Marshall and Dagreat win the inaugural edition

New York City, December 13, 2023 – Kota Kinabalu, Sabah hosted the inaugural edition of GFNY Kota Kinabalu this past Sunday. The race course was a 130.2 km long course with 1109m of climbing. 

Sabah’s Youth and Sports Minister YB Datuk Ellron Angin, sent the GFNY riders on their way with  80 police officers, 30 police motos and 20 medical assistance vehicles securing the race for the riders to BE A PRO FOR A DAY.

Under clear skies with perfect temperatures, the race started off fast. It was at km 45 when a group of five riders made the break from the peloton.  Steve Marshall (United Kingdom) took the solo win in 03:27:37, ahead of Muhammad Azwar (Brunei) and local Nicklos Minol, who closed the podium in a tight sprint.

The female race  was decided in a sprint finish where local rider Izzura Dagreat won in 3:40:55, followed by GFNY Kuala Lumpur 2023 champion Lucy Richardson (United Kingdom) and Anna Fritz (Germany).

About GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series

GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series is a sports event company with three decades of experience in racing and planning and organizing events. The global endurance sports brand hosts multiple events throughout the year around the world on five continents.

Working with partners around the world to deliver a first-class experience, GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series puts its athletes first.

The official GFNY website is: gfny.com.

Cycling – Mass Participation

30-plus events held around the world. View the latest calendar here

Riders get to BE A PRO FOR A DAY ® by competing against others, themselves and the clock in a personal endurance challenge.

Top 10% (20% at regional championships) of finishers in each age group qualify for the Elite Qualifier Corral at every GFNY World event.

GFNY World Championship NYC

The 12th annual GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 19, 2024. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. It is so international, it’s often described as the United Nations of cycling. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY World Championship NYC website is: nyc.gfny.com.

Cycling – Pro Racing

Gran Premio New York City is the inaugural UCI 1.2 pro race on May 19, 2024. 25 professional teams will race the same course as riders at the Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC – but with a 15 minute head start.

Running Marathons

GFNY Marathons bring the same concept and quality of the cycling races to running, whether it’s giving each runner a BE A PRO FOR A DAY experience, providing the mandatory-to-wear high-end singlet or the family-friendly destinations and organized races. GFNY Marathons are officially measured half- and full-marathon courses and as such, serve as qualifiers for Boston, NYC and the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

View the latest calendar here

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY Kota Kinabalu video: here

GFNY Press Images: here 

GFNY Results: here

GFNY World calendar graphic: here

Previous GFNY press releases: here

Media Contact

Gran Fondo New York Inc.

Uli Fluhme,

Caroline Lindsay,