Athletes´Choice Awards: best GFNYs 2023

Written by GFNY on February 22, 2024.

Category winners and rankings are based on post race surveys

 

 

New York City, February 22, 2024 – GFNY announces the 2023 top 3 best events as voted by the riders based on post-race surveys that all riders receive. The surveys  capture rankings as well as open feedback.  

“La corsa la fanno i corridori is GFNY’s motto: the racers make the race,” says GFNY President Lidia Fluhme. “And the racers also tell us what they like best about the GFNYs. It serves our race organizers as a reward – but even more so it provides riders unbiased info on which races to choose based on what’s important to them.”

 

Best Event Overall:  

First Place: GFNY Grand Ballon (France)

Second Place: GFNY Republica Dominicana

Third Place:  GFNY Cozumel (Mexico)

 

Best Race Destination:  

First Place: GFNY La Fortuna (Costa Rica)

Runner up: GFNY Bento Goncalves (Brazil)

 

Best Course:  

First Place: GFNY Villard de Lans (France)

Runner up: GFNY Chile

 

Best Finish Festival:  

First Place: GFNY Cannes (France)

Runner up: GFNY Bali

 

Best Race Communication:  

First Place: GFNY Cozumel (Mexico)

Runner up: GFNY Colonia (Uruguay)

 

Best Year-Round Activities:  

First Place: GFNY New York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Cusco (Peru)

 

Best Race Week Activities: 

First Place: GFNY Punta del Este (Uruguay)

Runner up: GFNY Uppsala (Sweden)

 

Best Packet Pickup and Expo:  

First Place: GFNY Zapopan (Mexico)

Runner up: GFNY Florida Sebring (USA)

 

Best Start Area:  

First Place: GFNY New York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Grand Ballon (France)

 

Best Aid Stations:  

First Place: GFNY La Vaujany (France)

Runner up: GFNY Maryland Cambridge (USA)

 

Best Course Organization:  

First Place: GFNY New York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet (France)

 

Best Finish Line: 

First Place: GFNY Republica Dominicana

Runner up: GFNY Alpes Vaujany (France)

 

Best New Race:  

First Place: GFNY Pennsylvania York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Maryland Cambridge (USA)

 

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

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,

Brands confirmed for NYC Bike Expo

Written by GFNY on February 21, 2024.

The 12th edition on May 17/18 is part of GFNY NYC and the new GP NYC pro race

 

 

New York City, February 21, 2024 –NYC Bike Expo returns for its 12th annual edition. The road cycling show will attract visitors who are avid road cyclists, endurance athletes and cycling fans. 

NYC Expo serves as mandatory in-person packet pick up for the riders competing at the Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC. The expo also attracts thousands of non-GFNY participants and is open to the public and free admission. With the new addition of the international GP NYC pro race to the weekend, even more visitors are expected this year. Confirmed for the expo are brands like BMC, Specialized, Ekoi and Elite. 

“Because most sales are done online today, B2C expos are more critical to business success than they have been in the past,” says GFNY President Lidia Fluhme. “Expos provide the vital in-person contact that has become so rare in our industry. Riders get to try out products, quiz company staff and buy right then and there.”

For the fourth year, the expo will be held in Fort Lee, NJ, where it will be located directly at the center of Michelob ULTRA GFNY NYC and Gran Premio NYC headquarters during race week. Visitors benefit from a prime location with easy access from America’s most-traveled bike route on Hudson Terrace in Fort Lee, NJ. 

Exhibitors have the option to exhibit 2 or 3 days. The pre-race expo lasts 2 days: Friday & Saturday, May 17-18. There is an additional, optional exhibition day on race day, Sunday, May 19.

Companies are invited to contact Santiago at to reserve any remaining booth space.

 

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

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,

Granfondo & Pro Racing

WRITTEN BY CHRIS GEISER & ULI FLUHME

The Racers make the Race

When Mattia Gaffuri woke on May 21, 2023, we can only speculate what he was thinking. He may have been doing a systems check on himself, “legs, stomach, lungs – check”, or he may have been thinking about breakfast (no doubt fully planned the night before), about getting to the race, about his bike, or pinning his number on his jersey. But based on his performance that day, there is another theory. “Arrive alone”.

 

To say that Gaffuri put on a show in the last 40 miles of the 2023 edition of GFNY World Championship NYC would be an understatement. In fact, in the first ten miles, Gaffuri announced his presence to the large group forming at the front, and let everyone in that group know that it was his race to lose. The gauntlet was dropped, and while there were some challenges, Gaffuri and the entire SWATT Club team made it clear that this was a demonstration of pro strategies, and pro tactics, at an elite amateur level.

 

There were no team cars, no race radio, no convoys of support vehicles. Only the vehicles of the race commissaires, the motos with cameras, and the riders themselves. The stakes never higher in a GFNY or any granfondo ever run like this, the riders were racing for a chance to race with Continental pros in a UCI 1.2 race Gran Premio NYC on the third Sunday in May, 2024. Only the top 6 finishers would make that cut. All the while a field of thousands, including those elites who would fight hard but not make the top 6, were achieving their granfondo goals on the heels of the front groups and some finishers stretching back for hours – but finishing a grueling course – to put their own mark on their cycling dreams.

 

There was no shortage of talent in the front group. Former and current pros all on the rivet for a chance at getting a glance from other pro squads in the first UCI race of its kind in the World’s greatest city.
    

 

Pro Is As Pro Does

Minus all the bells and whistles of what most think of in a professional race, the racers of SWATT Club went to work. Coming in numbers and working for both the men and women of the team alike, SWATT Club set a tone of professionalism within the peloton that the other leaders had to react to. Taking their chances one by one, and sometimes in small groups, Miguel Arroyo launched a solo attack and built as much as a two minute lead before being caught by Gaffuri on one of the last big climbs of the day, Cheesecote, a long 40 miles from the finish line in Fort Lee, NJ.

 

Gaffuri’s run to the finish line had officially been launched. One can only speculate the thought process, later confirmed in finish line interviews, “arrive alone”. Having been pipped at the line in a sprint in 2022 by Luca Vergallito (racing World Tour now for Alpecin – Deceuninck), Gaffuri traveled from Italy with his teammates with one clear intention. Win the race our way. Work to our strengths as a team, and then to Gaffuri’s strengths as an individual racer. With the group Gaffuri left behind struggling to organize, and with his SWATT Club teammates doing their best to defend their captain’s lead, Arroyo sank back to the group and then came off the back. Gaffuri just continued to push, a long individual time trial away from taking the top step of the podium, and continued to take time out of the group. 1 minute, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, and finally 7 minutes. With roughly ten miles to go the race director’s car announced to the broadcast booth that “they won’t catch him now”. It was over, and now the race for the other five spots in the GFNY team for Gran Premio had begun.

 

Gaffuri crossed the line alone. Seven full minutes ahead of the second and third place racers. SWATT Club and Gaffuri had done their collective jobs (also bringing Women’s winner Chiara Doni to the line a scant 16 minutes after Gaffuri). The plan had been executed to perfection demonstrating the esprit de core of the team, and probably without thinking about it the proof of granfondo as the forum and format for developing cycling pros.

 

The Future of Pro Cycling – The Proof

Here in this space we have been discussing granfondo as the future of pro cycling for over four years. We have covered it from a number of angles that focus on the similarities of what racers will face in UCI competition on the Continental and World Tour level, and the traps that pro cycling is falling into in trying to become more relevant to mass audience TV broadcasts.

 

While road racing in the U.S. has taken significant steps back, granfondo is continuing to step forward. Albeit slowly. Organizers that have for years tacked the “granfondo” label on events that fall short of the authenticity of the sport in and of itself (think bike tour or maybe timed climbs vs end-to-end race timing), have sold the sport short. Several are now waking up to the fact that the challenges a developing pro faces in a true granfondo format are what a contracted pro will face in the monuments and one day races and in some of the more challenging mountain stages in the Continental and World Tour circuits.

 

Gaffuri and SWATT Club have proven the model. Bringing pro tactics and strategies to a true granfondo format race, they comported themselves as pros. Planning for every contingency (or so it appears in retrospect – there may have been some moments of panic or adaptation to circumstances on the road that we may never know), respected the course and the competition, and executed their plan. The rest of the elite field were hit with the shock and awe of team tactics, and likely will not miss the next chance to try to bring the same investment of strategy and tactics to put their best foot forward.  For Gaffuri, and those that managed to finish top six in the field, they have earned the  chance for pro team directors and UCI officials to see what they can do in Gran Premio.

Epilogue

The question may spring to mind, “why the UCI pro race if granfondo is the future of pro cycling?” See above. What Gran Premio puts on display is the ability to advance racers of capability into the pro ranks while using granfondo as the proving ground. Six racers will advance to Gran Premio. Countless more will race GFNY fifteen minutes later, for the chance to put their talent on display, develop themselves as racers, and perhaps even catch the attention of the pro teams that are watching.  This is granfondo talking the talk, and walking the walk, of fostering a format for racing that is sustainable and creates an outstanding racing experience for current or aspiring pros, and enthusiasts alike.

 

It’s not built for mass media. It’s built to keep road racing alive and thriving, and to provide a mixed field of elites and amateurs currently rivaled only by marathon running.  

Read more:
What Pro Cycling Development is Missing
Granfondo – The Future Path of Pro Cycling
Rethinking Cycling’s Future

 

 

Athletes’ Choice Awards 2023

 

You chose your favorites! The day after any GFNY, all finishers get an email with a post-race survey that captures rankings as well as feedback. We absolutely do read the surveys – thank you for sharing your feedback, it helps us to continue to improve and evolve the experience!

If you take part in a race but do not receive a survey email in the days immediately following the race, you can go to your gfny.cc account and you can access the survey link from there.

 

Here are the GFNY Athletes’ Choice Awards 2023 results:

Best Event Overall:  

First Place: GFNY Grand Ballon (France)

Second Place: GFNY Republica Dominicana

Third Place:  GFNY Cozumel (Mexico)

 

Best Race Destination:  

First Place: GFNY La Fortuna (Costa Rica)

Runner up: GFNY Bento Goncalves (Brazil)

 

Best Course:  

First Place: GFNY Villard de Lans (France)

Runner up: GFNY Chile

 

Best Finish Festival:  

First Place: GFNY Cannes (France)

Runner up: GFNY Bali

 

Best Race Communication:  

First Place: GFNY Cozumel (Mexico)

Runner up: GFNY Colonia (Uruguay)

 

Best Year-Round Activities:  

First Place: GFNY New York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Cusco (Peru)

 

Best Race Week Activities: 

First Place: GFNY Punta del Este (Uruguay)

Runner up: GFNY Uppsala (Sweden)

 

Best Packet Pickup and Expo:  

First Place: GFNY Zapopan (Mexico)

Runner up: GFNY Florida Sebring (USA)

 

Best Start Area:  

First Place: GFNY New York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Grand Ballon (France)

 

Best Aid Stations:  

First Place: GFNY La Vaujany (France)

Runner up: GFNY Maryland Cambridge (USA)

 

Best Course Organization:  

First Place: GFNY New York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet (France)

 

Best Finish Line: 

First Place: GFNY Republica Dominicana

Runner up: GFNY Alpes Vaujany (France)

 

Best New Race:  

First Place: GFNY Pennsylvania York (USA)

Runner up: GFNY Maryland Cambridge (USA)

 

Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling at Gran Premio New York City

Written by GFNY on February 14, 2024.

On May 19, 2024, 180 pro cyclists will start 15 minutes ahead of the GFNY mass participation race with thousands of riders

 

 

NEW YORK CITY, February 14, 2024 – The inaugural UCI 1.2 men elite pro race Gran Premio New York City will be held on May 19, 2024 on the same course and same day as the 12th annual mass participation race Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC. 

 

The teams

25 teams from over 15 countries will make GP NYC an exciting race. European Pro Tour teams with Grand Tour pedigree will lead the field, followed by Continental Pro teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia. Local Pro teams receiving wild cards will round out the field and get to measure themselves with the best. 

 

Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling (USA)

Continental Pro Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling from Pennsylvania is joining the list of participating teams. 

“Our goals for the race are to represent our partners in a manner that makes everybody proud to be associated with us and the race,” says team director Nick Baird. “And we also hope to score a top result along the way!”

“We’re getting lots of requests from high level international teams,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “But being a US race, we are makingx sure the US pro teams get to show on home turf what they can do in a stacked field. Welcome Team Skyline!”

 

Already announced Teams:

Pro Tour

VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè (ITA)

Continental Pro

Trinity Racing (UK)

Project Echelon Racing (USA)

Hustle Pro Cycling (Canada)

Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling (USA)

Elite 

Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii (Canada)

 

Stay tuned for the next announcements.

 

World premiere

Holding a professional and mass-participation race at the same time on the same course is an event format never held before in cycling, although it’s commonly done in running and triathlon. GFNY is taking a revolutionary step to bring professional and mass participation racing together to augment both race fields and take advantage of existing operations, logistics and exposure. 

 

The course

In this revolutionary format for cycling, the 180 pros from 25 teams will line up 15 minutes before the thousands of amateurs on the closed-to-traffic lower level of the world’s busiest bridge, George Washington Bridge on May 19, 2024. 

Both the pro and amateur races are held on the same one-loop course of 85 miles (137 km) and 6,500ft (2000m) of climbing that has the characteristics of a Belgian spring classic which favors allrounders.

The start area looking over the NYC skyline, suspended over the Hudson River, with upbeat music, interviews, announcements and pre-race excitement offers the most amazing race start in cycling.

The course passes through charming towns, beautiful nature and challenging climbs of Bergen County and Rockland County and the metropolitan life of the world’s capital, New York City.

The race’s finish line and post-race festival are located in Fort Lee, NJ, providing easy access to NYC, airports, hotels, restaurants, highways, and more. 

 

Homestays

Homestays have long been a mainstay of endurance sports. For families interested in assisting an athlete from out of town, GFNY is seeking out and coordinating the homestays for pro riders.  

Hosting a pro is a great opportunity to see how they prepare for the race. It helps the smaller teams to cope with the accommodation costs involved with attending a distant race, and often a homestay is the difference between being able to come to the race or not. Following the pro’s race day on the live broadcast, seeing their good and bad moments and hearing their post-race stories gives the host a deeper connection to the race.

 

Sponsorship

The format of this event, with a professional race and a large-scale international mass participation race taking place on the same course at the same time, is providing an unparalleled exposure opportunity.

Cycling embodies the two most relevant topics of our time: health and the environment. GFNY adds to your company as a brand concerned with and engaged in these topics.

If your company or organization is interested to align with this modern health & eco brand, GFNY, as well as be a part of this revolutionary, inaugural, unparalleled event, please reach out to GFNY. There are a variety of experiential, engagement and visibility opportunities available, both in-person and via the live broadcast.

 

More news to come

As GFNY prepares for this ground-breaking race format, more news about the race is going to be shared. Stay tuned in the GFNY facebook page, on instagram, subscribe to GFNY email newsletters by going to gfny.com and providing your email address.

Website: gpnyc.gfny.com

 

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.

 

Further Material for Media Use

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,

Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling at Gran Premio New York City

Written by GFNY on February 14, 2024.

On May 19, 2024, 180 pro cyclists will start 15 minutes ahead of the GFNY mass participation race with thousands of riders

 

 

NEW YORK CITY, February 14, 2024 – The inaugural UCI 1.2 men elite pro race Gran Premio New York City will be held on May 19, 2024 on the same course and same day as the 12th annual mass participation race Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC. 

 

The teams

25 teams from over 15 countries will make GP NYC an exciting race. European Pro Tour teams with Grand Tour pedigree will lead the field, followed by Continental Pro teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia. Local Pro teams receiving wild cards will round out the field and get to measure themselves with the best. 

 

Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling (USA)

Continental Pro Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling from Pennsylvania is joining the list of participating teams. 

“Our goals for the race are to represent our partners in a manner that makes everybody proud to be associated with us and the race,” says team director Nick Baird. “And we also hope to score a top result along the way!”

“We’re getting lots of requests from high level international teams,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “But being a US race, we are makingx sure the US pro teams get to show on home turf what they can do in a stacked field. Welcome Team Skyline!”

 

Already announced Teams:

Pro Tour

VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè (ITA)

Continental Pro

Trinity Racing (UK)

Project Echelon Racing (USA)

Hustle Pro Cycling (Canada)

Team Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling (USA)

Elite 

Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii (Canada)

 

Stay tuned for the next announcements.

 

World premiere

Holding a professional and mass-participation race at the same time on the same course is an event format never held before in cycling, although it’s commonly done in running and triathlon. GFNY is taking a revolutionary step to bring professional and mass participation racing together to augment both race fields and take advantage of existing operations, logistics and exposure. 

 

The course

In this revolutionary format for cycling, the 180 pros from 25 teams will line up 15 minutes before the thousands of amateurs on the closed-to-traffic lower level of the world’s busiest bridge, George Washington Bridge on May 19, 2024. 

Both the pro and amateur races are held on the same one-loop course of 85 miles (137 km) and 6,500ft (2000m) of climbing that has the characteristics of a Belgian spring classic which favors allrounders.

The start area looking over the NYC skyline, suspended over the Hudson River, with upbeat music, interviews, announcements and pre-race excitement offers the most amazing race start in cycling.

The course passes through charming towns, beautiful nature and challenging climbs of Bergen County and Rockland County and the metropolitan life of the world’s capital, New York City.

The race’s finish line and post-race festival are located in Fort Lee, NJ, providing easy access to NYC, airports, hotels, restaurants, highways, and more. 

 

Homestays

Homestays have long been a mainstay of endurance sports. For families interested in assisting an athlete from out of town, GFNY is seeking out and coordinating the homestays for pro riders.  

Hosting a pro is a great opportunity to see how they prepare for the race. It helps the smaller teams to cope with the accommodation costs involved with attending a distant race, and often a homestay is the difference between being able to come to the race or not. Following the pro’s race day on the live broadcast, seeing their good and bad moments and hearing their post-race stories gives the host a deeper connection to the race.

 

Sponsorship

The format of this event, with a professional race and a large-scale international mass participation race taking place on the same course at the same time, is providing an unparalleled exposure opportunity.

Cycling embodies the two most relevant topics of our time: health and the environment. GFNY adds to your company as a brand concerned with and engaged in these topics.

If your company or organization is interested to align with this modern health & eco brand, GFNY, as well as be a part of this revolutionary, inaugural, unparalleled event, please reach out to GFNY. There are a variety of experiential, engagement and visibility opportunities available, both in-person and via the live broadcast.

 

More news to come

As GFNY prepares for this ground-breaking race format, more news about the race is going to be shared. Stay tuned in the GFNY facebook page, on instagram, subscribe to GFNY email newsletters by going to gfny.com and providing your email address.

Website: gpnyc.gfny.com

 

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.

 

Further Material for Media Use

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,

GFNY announces second race in Brazil

Written by GFNY on February 14, 2024.

GFNY is back in Conservatória on August 4, 2024

 

 

GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series brings GFNY Conservatória back to the 2024 race schedule on August 4 after a five year hiatus. The competitive long distance is 130.1km with 2533m of climbing.  Start and finish will be hosted at Rua das Flores.    This route will lead riders through coffee plantations and then on rolling green hills offering breathtaking views.

“We’re very happy to be back in Conservatoria,” says GFNY President Lidia Fluhme. “With its proximity to Rio de Janeiro yet being in spectacular nature, Conservatoria is an ideal host for GFNY. It’s the perfect weekend getaway for riders and their families.”

Conservatória is one of the five districts within the municipality of Valença and is located in a picturesque region that was the heart of Brazil’s coffee industry in the mid 1800s.  “The CIty of Serenades” is also known for its stunning nature with rolling green hills, waterfalls and rainforest covered mountains.

 

Website: conservatoria.gfny.com

 

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 Conservatória 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,

GFNY announces GFNY Conservatória

Written by GFNY on February 14, 2024.

GFNY announces GFNY Conservatória
August 4, 2024

 

 

The Courses

 

GFNY Conservatória is a mountain race that takes on three major climbs and will test your strength and endurance, while also taking in five main tourism landmarks of Conservatória. Race along a breathtaking route over hills and along forests, rivers and lush nature as far as the eye can see. The race features fully closed roads, with both the long and medium route riders taking on a triangular loop before the long route riders split off for a mountain climb out-and-back section.

GFNY Conservatória starts and finishes at the historic train station on Rua das Flores, which connected Conservatória with other commercial partners in the coffee trade. From there, an incredible 72km loop to the east towards Valença and south towards Barra do Piraí before returning back to Conservatória.

At KM 1.5, you’ll pass the entrance gates to the India Waterfall, Cachoeira da Índia. After several undulating hills, the first major climb starts at 7km, the Serra Fazenda Veneza climb, which is 2.5km long, 187m of elevation, 7% average and 14% maximum incline. This early climb will thin out the competition a little, but the next 22km are undulating and then a 20km net descent with rolling hills that will bunch the groups back together.

At KM 50 is where things start to get serious. Serra de Ipiabas is a 5.5km climb with 338m of elevation gain, 7% average and 15% maximum incline. At 700 masl, views of hills and valleys start unfolding themselves in the distance. In the town of Ipiabas, there is another 10km of rolling hills before 7km rolling net descent back to Conservatória.

At KM 71.5, you will ride through the historic, cobbled Maria Nossar Tunnel, a 100m-long railway tunnel built in 1883. It’s most often referred to as the Tunnel that Weeps, Tunel Que Chora, due to the nearby natural spring that seeps through the rocks. Shortly after the tunnel is the course split, where medium route riders reach their finish line back at the Conservatória train station and long route riders continue on their journey.

From KM 72, long route riders start Conservatória’s mythical climb, Serra da Beleza, which is 11.5km kong, 415m of climbing, 3.2% average and 14% maximum incline. The climb starts gentle, the group will push the pace and some riders will drop off. When you reach the impressive Ponte dos Arcos, which was a railway bridge built in 1883, you will know you’ve reached the half way point. It’s here the incline kicks up and the combined climbing of the day starts to take its toll on your legs. Reaching 900m masl, the views from the top of Serra da Beleza are jaw dropping, you’ll need to decide whether to keep racing or pause for a moment to enjoy this magnificent view (while also giving your legs some recovery).

From the top at KM 84, there is a 7km downhill section, then 20km of rolling hills until starting the climb up the back side of Serra da Beleza. By then your legs will be hurting, with just one goal in mind: KM 118, which is the end of the climb and the incredible views to enjoy one more time.

From the top of Serra da Beleza, it’s a joyful, fast 12km descent back to the finish line in Conservatória, a well-earned post-race meal, great beer and lively festivities and awards in the Praça Getúlio Vargas, the main city center square of Conservatória.

 

 

Long Route – 130.1 km / 2533 m+

 

Medium Route – 72 km / 1330 m+

 

About Conservatória

 

 

Conservatória, known for its stunning nature with rolling green hills, waterfalls and rainforest-covered mountains, is located in a picturesque region that was the heart of Brazil’s coffee industry in the mid 1800s. Much of the architecture of the colonial era still remains, with farms (Fazenda) that were formerly elegant coffee plantations that have been repurposed into tourism estates.

Conservatória is one of five districts within the municipality of Valença, and is referred to as the “Music Capital of Brazil” due to its thriving music scene, with live music performances in local bars and restaurants, as well as at music festivals that are hosted throughout the year. Conservatória’s colonial architecture has been well-preserved throughout the town, with colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, cultural centers, markets and museums paying homage to the history of the region. Take a stroll through the historic center of Conservatória and enjoy the culture of this charming town.

Brazil’s Vale do Café, located in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro, once produced 75% of the world’s coffee and still continues its coffee growing and roasting tradition. You can spend hours visiting various Fazenda for a tour, tasting, shopping or eating at their historic grand estates. Conservatória has several farms in its surroundings. Conservatória is a hidden gem in Brazil that offers a unique blend of music, nature, and culture.

In addition to all attractions that the region offers, there are wonderful roads and trails for road cycling and mountain biking, with lots of nature and safety. Conservatória is, witout a doubt, one of the best destinations in Brazil for cycling.

 

 

 

 

Getting Here

 

 

By Plane:

The closest airport to Conservatória RJ is Rio de Janeiro – Tom Jobim Internacional airport (Galeão Airport – GIG), which is 90.8 km away.

Other nearby airport is Rio de Janeiro – Santos Dumont (SDU) (104.2 km).

 

By Car:

Distances:

  • Rio de Janeiro – 143 km
  • São Paulo – 340km
  • Valença – 34km
  • Barra do Piraí – 26 km
  • Piraí – 50 km
  • Volta Redonda – 60km
  • Belo Horizonte – 403 km
  • Juiz de Fora – 147.5 km

Coming from Rio de Janeiro – access via Rod. Pres. Dutra (enter Piraí and continue to Barra do Piraí) and BR-393. Coming from São Paulo – access via Via Dutra (until Volta Redonda), BR-393 (direction Barra do Piraí until Ipiabas). Coming from BH – access via BR-040. Coming from Juiz de Fora – access via MG-353.

 

 

 

 

 

Two Canadian teams at GP New York City

Written by GFNY on February 7, 2024.

On May 19, 2024, 180 pro cyclists will start 15 minutes ahead of the GFNY mass participation race with thousands of riders

 

 

NEW YORK CITY, February 7, 2024 – The inaugural UCI 1.2 men elite pro race Gran Premio New York City will be held on May 19, 2024 on the same course and same day as the 12th annual mass participation race Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC. 

 

The teams

25 teams from over 15 countries will make GP NYC an exciting race. European Pro Tour teams with Grand Tour pedigree will lead the field, followed by Continental Pro teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia. Local Pro teams receiving wild cards will round out the field and get to measure themselves with the best. 

 

Hustle Pro Cycling and Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii  (Canada)

Continental Pro team Hustle Pro Cycling from Toronto and Montreal based Elite team Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii will represent Canada at GP NYC. 

“We’re proud to be a part of the next chapter of bike racing in NYC,” says Hustle Pro Cycling DS Ben Baker. “We’ll be looking to animate the race and make moves to get up the road. We have breakaway specialists who will love this course with lots of climbing and technical sections to launch attacks. And should it all come back together, we’re well positioned to contest the finish with Olympic track rider and designated sprinter, Michael Foley.”

Alain Cadorette brings Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii to GP NYC: “Even if the team choses by design not to move up to the Conti Pro ranks, we have shown over the past years that we are more than able to compete at that level. We are going into this race with the aggressive goal to be on the podium.”

“Our next door neighbors have always been well represented at GFNY NYC so we’re glad to welcome Canadian teams also to our new pro race,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “Whether the open race riders at GFNY NYC come from Ontario or Quebec  – now they have a team to root for at GP NYC!”

 

Already announced Teams:

 

Pro Tour

VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè (ITA)

Continental Pro

Trinity Racing (UK)

Project Echelon Racing (USA)

Hustle Pro Cycling (Canada)

Elite 

Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii (Canada)

 

Stay tuned for the next announcements.

 

World premiere

Holding a professional and mass-participation race at the same time on the same course is an event format never held before in cycling, although it’s commonly done in running and triathlon. GFNY is taking a revolutionary step to bring professional and mass participation racing together to augment both race fields and take advantage of existing operations, logistics and exposure. 

 

The course

In this revolutionary format for cycling, the 180 pros from 25 teams will line up 15 minutes before the thousands of amateurs on the closed-to-traffic lower level of the world’s busiest bridge, George Washington Bridge on May 19, 2024. 

Both the pro and amateur races are held on the same one-loop course of 85 miles (137 km) and 6,500ft (2000m) of climbing that has the characteristics of a Belgian spring classic which favors allrounders.

The start area looking over the NYC skyline, suspended over the Hudson River, with upbeat music, interviews, announcements and pre-race excitement offers the most amazing race start in cycling.

The course passes through charming towns, beautiful nature and challenging climbs of Bergen County and Rockland County and the metropolitan life of the world’s capital, New York City.

The race’s finish line and post-race festival are located in Fort Lee, NJ, providing easy access to NYC, airports, hotels, restaurants, highways, and more. 

 

Homestays

Homestays have long been a mainstay of endurance sports. For families interested in assisting an athlete from out of town, GFNY is seeking out and coordinating the homestays for pro riders.  

Hosting a pro is a great opportunity to see how they prepare for the race. It helps the smaller teams to cope with the accommodation costs involved with attending a distant race, and often a homestay is the difference between being able to come to the race or not. Following the pro’s race day on the live broadcast, seeing their good and bad moments and hearing their post-race stories gives the host a deeper connection to the race.

 

Sponsorship

The format of this event, with a professional race and a large-scale international mass participation race taking place on the same course at the same time, is providing an unparalleled exposure opportunity.

Cycling embodies the two most relevant topics of our time: health and the environment. GFNY adds to your company as a brand concerned with and engaged in these topics.

If your company or organization is interested to align with this modern health & eco brand, GFNY, as well as be a part of this revolutionary, inaugural, unparalleled event, please reach out to GFNY. There are a variety of experiential, engagement and visibility opportunities available, both in-person and via the live broadcast.

 

More news to come

As GFNY prepares for this ground-breaking race format, more news about the race is going to be shared. Stay tuned in the GFNY facebook page, on instagram, subscribe to GFNY email newsletters by going to gfny.com and providing your email address.

Website: gpnyc.gfny.com

 

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.

 

Further Material for Media Use

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,

Two Canadian teams at GP New York City

Written by GFNY on February 7, 2024.

On May 19, 2024, 180 pro cyclists will start 15 minutes ahead of the GFNY mass participation race with thousands of riders

 

 

NEW YORK CITY, February 7, 2024 – The inaugural UCI 1.2 men elite pro race Gran Premio New York City will be held on May 19, 2024 on the same course and same day as the 12th annual mass participation race Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC. 

 

The teams

25 teams from over 15 countries will make GP NYC an exciting race. European Pro Tour teams with Grand Tour pedigree will lead the field, followed by Continental Pro teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia. Local Pro teams receiving wild cards will round out the field and get to measure themselves with the best. 

 

Hustle Pro Cycling and Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii  (Canada)

Continental Pro team Hustle Pro Cycling from Toronto and Montreal based Elite team Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii will represent Canada at GP NYC. 

“We’re proud to be a part of the next chapter of bike racing in NYC,” says Hustle Pro Cycling DS Ben Baker. “We’ll be looking to animate the race and make moves to get up the road. We have breakaway specialists who will love this course with lots of climbing and technical sections to launch attacks. And should it all come back together, we’re well positioned to contest the finish with Olympic track rider and designated sprinter, Michael Foley.”

Alain Cadorette brings Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii to GP NYC: “Even if the team choses by design not to move up to the Conti Pro ranks, we have shown over the past years that we are more than able to compete at that level. We are going into this race with the aggressive goal to be on the podium.”

“Our next door neighbors have always been well represented at GFNY NYC so we’re glad to welcome Canadian teams also to our new pro race,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “Whether the open race riders at GFNY NYC come from Ontario or Quebec  – now they have a team to root for at GP NYC!”

 

Already announced Teams:

 

Pro Tour

VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè (ITA)

Continental Pro

Trinity Racing (UK)

Project Echelon Racing (USA)

Hustle Pro Cycling (Canada)

Elite 

Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii (Canada)

 

Stay tuned for the next announcements.

 

World premiere

Holding a professional and mass-participation race at the same time on the same course is an event format never held before in cycling, although it’s commonly done in running and triathlon. GFNY is taking a revolutionary step to bring professional and mass participation racing together to augment both race fields and take advantage of existing operations, logistics and exposure. 

 

The course

In this revolutionary format for cycling, the 180 pros from 25 teams will line up 15 minutes before the thousands of amateurs on the closed-to-traffic lower level of the world’s busiest bridge, George Washington Bridge on May 19, 2024. 

Both the pro and amateur races are held on the same one-loop course of 85 miles (137 km) and 6,500ft (2000m) of climbing that has the characteristics of a Belgian spring classic which favors allrounders.

The start area looking over the NYC skyline, suspended over the Hudson River, with upbeat music, interviews, announcements and pre-race excitement offers the most amazing race start in cycling.

The course passes through charming towns, beautiful nature and challenging climbs of Bergen County and Rockland County and the metropolitan life of the world’s capital, New York City.

The race’s finish line and post-race festival are located in Fort Lee, NJ, providing easy access to NYC, airports, hotels, restaurants, highways, and more. 

 

Homestays

Homestays have long been a mainstay of endurance sports. For families interested in assisting an athlete from out of town, GFNY is seeking out and coordinating the homestays for pro riders.  

Hosting a pro is a great opportunity to see how they prepare for the race. It helps the smaller teams to cope with the accommodation costs involved with attending a distant race, and often a homestay is the difference between being able to come to the race or not. Following the pro’s race day on the live broadcast, seeing their good and bad moments and hearing their post-race stories gives the host a deeper connection to the race.

 

Sponsorship

The format of this event, with a professional race and a large-scale international mass participation race taking place on the same course at the same time, is providing an unparalleled exposure opportunity.

Cycling embodies the two most relevant topics of our time: health and the environment. GFNY adds to your company as a brand concerned with and engaged in these topics.

If your company or organization is interested to align with this modern health & eco brand, GFNY, as well as be a part of this revolutionary, inaugural, unparalleled event, please reach out to GFNY. There are a variety of experiential, engagement and visibility opportunities available, both in-person and via the live broadcast.

 

More news to come

As GFNY prepares for this ground-breaking race format, more news about the race is going to be shared. Stay tuned in the GFNY facebook page, on instagram, subscribe to GFNY email newsletters by going to gfny.com and providing your email address.

Website: gpnyc.gfny.com

 

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.

 

Further Material for Media Use

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,

Partners - Global

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