Pete Phillips of Pork Belly Ventures was chatting with his daughter in the kitchen when a bicycle mechanic called to ask if he had heard the news.
In the Midwestern cycling community, details about the sudden resignation Tuesdayof the marketing team behind the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, and its plan to start a competing ride, quickly spread through texts, calls and emails.
Phillips said he felt numb. A day later, he hoped the pieces could somehow come back together, "like this is a bad dream we're all waking up from."
T.J.Juskiewicz, RAGBRAI's director since 2005, announced his departurein a statement posted to RAGBRAI's social media accountsTuesday afternoon. He said he and other former RAGBRAI staff will launch Iowa's Ride, a statewide event to be heldJuly 19-25, the same week as RAGBRAI 2020.Gannett Co., the corporate parent of RAGBRAI and the Des Moines Register, said RAGBRAI will continue despiteJuskiewicz's team's departure.