Unlike so many canceled events, Tour d’Apple will take off on Labor Day, September 7, from 7:00-10:00 am (rolling start) from Blue Ridge Community College! Participants will help bring the economy roaring back with a great ride around the apple orchards and beautiful mountains of Henderson County, NC.
But, as you can imagine, we must plan carefully to accommodate safety guidelines. We will begin communicating these safety guidelines via eNewsletters, social media, the website, press releases and through the registration platform- Race Roster. The goal will be to provide a safe, fun, riding experience at a ‘contactless’ event with group gatherings at 25 people or less at all times. (this number may change as we get to event day in September).
Over the past few months, the Hendersonville Four Seasons Rotary Club and iDaph Events have put together event safety plans for our event to move forward in a new format to ensure social distancing measures that are set forth by the CDC are adhered to.
iDaph Events will continue to monitor the progress of the virus and the guidelines set forth by the CDC, and state and local governments. In addition, iDaph Events is following protocols set forth by the endurance governing bodies in our sport: USA Cycling, USA Triathlon and USA Track and Field. In addition, other similar endurance event companies have produced successful, ‘mass start’ events in the past month with new safety protocols and event measures. We are adopting this proven methods of safety guidelines for the Tour d’Apple. The protocol is designed to ensure the safety of all participants, guests, volunteers, and staff. The protocol is subject to change based on updated guidance from governments and/or industry best practices.
New for 2020!
• Slight Course Change: We will be routing around the the Oleta Rd section this year.
• Custom Tour d’Apple buffs will be given to the first 350 participants to register!
• We are also offering a Virtual event experience so you can participate in this triathlon event ANYWHERE! Ride from your home, the park, or anywhere else and submit your results online!
• Have your packet and swag shipped to you before the ride! If you’d like to avoid packet pickup altogether, or if you’re traveling in from out of town, you can receive your swag in the mail prior to ride day for $10. You can select that option during registration. PLEASE NOTE that your packet will be mailed to the address you provide during registration, so please make sure it is 100% correct and current.
Changes that you will notice for this event are:
• Event is capped at 350 total participants, with a rolling start anywhere between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Cyclists can start when they are ready at any time between 7:00 am and 10 am. Cyclists will need to start the ride as soon as they approach the start line, no congregating at the start will be allowed.
• Designated Social-Distanced Cheer Stations along the bike course! Come out and cheer on your friend/family member at one of these designated cheer spots along the course! (find more info on this in your event guide).
• Drive-thru Packet Pick-up the day prior (September 6th) from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Blue Ridge Community College Parking lot. To encourage social distancing, there will be no packet pickup or registration on the morning of the ride.
• We will provide increased hand sanitizer and hand washing stations, and will continually wipe down frequently used surfaces.
• There will be no mass gathering at the start line. Instead, cyclists will be allowed to start whenever they like between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
• All staff/volunteers will be required to wear a face covering during the event. These will be provided to volunteers if necessary.
• Participants will be required to wear a face covering (TDA buff meets this requirement) until the event starts, at all rest stops, and after they finish the event.
• Participants will not be permitted to form in groups. They must maintain 6 foot distancing while in the start/finish area, in the event hub, and at all rest stops.
• Participants are encouraged to keep a minimum of 6 feet between each other while riding.
• We highly encourage participants to bring their own nutrition and drinks with them on the ride. New cycling safety guidelines prohibit us from offering any prepared foods on site and at rest stops (i.e. there will be no PB&J sandwiches, fresh fruit, etc).
All 4 rest stops will have gatorade and water for cyclists – in individual cups which cyclists can drink or pour into their water bottles. We will have snacks like packaged peanut-butter crackers, pretzels, etc. But no PB&J sandwiches or cut up fruit. Clif Bar is providing a Clif Bar for each cyclist in the goody bags.
• Unfortunately, with social distancing measures in place, we will not have a finish line ‘experience’ of music and hanging out after the ride. After you are finished with your ride, we ask that you grab your food box and drink and head out of the venue area. Boxed food and drink will be available for pickup between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
• Event Swag must be picked up locally the day before the event (September 6th) from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Blue Ridge Community College • Parking lot. A friend or family member can pick up your packet + swag for you if you cannot attend.
• All virtual event registration includes swag that will be mailed to you for free (shirt and buff).
• Other changes will be added and communicated to participants prior to the event. We feel confident that we can provide a FUN, awesome, Tour d’Apple experience given the new safety protocol!
As we all know the pandemic changes things quickly! We ask that you be flexible and patient as we may have to adjust things for this event up until the event takes place. Please know we are doing our absolute best and want this event to happen as much as you do! In the event that the U.S. or NC government, Henderson County or City of Hendersonville declares a new stay-at-home order or places new restrictions on gatherings and we are not able to have the in person event, all ‘in person’ cycling event registrations will automatically be converted to a ‘self-serve’ style event without volunteer or course-marshal support. The course would be marked and painted with signage on the day of the event (September 7th). Please understand we will do EVERYTHING in our power to host this event and feel confident that as of today we will be able to do this for our community or else we would not have opened up registration again. The Blue Ridge Community College has approved our event as of 6/23/2020. If things change for the event they would be outside our control and we ask for your understanding.
Please go to our registration page for additional information! We look forward to another Tour d’Apple and we are hopeful that we will have the event as planned. Signing up for the in-person or virtual event is a great way to support our local organizations and local businesses. Let’s ride!