 through June 6.
Saturday June 19: Mile High 100. $85-$55. 33-, 56- and 108-mile routes. Reg is open.
Saturday June 19-June 26. Sierra to the Sea. CANCELLED
Saturday June 19: Castle Crags Century. 141, 99, 62, 79, 37 mi. No word on this event and website is currently “suspended”. Website is back up and it’s tentatively scheduled for June 19. CANCELLED. Next version is June 18, 2022.
?Saturday June 26: Climb to Kaiser. No word on this event.