Apache Corp. will sponsor Tour de Houston 2024

• The Mayor's Office of Special Events announced Wednesday that it was canceling the event over lack of funds, but within hours, Mayor John Whitmire — who was unaware the ride had been canceled — pledged to find a sponsor and ensure that the ride went on.

Driving the news: Whitmire and representatives from Apache met Thursday and created a plan to bring the ride back to the Bayou City.

• The mayor was personally involved in the talks, spokesperson Mary Benton tells Axios.

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.
• Last year's ride included Apache and more than a dozen other entities as sponsors.

What we're watching: The 2024 Tour de Houston has yet to be scheduled.

• The ride is typically planned for late March or early April.