Photo: Lake Jocassee as seen from the Jocassee Gorges Wildlife Management Area. Photo by Travis Hall. 

After Local Opposition, State Puts Brakes on South Carolina Bike Race Planned By Former Pro Cyclist George Hincapie.

“Any distance you pick, this is gonna be one heck of a ride.” So said former pro cyclist George Hincapie in a promotional video announcing the Gran Fondo Hincapie Gravel—a multi-route race that was set to take place on March 6, 2021, in the scenic Jocassee Gorges Wildlife Management Area in Hincapie’s home state of South Carolina. 

But not long after the race was announced and touted as an experience for cyclists of all levels, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) denied a permit request from Hincapie Cycling for the proposed event, citing potential negative environmental impact to the biologically diverse Jocassee Gorges ecosystem. The late-September permit denial was issued after a group of roughly 70