Information for the participants 2020-2021

Dear cycle lover, 

The year of 2020 is slowly coming to an end. And even though we still have a number of weeks to go before
New Year’s Eve, we can already say that 2020 is a year that no one will forget soon. We certainly won’t: the corona crisis forced us to cancel the 84th edition of the Eleven Cities Bicycle Tour, which we did with pain in our hearts. However, the situation forced us to cancel the event only for the second time in our 108 years of existence. 

This is the announcement that was made in April and seven months have passed already. The influence of the corona virus is still unprecedented and the most difficult issue is that no one can predict what the situation will be like in a couple of months, for instance on Whit Monday 24 May 2021, the day on which a new edition of the Eleven Cities Bicycle has been planned. 

This uncertainty does not stop us from making all the necessary preparations to allow the 84^th edition of this event to happen again in 2021. And whatever the circumstances, not organising anything is not an option for us as board members. That is why two scenarios are being prepared behind the scenes: organising a regular tour and – if this turns out to be unfeasible - an alternative type of Eleven Cities Bicycle Tour, which offers participants the possibility of completing the tour in a safe way. 

Which scenario needs to be pulled out of the closet remains a mystery. This has led us to decide to announce further details about the registration for the tour of 2021 in January 2021. We already made clear in April that the tickets for 2020 would also be valid for the tour of 2021. We also stated that, because of all the investments that the organisation had already made, we would ask for an additional fee of 10 euros per ticket. 

In January, you will receive an email with information about the payment of this amount. At the beginning of March,
we will have to make a decision about the scenario – a regular tour or the alternative version - that will become reality. Naturally, we hope to be able to organise a regular Eleven Cities Bicycle Tour and see fifteen thousand cyclists touring our beautiful province of Fryslân, but this remains to be seen and experienced.  

We hope for your understanding. 

Yours sincerely, 

The board