Changes coming to Levi's GranFondo following bicyclist's death

Two days after an experienced cyclist participating in his first Levi’s GranFondo died in a high-speed crash, organizers said they are considering additional safety measures for the popular charity event.

They rejected suggestions, however, that the ride, with its individual timing and high-profile participation by elite cyclists, contributes to a competitive atmosphere that is inherently dangerous and unfit for narrow, winding west Sonoma County roads.

Changes are “absolutely” coming to the event, but it’s too early to know what those will be, said Levi Leipheimer, the retired professional cyclist who founded the ride in 2009.

“That’s what we’re trying to wrap our heads around,” Leipheimer said from Colorado, where he was participating in another charity ride. “What can we do to prevent this? Nobody wants this to happen again.”

The Santa Rosa resident described GranFondo participants as “family” and called the death “a worst nightmare come true.”

“I’m pretty much shattered over it and I feel a sense of responsibility,” Leipheimer said.

Carlos Perez, owner of Bike Monkey, the ride’s producer, said a number of safety measures have been discussed in the 48 hours since 54-year-old Fresno resident Edward Lund crashed on a steep descent on Hauser Bridge Road northwest of Cazadero.

But more people need to be consulted before any decisions are made to ensure they are effective and don’t harm the overall viability of the ride, he said.

“Something will be implemented in response to this tragedy,” Perez said. “But it will be well thought out, and it will be vetted, and it will be part of our protocol.”

Preliminary ideas could include turning off the timing or limiting speed for certain highly technical sections of the course, Perez said. The event already has rules against reckless riding, he said.

“We will continue to take every measure that is practicable to ensure riders’ safety,” Perez said.

In previous years, riders have been required to walk around a few treacherous wet corners, and after this year’s accident, riders were accompanied down the hill where the accident occurred in groups by marshals, Perez said. He added that organizers may need to figure out ways to “hold people’s hands down Hauser Bridge Road.”

But eliminating the timing for the ride completely could make it more dangerous by decreasing its popularity and leaving less money available for the robust course controls and safety measures for which the ride is known, Perez said.

That includes 53 CHP officers, 150 bike marshals, 30 motorcycle marshals, and numerous paramedics, firefighters and volunteers to ensure riders’ safety, Perez said.

“All of those things cost money and if we completely change what this event is, we actually run a huge risk of demolishing the level of participation that we receive that allows us to accomplish those things,” Perez said.

Very high percentages of riders every year log on to the website to check their times on Monday, when they are posted. Routes ranging from 32 to 116 miles run from $80 to $200, and timing is part of what riders are paying for, he said.

Leipheimer agreed that timing needs to remain an integral part of the event, saying it helps organizers keep track of riders and also fulfills a demand. He noted that many cyclists would continue to use apps such as Strava to time themselves regardless of whether the event did so formally.

“I don’t think it makes it any more competitive,” he said. “The GranFondo is everything from a race to a ride by yourself to everything in between.”

Perez called the GranFondo a “hybrid of a competitive and a non-competitive event.”

GranFondos began in Italy in the 1970s and have been gaining popularity in the United States in the past decade. Many of the events clearly cater to amateur riders’ desire to experience a form of organized bicycle racing. The Campagnolo Gran Fondo New York promotes its event with the slogan “Be a pro for a day,” and rewards winners with the chance to stand on podiums spraying champagne.

Some see this effort to mimic the glory of professional riders as part of the problem.

Rich Anderson, a Windsor resident who has ridden Levi’s GranFondo twice, said he won’t ride it again because he feels the combination of aggressive amateur riders trying to keep pace with elite cyclists creates a “recipe for disaster.”

“Their egos get bigger than their common sense,” Anderson said. “They ride super-fast and fly through corners. It’s not worth the risk.”

Anderson said part of the problem is that Leipheimer “invites all his little buddies” to join him to ride hard on the course, effectively challenging amateur riders to keep up and encouraging reckless riding, Anderson said. They’re out there going for it. They’re setting the tone,” he said.

This year, Leipheimer was joined by German cycling legend and 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich. They didn’t ride the whole way together, however, with Leipheimer opting for the shorter 62-mile Medio course because he’s nursing a foot injury.

Ullrich finished the 102-mile course in just under 5 hours and 51 minutes, a strong ride but much slower than the fastest time. That was logged by Tyrel Harlan, of Henderson, Nev., who finished 50 minutes faster.

That finish order debunks the idea that the presence of elite cyclists is causing amateurs to ride recklessly, Perez said.

Neither are qualifying times part of the problem, Perez said. Riders must complete the GranFondo in under 7½ hours to qualify for the most elite course - the 116-mile Panzer route - the following year. Participation is limited to 250 people.

But Perez noted that Lund, who crashed about 2½ hours into the ride, wasn’t going to have a problem qualifying.

In the end, sometimes there’s just nothing organizers can do to prevent accidents, like last year when a squirrel got caught in a rider’s fork and caused him to flip over his handlebars, said Gary Helfrich, executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition.

Levi’s GranFondo sets the “gold standard” for safety precautions, but with so many people engaged in such an activity, the law of averages was bound to catch up with them, he said.

“I don’t see how they could have avoided this,” Helfrich said. “Its kind of amazing that they’ve beaten the odds this far.”

Staff Writer Derek Moore contributed to this story. You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.