GFNY Kota Kinabalu is GFNY´s 6th race in Asia in 2023

GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series adds GFNY Kota Kinabalu, scheduled for December 10, 2023. It’s one of now six GFNY races in Asia aside from the Indonesian races in Bali and Mandalika, Krabi and Khao Yai in Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. 

The competitive long distance is 135.3km with 1397m of climbing with start and finish at Sabah State Administrative Centre (PPNS), Borneo´s second tallest building.  The course will take riders along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, a coastal road that skirts the Likas Bay into the city of Kota Kinabalu and up short but serious climbs of Jalan Kolam Minintod.  Riders will get a glimpse of the infamous Mount Kinabalu while enjoying a very challenging climb.

“Offering GFNY riders in Asia more local race opportunities has been one of our major goals,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “Our teams in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia make dreams come true for road cyclists. GFNY Kota Kinabalu on Borneo is widening the net of GFNYs in South East Asia and brings a race closer to many riders.”

“When we started GFNY World in 2014 with the first races outside NYC, we made it our goal to bring a GFNY near any rider in the world. While we have come a long way and GFNY is now the world’s largest mass participation cycling series, we keep working relentlessly to come closer and closer to our goal.”

Kota Kinabalu is a coastal city surrounded by rainforest, capital of Sabah in the northern part of the island of Borneo.  It is known for its bustling markets, modern boardwalk, beaches and waterfront city mosque.  It is also a gateway to UNESCO World Heritage Kinabalu National Park, the home of 4,095m high Mount Kinabalu which is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. 

Website: kotakinabalu.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, 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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

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,

The 2nd edition of GFNY Grand Ballon and 4th edition of GFNY Costa Rica will take place on Sunday, July 9

With the ever growing GFNY calendar now consisting of over 30 races, having two races on the same day is becoming more common. In 2023, there will be three Sundays where this happens.

“Obviously we’re trying to avoid date collisions on the GFNY calendar where possible, in particular for races in the same region,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “But when finding a suitable date, our internal preferences often take a backseat to local and national considerations. Either way, when we’re talking about one race being in France and one in Costa Rica like this weekend, having them on the same day is not an issue for us.”

GFNY Grand Ballon

The 2nd edition of GFNY Grand Ballon  starts from the historic town center of Thann and offers racers a 147.3 km long course with 4060m of climbing. The Vosges mountains are a staple at the Tour. Host town Thann is one of the most beautiful destinations in France and is the beginning of the Alsace Wine Route.

Website: grandballon.gfny.com

GFNY Costa Rica

The course of the 4th GFNY Costa Rica is 145.5km long with an elevation gain of 2868m.  It is a relentlessly undulating course which goes through the jungle around El Arenal Volcano.  La Fortuna is the gateway to Arenal Volcano National Park, comprising two volcanoes. The active volcano “Arenal” is still laced with lava flows. The hot springs in the area are a favorite among the racers and families for post race recovery. 

Website: costarica.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, 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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY Grand Ballon video: here

Official GFNY Costa Rica 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,

After 151 km and 3914m of climbing, the race was won by a French and a Swiss

New York City, July 5, 2023 – The alpine mountain village of Vaujany hosted the third edition of GFNY La Vaujany this past Sunday.  The racecourse was 151 km long with an elevation gain of 3914 m and included the legendary climb of L’Alpe d’Huez among other cols.

The climb up Col de la Mort right away split the peloton in three groups and proved to be the death for many racer’s hopes to win the race.  18 riders formed a lead group after cresting Col d’Ornon and heading into the lower slopes of L’Alpe d’Huez.  After several attacks, four riders escaped the main group: Jonas Vercoutter (Belgium), Alexander Banegas (France), Armin Dederichs (Switzerland) and Marco Provera (Italy). Together, they summited legendary L’Alpe d’Huez.

During the descent, the four riders worked together so it was on the final climb up to the spectacular mountain village of Vaujany where the chips were going to fall. Dederichs launched the decisive attack with 5km to go and took the win in 4:53:50 followed closely by Provera and Banegas.

In the female race, freshly crowned GFNY Villard de Lans champion Alison Chavanon (France) took the win also at GFNY La Vaujany in 6:03:03, six minutes ahead of Italians Mara Manfredi and Iride Bertone.

Next up on the GFNY calendar is a Super Sunday with two races on the same day: the 2nd edition of GFNY Grand Ballon and the 4th edition of GFNY Costa Rica will take place Sunday, July 9, 2023.

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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY La Vaujany 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,

Riders will get to race the iconic L’Alpe d’Huez climb

New York City, June 29, 2023 -This Sunday, mountain village Vaujany, located in the French Alps, will host the third edition of GFNY La Vaujany.  The challenging race course is 151 km long with an elevation gain of 3914m. Riders will tackle the lesser known Col de la Morte and Col d’Ornon before facing the mythical switchbacks of L’Alpe d’Huez. But it’s likely the final climb up to host town Vaujany that will decide the race. 

“Every cyclist dreams of riding L’Alpe d’Huez at least once in their life,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “But at GFNY, you even get to actually do it in a race, after 111km and already over 2000m of climbing. You get to experience how the pros feel tackling this legend during the Tour.”

Vaujany offers all the amenities a rider and accompanying friends and family could wish for in a mountain village destination: clean mountain air, spectacular hikes, mountain bike trails, legendary cols nearby and much more.

Website: lavaujany.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, 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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY La Vaujany 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,

Nicolas Capdepuy and Nicolien Luijsterburg prevail in the Pyrenées

New York City, June 14, 2023 – The famous pilgrimage town of Lourdes hosted the second edition of GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet this past Sunday.  The racecourse was 157 km long with an elevation gain of 4064 m and included the legendary Pyrenées climbs Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet.

The race started fast with a lead group of sixteen riders attacking Col d’Aspin together. French riders Nicolas Capdepuy and Sebastien Pillon hit the gas hard and exploded the group.  

On the ascent of the famous Col du Tourmalet the two riders kept attacking each – to no avail. During the descent off Tourmalet, Pillon put pressure on Capdepuy and gained a 45 second lead with 30km to go. But Capdepuy didn’t give up and came back to Pillon. On the last rolling hill with 2 km to go to the finish, Capdepuy launched the final attack and finished solo in 4:47:33 after a hard battle against a very strong Sebastien Pillon on this difficult course. Aimeric Bardoulat closed out the all French podium four minutes back. It’s going to be interesting to see them compete at the GFNY World Championship in NYC on May 19, 2024 on a course that favors punchy riders over pure climbers.

In the female race, Dutch rider Nicolien Luijsterburg (Team RETO) took the solo win in 5:41:48, 38 minutes ahead of GFNY Cannes runner-up Celine Bourbousson (France, Team Veloshop) and  Selenne Bonnefoy (France) in third.

Next up on the GFNY calendar is the second edition of GFNY La Vaujany which will take place Sunday, July 2, 2023.

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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet 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,

Super weekend with GFNY Marathon Florida Sebring on October 21 followed by the GFNY Florida Sebring cycling race on October 22 

On October 21-22, 2023, two endurance races take place in Florida’s home of endurance racing: On Oct 21, runners will take on a marathon and half marathon race from the Barn at Paso Fino. On October 22, one thousand cyclists from across the USA and 50+ countries will ride on a challenging 95-mile cycling marathon in Highlands and Hardee Counties. 

GFNY Florida Sebring cycling race

GFNY Florida Sebring offers riders a challenging 95-mile race course with 707 ft of elevation gain.  Riders will tackle a fast but demanding course, considered the hardest and biggest road race of Florida, with complete police-moderated intersections, fully stocked aid stations and mechanical and SAG van support.   

Race week activities will take place at the Barn at Paso Fino.  It includes the fun GFNY happy hour on Friday afternoon and a group rides on Friday and Saturday morning.  On Sunday, the race will start at the Barn at Paso Fino at 7:30am.  From the Barn at Paso Fino the race enters the closed-to-traffic lane on the Highway Route 66. Five miles later, riders enter a scenic 35-mile loop through Hardee County, where the wind will be the main challenge aside from the high pace. 

GFNY Sebring is both a festive and exciting season closer for North American cycling, as well as a cycling highlight of the year for the beauty of the race course, on-course safety and  high level of organization for a major cycling event in Florida.

Website: florida.gfny.com

GFNY Marathon Florida Sebring

The 3rd  GFNY Marathon Florida Sebring offers runners a full and half marathon.  Start and finish take place at the Barn at Paso Fino. The course is flat and lightning fast on roads dedicated specifically for GFNY athletes. The USATF measured course is not only a Boston and NYC qualifier but also a chance for runners to qualify for the Wanda World Marathon Majors Age Group World Championship.

GFNY Marathon Florida gives a chance for runners to be a part of the festive GFNY Florida race week activities, but without bikes. The same high-level of organization carried out for cyclists is offered to runners: frequent, fully stocked aid stations, a festive fan zone, and athlete perks. 

Website: floridamarathon.gfny.com

Multi-sport endurance weekend at GFNY Florida

The GFNY Florida run-bike race weekend also offers multi-sport athletes a unique sport weekend, with a marathon or half on Saturday and a cycling marathon on Sunday – for someone who is looking for a multi-sport challenge.

In addition, the multi-sport weekend offers families who either run or bike to enjoy a sport weekend taking on their respective sports challenges while also having the chance to support each other on their non-race days.

Join GFNY Florida Sebring this October in the endurance capital of Florida to take on your sports challenge. 

Website: floridamarathon.gfny.com and florida.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, 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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY Florida Sebring cycling video: here

Official GFNY Florida Sebring marathon 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,

Riders get to race the iconic Col du Tourmalet

New York City, June 8, 2023 -This Sunday, the famous pilgrimage town of Lourdes, located in the Southwest of France at the the base of the Pyrenees mountains, will host the second edition of GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet.  The challenging race course is 147.5 km long with an elevation gain of 3952m.  

“Racing in the Pyrenees in general and across the legendary Col du Tourmalet in particular, is one of those once in a lifetime must-do experiences for anyone who loves our sport,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. 

“The Pyrenees feel like the Alps of a bygone time: roads are narrower, traffic is scarce and nature is wild. The tremendous support of the town of Lourdes makes this dream race come true for GFNY riders. But our appreciation also goes to the locals in the mountains who cherish their nature and traditional agriculture and agree to let us pass through. At GFNY, we’re in tune with our hosts: we travel with light support and leave no trace behind.”

Race week activities take place once again at Palais des Congres.  It includes the fun GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet group ride on Friday and Saturday where riders get to do a relaxed ride together with friends and competitors. On Sunday riders will tackle iconic climb Col du Tourmalet (2115m) – the most used by the Tour de France since 1910.

Website: lourdes.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, 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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet 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,

Elite’s partnership with GFNY started with Gran Fondo New York 2012 and both parties renewed their commitment yet again

NEW YORK CITY, June 1, 2023 – Italy based Elite specializes in the research, development and production of smart trainers, sports bottles, and bottle cages. It’s the number one bike bottle supplier for professional cycling. 

“Our unwavering dedication to developing products that maximize performance and elevate user experience perfectly aligns with GFNY’s mission,” says Peter Lago of Elite.  “We are excited to continue this incredible journey with GFNY, supporting them in delivering extraordinary and impactful cycling events that captivate riders worldwide.”

At the GFNY World Championship NYC, riders expect the best – and get it: the Elite Fly, world’s lightest bike bottle that packs 700ml yet builds like a sleek 500ml bottle is given to all riders during registration and handed roadside during the race. 

“We have a tremendous respect for the work and passion at Elite,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “Partnering with Elite for GFNYs second edition eleven years ago was a personal dream come true. Even more so, having Elite as a partner on GFNY’s side through all these years ever since in a fast changing world, is a huge honor for us. Elite’s products are nothing short of spectacular – and the team is a pleasure to work with.”

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.

Cycling

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. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official GFNY website is: www.gfny.com.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY World Championship NYC 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,