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Surely unless you're at a world champs or Olympics, everyone is always competing at a certain level/handicap, be it BC category, age group, within your club, etc? As long as those taking part agree and understand this, and don't misrepresent it or cheat. So if, I don't know, retired Paula Radcliffe turned up at and won the Brighton half marathon she'd have won a race. A local race, where there'd be decent club runners at the front and people in gorilla outfits at the back, but as long as she didn't claim it was anything it wasn't, and there was some degree of competition (she didn't win by a mile) where's the problem? I'm not suggesting a sportive is a race though.
chez_jay-
I'm not sure we disagree with each other at all. I don't have any issue with for example Paula R showing up to a local funrun and crushing all comers and then sharing a Lucozade with all the marketing execs and recruitment specialist who just showed up to stave off heart disease. Dani King going to Red Hook was our own sweet fixie version of this (if you ask me).
I feel like what this gran fondo/sportiv biz is all about is those who are riding as if it's a race, training as if it's a race and taking the 'results' as if it was a race. But there are no prizes, no points, no one is going to get 'scouted' - it's just for bragging rights. Which is stupid because that's what Instagram is for in the first place. Go on a ride, brag and start influencing. Right?
youramericanlover
Gran Fondos and sportives are "won" by ex-pros because they still love cycling but ride these events because they know their racing days are over. Otherwise they'd be racing in, you know, races.