Lateral Events, owner and organiser of four successful editions of L’Étape Australia by Tour de France held in the Snowy Mountains from 2016 – 2019, are pleased to announce the inaugural edition of Drops + Hoods to be hosted in the beautiful Snowy Mountains from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th November 2022, following extensive consultation with Councils and community members.
Drops + Hoods is a pioneering event that delivers the cycling experiences riders asked for that are not available elsewhere. The event was developed based on feedback received from thousands of riders and augmented with the learnings from the global pandemic. Drops + Hoods is a series of cycling events held across three days and spanning the entire region. With participants spread across a number of events and locations, the event promises to deliver a boost to the region after two years of reduced visitation.
Drops + Hoods – Snowy Mountains will encompass the entire region from Dalgety to Berridale, Jindabyne, Thredbo, Perisher, Lake Crackenback and Charlotte Pass. Seven distances (from 34km to 271km) will be available across the road and gravel events. Drops + Hoods will bring to the Snowy Mountains region the claim to the most challenging and highest ride in Australia, The Ultra: a 271km road ride featuring 5,000+m of elevation and over 1,937m above sea level.
Florent Malézieux, Head of Sports at Lateral Events, said: “We feel a powerful connection to the local community after four years of L’Étape Australia, so we are thrilled to have Drops + Hoods, the legacy of L’Étape Australia, as a permanent fixture on the calendar. I am looking forward to safely bringing back cyclists and visitors to the region after some difficult years for the local businesses”.
Drops + Hoods was designed in consultation with the local community and local authorities to showcase the Snowy Mountains. With events being held over three days, the event will enable local businesses to warmly welcome participants to their premises by activating during the event time with promotional events. Under the umbrella of “This is our Village“, a plethora of special events and entertainment laid across the region every night will be promoted to encourage riders to plan an itinerary for their stay that will ensure they visit all corners.
With over 2,000 visitors expected to travel to the Snowy Mountains for this event, their patronage in local cafés, restaurants, and shops will generate $1.1m in direct expenditure. Lateral Events is committed to working closely with local providers and hiring a local workforce to support the region’s economy further.
The team at Lateral Events are pleased to be making this announcement, following the disappointment of postponing the 2021 event due to Covid-19.
For more information and registrations, click here.