Northwest Iowa — RAGBRAI 2020 was, like so many other things last year, postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But continued concerns about the continuation of the pandemic and the effect it may have on the bicycle ride’s safety has already caused two Iowa host towns to withdraw from this year’s event, and a third is mulling it over.
City officials in Le Mars, which had been tapped as the ride’s starting point, are talking about whether they think hosting this year’s opening night is a good idea, considering the amount of preparation lead time required and the remaining uncertainty about the safety due to COVID-19.
Two other host communities have already pulled out of this year’s RAGBRAI ride, Maquoketa, in far east-central Iowa, and Storm Lake, here in northwest Iowa, previously decided that the uncertainty of the pandemic made hosting several thousand cyclists and support personnel in their communities was just too risky.
RAGBRAI officials are set to announce a decision on March 15th, as to a new route for this year’s ride, or if it will, once again, be postponed until next year.
RAGBRAI 2021 is scheduled for July 25th through 31st.
