Sept. 10 Closer to Free to combine in-person and remote rides

Registration for the 2022, 12th annual Closer to Free (CTF) ride Sept. 10 is now open, and Yale New Haven Health employees are eligible for a registration fee discount. 

COVID-19 prompted organizers to make the 2020 and 2021 rides entirely virtual, but this year, riders will have the option of pedaling the official CTF routes in-person, or joining in from their neighborhoods, living rooms or any other location for a remote ride.

In-person riders will again gather at the Yale Bowl for the start of their journeys, and ride past Smilow Cancer Hospital for the beloved “Smilow salute.” In-person participants may ride 10, 25, 40, 65 or 100 miles; remote riders may ride any distance.

To register and for information on riding, fundraising, training, volunteering and more, visit rideclosertofree.org. All Yale New Haven employee riders receive half off the registration fee (employees pay $50 for adults and $25 for students/youth). Use the code EMPLOYEE22 and provide your employee ID number at registration.

As in past years, 100 percent of funds raised will be donated to Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center. Last year, 2,213 riders raised $2.15 million.