Last week there was community uproar after L'Etape Australia released maps showing the only road in and out of Kangaroo Valley would be closed for seven hours on March 20 to allow the L'Etape bike race to take place.

Some residents said the map was the first they had heard of road closures.

When L'Etape was asked for comment, race director Florent Malézieux said L'Etape expected local community groups, including the business chamber, to keep residents informed.

"We relied on community groups like the Berry Forum, Berry Chamber of Commerce and Kangaroo Valley Chamber of Commerce," he said.

"We cannot knock on everyone's door so we rely on key community groups and also did a letterbox drop in October.

"Once we were in touch with the chamber, we don't double check that they send that information out."

However, Mrs Pitt said the chamber had been invited to just one information session with L'Etape, and had not had any direct communication from L'Etape since that meeting.

"I have been chamber president since August of last year and have never had any correspondence from L'Etape indicating that they expected us to take on a community liason role," she said.

"If somebody wants to say our chamber was remiss, I don't think we were."

Mrs Pitt said no one was to blame the stress and confusion surrounding the road closures.

"They always said the road would be closed, but I think in the back of most people's minds was the assumption that the race would just whizz through town," she said.

"I think COVID made communication difficult as well."

READ MORE:

However, local business owner Martin Stones said he knew nothing about the road closure until last week.

Mr Stone runs Kangaroo Valley Safaris, an eco tourism business that organises overnight camping adventures and day adventures on the Kangaroo Valley River system.

"The weekend of the 20th of March is one of our busier weekends for our overnight trips," he said.

"We often have six to eight people working over the weekend who rely on us for their income.

"The L'Etape bike race which is closing the road through Kangaroo Valley is going make it impossible to carry out our business and overnight trips for the whole weekend.

"We only found out about the closure last week via facebook of all things. There has been no correspondence prior to this time."

Mr Stone said the economic hit was one many local businesses were not in a position to take after bushfires and COVID-19 restrictions.

He queried why the race could not be held during the quieter winter months, and why there had not been broader community consultation about the road closures.