Bicyclists who were bummed by the cancellation of Viva Bike Vegas, take heart — not only is Viva Bike Vegas coming back after all, but the popular cycling event now has some company.
Backstory: In February, we reported that the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada announced that its cyclopalooza, Viva Bike Vegas, was on hold for 2014, potentially never to return. The cost to produce the massive long-distance ride had outpaced the amount of money sponsors were willing to cough up.
Perimeter Bicycling to the rescue! Last month, the Tucson-based nonprofit announced it was taking over production of Viva Bike Vegas, adding the Nevada ride to its growing portfolio of cycling events. This portfolio includes El Tour de Tucson, which – to give an idea of its popularity – charges $145 and up for registration, and attracts 9,000 riders.
But, not so fast… Another ride was already there to fill the void. In its fifth year, Pedal to the Medal, sponsored by Lexus of Las Vegas, was hoping to capitalize on the lack of a calendar-adjacent competitor to sell its scenic route, abundant support and worthy cause: Special Olympics of Nevada. Now, riders have two centuries for their pedaling pleasure.
Here’s a compare-and-contrast chart:
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