By Shannon Lukens.

 

Only three people showed up to an information session with organizers of the SBT GRVL ride Monday evening. Three SBT GRVL staff members were there to give an update on the race and the Routt County Large Event Permitting Process. At past meetings, rural residents have filled the room, voicing their frustrations with the amount of riders, and how it is disruptive to their ranching operations when thousands of cyclists are on the roads. Amy Charity runs the SBT GRVL ride.

“We continue to listen to the rural residents and we’ve gotten some great feedback. We are feeling good about moving forward and solving problems and really looking to work closely with the rural community to have an event that everyone is happy about.”

 

The Large Event Permit has not yet been confirmed, but events will be capped at 3,000 people participating. That doesn’t include volunteers and spectators.

 

Charity says they have three new race course options. She says there are a few ranch managers on the new course options who prefer they don’t ride by their ranch, but she says they are on public roads. Routt County Road and Bridge is reviewing the three options and then County Commissioners will approve one of them. As soon as that happens, SBT GRVL will apply for a permit. The race is Aug. 18 and it is sold out.

 

One issue at last year’s race was the heat and a later start for some of the cyclists. Charity says the first wave will start at 6:30 a.m. and the fourth group will start at 8:30 a.m.

 

While SBT GRVL is a race with professional cyclists, Charity says that 90 to 90% of those in the event consider it a ride and not a competition.

 

This year’s date still conflicts with the last day of the Routt County Fair. But Charity says the course options have changed where they won’t affect those going to and from the county fair as much. The date for 2025 has not yet been set.

 

Routt County Commissioners are expected to approve the new rules on the Large Special Event Permits sometime this month.

 

Past Steamboat Radio News coverage

Jan. 22, 2024 — ROUTT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DISCUSS LARGE SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS

Jan. 3, 2024 — SBT GRVL ORGANIZERS ADDRESS CONCERNS FOR THE 2024 RACE WHICH IS SOLD OUT

Nov. 8, 2023 – SBT GRVL OWNER HEARS FROM MORE ROUTT COUNTY RANCHERS

Oct. 16, 2023 – ROUTT COUNTY RURAL RESIDENTS TALK TO COMMISSIONERS ABOUT FRUSTRATIONS WITH SBT GRVL EVENT

Oct. 13, 2023 – COMMISSIONERS TO DISCUSS SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS MONDAY, INCLUDING SBT GRVL

Sept. 9, 2023 – ROUTT COUNTY RANCHERS ARE ANGRY WITH SBT GRVL CYCLISTS

Aug. 17, 2023 – WORLD CLASS SBT GRVL ROLLS INTO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS