SBT GRVL organizers come up with a new plan

September 24, 2024 Shannon Lukens

By Shannon Lukens.

SBT GRVL organizers have a new proposal to present to Routt County Commissioners. They are submitting their permit request this week.

The first proposal is to move the SBT GRVL ride to June 26-29 so as not to conflict with the Routt County Fair and haying season for the ranchers.

There will still be a two-day expo on Yampa Street. On Saturday, there will be a gravel ride for the Green, Red, and Blue courses, which are the shorter distances.

They also propose a competitive ride on Sunday. It would be a 40-mile circuit starting and finishing in Hayden, with three laps for the pros and two laps for amateurs.

Rural Routt County residents have complained about the impact of the SBT GRVL ride on county roads. They put up signs along the course against the race, during this summer’s event.

Race organizers have listed the many things they did this year to accommodate the requests of the rural Routt County residents, including moving the course to more remote locations, eliminating two-way cycling traffic, changing the start times to a less busy time, increasing presence of law enforcement, adding a Command Center for feedback, and eliminating the shakeout rides before the event.

SBT GRVL also brings in $5 million to the community, according to race organizers. They spend more than $200,000 each summer with local businesses and services and have donated $136,000 to local nonprofits.

A permit application review for the SBT GRVL ride is at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 15th, in the Commissioners hearing room in the historic Routt County Courthouse. Commissioners have suggested capping the ride at 1,800 riders, down from 3,000, and removing the competitive racing component of the event.

Press Release from SBT GRVL; Sept. 24, 2025.

SBT GRVL: The Premier Gravel Event That Changed the Face of Cycling is Finding Creative Solutions to Face a New Set of County-Imposed Requirements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Steamboat Springs, CO, September 23, 2024 – Since 2019, SBT GRVL has been the single largest local economic contributor on the summer event calendar in Routt County, Colorado. Participants and their friends and families spend more than $5,000,000 in Routt County during the SBT GRVL weekend. Over the past 6 years, the event has intentionally controlled growth with self imposed limits of 2000 riders in 2019, 2500 in 2021, 3000 in 2022, 3000 in 2023, and 3000 in 2024. Demand has far exceeded those caps but SBT GRVL organizers implemented the limit before the county mandated it to ensure a safe and responsible event for all. In addition to rider economic impact, SBT GRVL is a local, woman-owned business that provides local jobs and directly spends more than $200,000 each summer with local businesses and services, in addition to $136,000 donated to local nonprofits since inception.

The positive impact of SBT GRVL felt by local businesses is substantial. Tim Hickory, Co-Owner of a local business, The Steamboat Social Club stated, “This year alone our business was able to bring in enough revenue during race week to pay our property tax and liability insurance bill for the entire year. I can’t emphasize enough how critical this is for us as a startup small business trying to make ends meet in a town and county that is extremely difficult to do so due to the extreme cost of living and cost of doing business.”

Over the past year, SBT GRVL has dedicated time and resources to listening and addressing local concerns about negative impacts of the event. The changes made for 2024 were substantial, including:

● Moving courses to more remote locations in Routt County
● Eliminating 2-way cycling traffic
● Altering timing and courses to avoid commuting delays
● Increasing Colorado State Patrol presence, medical support and traffic control
● Adding a Command Center to enhance event week communication with residents
● Attempting to visit every on-course residence to communicate event day impacts
● Increasing on-course signage
● Eliminating all but 2 shakeout rides and hiring support to enforce rules of the road
● Educating participants on rules of the road and stewardship through targeted campaigns
● Committing to move the 2025 event date away from haying season and the Routt County Fair in August.

All of these changes substantially increased the operational budget and were directly funded by SBT GRVL without investments from Routt County or the City of Steamboat Springs.

Despite considerable improvements, restrictions imposed

In our follow-up meetings with the City of Steamboat Springs and Routt County, the general consensus was that improvements this year greatly reduced the negative impact on the local community. Our team has been commended for accommodating feedback from residents and local agencies. On September 3rd the SBT GRVL team met with Routt County officials to review our 2024 event, listen to feedback from the public, and present an overview of our event. In a subsequent meeting held on September 9, the Routt County Commissioners proposed an 1800 rider cap for SBT GRVL in 2025, which would fundamentally inhibit SBT GRVL’s ability to keep staff employed, give back to local nonprofits, and drive summer sales tax revenue in Routt County in a time when sales tax revenue is down for the county.

“In addition to receiving the revenue bump, we believe our business (as well as the entire Yampa Valley) enjoys a boost in positive publicity. The race execution is professional, and with that comes a variety of professional media opportunities that highlight the Yampa Valley in a really positive light.” -Rich Tucciarone, Owner of Mountain Tap Brewery

Determination to keep the vision alive by redefining the event format

The SBT GRVL team has envisioned a future event that maintains the substantial economic and social impact on the local community, keeps jobs, and allows the event to move forward. This updated proposal also addresses the concerns of the county by reducing participants by 40% for a non-competitive Saturday gravel ride, as well as a separate Sunday race on a more remote 37 mile circuit starting and finishing in Hayden, and overseen by law enforcement. SBT GRVL has proposed the following in their permit application:

● June 26-27 – 2-day Expo on Yampa Street in downtown Steamboat Springs
● June 28, 2025 – SBT GRVL Ride on the Green, Red and Blue courses
● June 29, 2025 – SBT GRVL Race ~40-mile circuit, 3 laps for Pros/2 laps for amateurs, starting and finishing in Hayden (Men’s/Women’s Elite starts, and amateur mass start)

SBT GRVL co-founder and owner Amy Charity was quoted, “While this new format is a substantial change from the mass start event that we’ve held since 2019, we are committed to working with the local community and authorities to host a fun and safe weekend experience that will continue to draw both first time cyclists and professional athletes from around the world.” -Amy Charity, Founding Partner and CEO For more information, please visit www.sbtgrvl.com

##ENDS##

About SBT GRVL
SBT GRVL was founded in 2019 by local Routt County resident and former Professional Cyclist Amy Charity to showcase the scenic gravel roads and natural beauty of her hometown, Steamboat Springs. The event is now recognized internationally as one of the premier gravel cycling events in the world and has become a leader in advocacy, inclusion and diversity within the sport of cycling.

Past Steamboat Radio News Coverage

Sept. 3, 2024 — SBT GRVL organizers and opponents meet with Routt County Commissioners

Sept. 1, 2024 — Event Review of SBT GRVL is Tuesday, Sept. 3

August 4, 2024 — SBT GRVL announces courses for Aug. 18 event

July 30, 2024 — SBT GRVL staff is reaching out to Routt residents on the route

July 16, 2024 — SBT GRVL reaches out to riders to “Respect the Routt”

June 4, 2024 —SBT GRVL GIVEN PERMIT FOR CYCLING EVENT

Feb. 5, 2024 — SBT GRVL ORGANIZERS HOLD ANOTHER MEETING AND ONLY THREE SHOW UP

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