Tour de Houston was canceled — and then revived
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The 2019 Tour de Houston. Photo: Courtesy of Richard Carson
The City of Houston unexpectedly canceled — and then quickly revived — this year's Tour de Houston, an annual fundraising bike ride that showcases the city's historic neighborhoods.
Catch up quick: The ride is typically planned for late March or early April, and cycling enthusiasts consider it a warmup event for the Texas MS 150, an annual charity ride from Houston to Austin.
- Tour de Houston riders can choose to go 20, 40 or 60 miles.
Driving the news: The Mayor's Office of Special Events on Wednesday afternoon sent an email to people who were interested in the 2024 ride saying this year's event was canceled due to lack of funding.
Yes, but: Mayor John Whitmire, who was not aware of the cancellation before the email went out, on Wednesday night pledged to bring the event back in 2024.
The intrigue: Apache Corp., a Houston-based energy company, has been a Tour de Houston title sponsor for years but declined to return as a sponsor in 2024, according to Susan Christian, director of the Mayor's Office of Special Events.
- Last year's ride included Apache and more than a dozen other entities as sponsors.
- Apache's logo was also featured on a graphic promoting the 2024 ride on the city's website, but the logo has since been removed.
- "Our sponsorship of the tour concluded following the [February] 2023 ride," the company said in a statement to Axios. "It was our understanding the city was still planning to have the ride and was working on other funding options ... We were not aware of nor involved in the decision to cancel the 2024 ride."
What they're saying: "He's committed to getting it back on the calendar," Whitmire's spokesperson Mary Benton tells Axios. "He will find a sponsor."
Flashback: Last year, the ride was moved up to February to accommodate the Final Four.
- Some of the funds generated by last year's registration fees went toward planting 1,000 trees in Houston's Glenshire Park and other neighborhood spaces.
What we're watching: The 2024 Tour de Houston has yet to be scheduled.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include statements from Apache Corp. and Mayor John Whitmire's office.