Gorini and Finocchi win the inaugural edition

New York City, April 8, 2025 – The Tuscan town of Pistoia, just 20 minutes from Florence, hosted the first edition of GFNY Toscana – Pistoia this past Sunday.  The tough racecourse spanned 127 kilometers, with a total elevation gain of 1,389 meters, offering true Italian bike racing.

After a neutralized start on the Piazza del Duomo and through the old town, the peloton hit the opening flat country roads with speeds over 50 km/h. Riders from 26 countries received an early taste of granfondo racing in the country the sport was born.

When the peloton hit the tough climbs and highly technical descents on and around Montalbano, the fireworks started and a group of elven riders formed. Despite various attempts of breaking up the group, it came down to a sprint on the cobbles up to the Piazza del Duomo. There, Alessio Finocchi (ASD Team Stefan) outgunned Albania’s Mikel Demiri (Team MG K-VIS) and Emanuele Labate (ASD Team Stefan) in a time of 3:18:37. 

With his win, Finocchi punched his ticket to race the UCI professional race Gran Premio New York City on May 18 as part of Team GFNY. 100 pros will race the GFNY NYC course just 10 minutes ahead of the amateurs. And the champions of several GFNYs this year get a taste of racing pro as part of the GFNY Pro team. 

In the women’s race, Michela Gorini (Team Santini Squadra Force) won with a time of 3:33:58, finishing five minutes ahead of second-place finisher Michela Santini (ASD Team Stefan), who had previously finished third at GFNY Cannes. Federica Baldassatici completed the all-Italian podium in third place, further solidifying the dominance of Italian cyclists in the event.

Next up on the GFNY calendar is the second edition of GFNY Miami which will take place Sunday, April 13, 2025.

About GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series

GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series is a sports event company with three decades of experience in racing, 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

Dozens of races 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 event.

Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC

The 13th annual Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 18, 2025. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. It is so international that 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 Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC website is NYC.GFNY.COM.

Cycling – Pro Racing

At Gran Premio New York City, professional teams race the same course as riders at the Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC – but with a 10-minute head start. The second edition will be held on May 18, 2025.

Adding a women’s pro race would elevate the event further. The proposed format would have women starting 45 minutes ahead of the men’s pro race, giving them their own stage. However, the extended road closures required for this addition increase costs by $100,000.

For those interested in supporting women’s racing, GFNY is inviting companies and organizations to help sponsor this important addition. Contact GFNY to discuss partnership opportunities.

The official Gran Premio New York City website is GP.GFNY.COM.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY Pistoia 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,