The CCAP's Breakaway Benefit Cycling Festival

Welcome to the 2027 Breakaway Benefit Cycling Festival, hosted at Norbrook Farm Brewery.      
The cornerstone fundraising event for the CT Cycling Advancement Program

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**Exiting Highlights for 2027**

A NEW road ride option

A premium gravel ride with 5 timed segments

Mountain biking at CT's best privately owned trail system

Check out last year's routes HERE

AWESOME Fundraising Awards…like our 2026 ICE CREAM JERSEY

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The Breakaway Benefit Cycling Festival is the cornerstone fundraiser for the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program (CCAP) and directly helps us provide hundreds of kids with access to cycling and cycling teams all across the state. The CCAP started in 2013 and has grown to be a national leader in the development of youth cycling programs with teams in schools and regions across the state. In the last twelve years, we've served thousands of kids and orchestrated hundreds of events in over 50 towns. Annually, over 350 youth riders participate across 40 programs in mountain biking, road cycling, and cyclocross. Additionally, the CCAP hosts over 25 youth race events and skills clinics annually. With your support, you're helping create more school and municipality-based youth cycling programs and helping the CCAP get thousands more kids on bikes, so please join us on this fun-filled day, pedaling bikes and enjoying time with family!

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Fundraising Awards

All Breakaway Benefit attendees are eligible for AMAZING fundraising awards, which are compounding, meaning the more you raise, the more you get! Our top prize is oh-so-worth it and people will be jealous of your incredible style for years to come.  To be clear, this is not a fundraising minimum. 

Take a look at last year's Fundraising Tips Packet (2027 coming soon) to see all of the sweet CCAP prizes you can earn by going that extra mile in fundraising for Connecticut's youth cycling. Hint: it's all in our famous limited-edition ice cream design.

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This is the Breakaway Benefit:

• Gravel and Mountain Bike Rides for ALL: Enjoy Connecticut's most beautiful and scenic roads during fully supported rides of different lengths. Our Gravel Sampler is perfect for a beginner to novice rider and is fully marked, so there is no need for a navigation device if you don't have one. The Big Scoop offers fun for riders of all abilities but is a bit longer - ride at your own pace or have fun cruising around with friends - just remember, roads are open to traffic.  Mountain bikers, will be riding the beautiful trails at Norbrook Farm Brewery with ride lengths of multiple distances; expect routes as short as 5 miles and as long as 12. We will have two coach-led routes so need to memorize the trails.
• A Theme to Remember: Check out this last year's famed and unique Breakaway Benefit Ice Cream Kit, which will serve as inspiration for all of our other swag items available at different levels (more info below in the fundraising packet)
• Festival: This isn't just a ride! We'll have a team tent zone, kids' games, product vendors, and more bike-focused fun to keep you entertained throughout the day. CCAP staff, along with a DJ/live music, will be on hand to lead the fun!
• Delicious Food and Drink: Riders are welcome to enjoy a light, pre-ride arrangement of pastries and coffee, then we will kick off the ride with a quick ceremony of Fundraising Awards (including top fundraiser and top junior fundraiser)! Enjoy the ride and then join us for lunch, a live DJ, and games to celebrate their riding, fundraising, and accomplishments.
• Route Files: 2026 routes here, 2027 coming soon…
• Want to volunteer? Please visit our Volunteer Page to sign up! All volunteers will receive complimentary breakfast, and lunch after the ride! No fundraising is required for volunteers, however, it is encouraged. For volunteer questions, please reach out to volunteer@ctcyclingadvancement.com.

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The Breakaway Benefit Ride is dedicated to the memory of David Hoyle; and honors him with our ever-changing ice cream design. As the Executive Director of CCAP, Dave was tirelessly working to provide kids and their families with the opportunity to ride bikes. He was an advocate for the sport, a healthy lifestyle, and embodied the highest level of humility and kindness to all whom he came across. He will forever be in our hearts.

Please join us in celebrating Dave and the wonderful impact he had on the Connecticut cycling community with a fun, family-filled day on bikes!

Those who want to fundraise in memory of Dave and ride are encouraged to do so by signing up for any ride distance and rising above and beyond the fundraising requirement! Those who DO NOT wish to ride but want to attend are encouraged to volunteer or sign up for the non-cyclist fundraising category.

#ridelikedave

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Timed Segment Details

Individual Timing Details: The Breakaway Benefit Gravel rides are as competitive as you want them to be, rip it, ride it, or just have fun. Participation is not required to ride. Keep in mind, this is not a race; it's a fundraising ride. Roads, while lightly trafficked, are open to traffic, so riders MUST abide by all local traffic laws (don't run stop signs, cross the center-line of the road, etc). Details for fondo style timed segments:

• 5 Timed Segments (1-2 Miles in length)
• Results are the lowest cumulative time through all segments - riders must complete all 5 segments to be eligible for awards
• Segment Start/Finish will be marked with signage
• Top 3 Men / Women awards for Big Scoop Gravel
• Winner recognition for Individual Junior Boys/Girls (U19); 45+ Men/Women; 55+ Men/Women for Big Scoop Gravel
• Breakaway Gravel Sampler segment results are for fun
• Preview timed segments here
• Team Competition - Bring your Teammates (more details below)!

Team Competition Details: There will be a team competition. To be eligible, each member must register with their team affiliation. Team membership will be determined based on the ‘Team/Club/Company’ field during BikeReg checkout. Please ensure all team members use the same name for your team.

Rules are as follows: 

• Men and Women categories.
• Men must have a minimum of four riders; women must have a minimum of three riders.
• There is no maximum number of riders one team can have. Bring everyone.
• Only riders who enter and complete the Big Scoop course and all five timed segments by 2 p.m. will be scored
• The time of the fourth fastest rider of each men’s team in each segment will be used for scoring. The aggregate of those scores will be tabulated for the team’s result.
• Only the time of the third fastest rider of each women’s team in each segment will be used for scoring. The aggregate of those scores will be tabulated for the team’s result.
• Any combination of riders on a team can be scored. For example, a team may have different riders scoring in each segment.
• The overall individual results have no bearing on the team competition.
• Only one men’s and one women’s team will be awarded the team competition.

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Check out photos from last year's Breakaway Benefit

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