El Tour de Tucson postponed until spring due to coronavirus pandemic

One of Southern Arizona's longstanding sporting events, El Tour de Tucson, has been pushed to the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The 38th annual ride, initially scheduled for Nov. 21, will now be held April 10. It marks the first rescheduling in the history of El Tour, Southern Arizona's largest annual participatory sporting event and a rite of fall for both competitors and fans.

“After holding out hope that the coronavirus pandemic would let up enough to allow us to welcome thousands of cyclists from all over the world in the traditional November timeframe, we will postpone the 38th El Tour de Tucson until April 10, 2021,” El Tour de Tucson executive director TJ Juskiewicz said in a news release. 

“Our top priority is always the safety of everyone involved with the event and feel this is the most prudent decision.”

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Registered participants will still be able to race in April, or utilize their current registration for the 39th El Tour de Tucson in November. 

“El Tour has been part of the Tucson community for nearly four decades, raising over $100 million for local, national and international charities," Juskiewicz said. "Unfortunately, the pandemic forced us to postpone the event until spring, but this allows our riders to challenge themselves to ride in an unprecedented two El Tour de Tucson events in the same calendar year.”

Juskiewicz started July 1 after serving as one of the longtime director of The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) and a member of the Des Moines Register's marketing staff. Started in 1973, RAGBRAI —  a seven-day ride across Iowa — is the oldest, largest and longest multi-day recreational cycling event in the world.

He was planning to work alongside current executive director Charlene Grabowski through the Nov. 21 ride.