Team KGB from Jakarta sweep the podium

New York City, February 15, 2023 – Kuala Lumpur hosted the inaugural edition of GFNY Kuala Lumpur this past Sunday over 135.6 km with 1531m of climbing. 

Malaysia’s sports minister Hannah Yeon and Kuala Lumpur’s Mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah sent 1003 GFNY riders on the completely closed to traffic roads of Malaysia’s capital. 100 police motos and the same amount of race motos secured a free passage for the racers, in addition to additionally stationed safety staff.

“Fully closing 70 km of inner city roads for all GFNY riders to Be A Pro For A Day was an incredible feat,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. 

“Something of this magnitude is rare in cycling where closures on important roads like this are usually reserved for pro races that merely require rolling closures of a few minutes. I had the honor to accompany esteemed UCI race director Jamaludin Mahmood in the lead vehicle to witness this extraordinary race. Congratulations to the team of Syed Mohammed Feisal and Ghazally Rahman for pulling this off.”

In scorching heat under the tropical sun, three riders from Jakarta’s KGB team exploded the ten men lead group during the 10km climb with 300m elevation gain to the recreational area of Ulu Yam. Irwandi, Maulana and Gustaman, crossed the finish line together without contesting in 3:33:58.

In the female race, Lucy Richardson (UK) took the win in 3:51:45, four minutes ahead of Olivia Kurniawan (Indonesia) and Dagreat Izzura (Malaysia) who rounded out the podium.

GFNY Indonesia owners Tenne Permatasari and Axel Möller as well as GFNY Thailand’s Thomas Tapken were present to witness the new GFNY in South East Asia. The second edition of GFNY Kuala Lumpur is scheduled for February 24, 2024. 

With GFNY Indonesia-Mandalika added in May this year to the hugely popular GFNY Bali, GFNY Thailand offering a race in October this year and March 2024, as well as GFNY Philippines likely to be back in 2024, riders in the region have several GFNYs to choose from. And many will use the opportunity to reach a GFNY 3-timer medal by finishing several of them.

Next up on the GFNY calendar is the fourth GFNY Monterrey on Sunday March 5, 2023 to open the GFNY racing season in Mexico.

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 11th annual GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 21, 2023. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. Athletes take on a challenging 100-mile route from NYC to Bear Mountain to Fort Lee 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

GFNY Kuala Lumpur 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 capital city of Malaysia will open the Asian GFNY season

This Sunday, GFNY Kuala Lumpur offers racers a 135.6 km long course which will take riders from the heart of the city, into the hilly outskirts and back to Merdeka Plaza for a total of 1531m of climbing.  The finish line will be at the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

After NYC, Bogota, Mexico City, Jerusalem and Quito, the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur is the sixth GFNY in a capital city – and it’s the first one in Asia.

“Holding a GFNY in a capital city and metropolis like Kuala Lumpur is as fascinating for the riders as it is challenging for the organizers,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “But once the race comes together, it’s magic for riders to race through closed city streets – and to see it executed by our team.”

Race week activities will take place at Jln Raja in the city center.  It includes the GFNY Festival, Expo and registration on Saturday.  The capital city of Malaysia will offer a variety of food and shopping options which will excite and surprise GFNY riders, families and friends who get to experience everything from glitzy shopping malls and fine dining to markets and street food.

Website: kualalumpur.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 11th annual GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 21, 2023. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. Athletes take on a challenging 100-mile route from NYC to Bear Mountain to Fort Lee 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

GFNY Kuala Lumpur official 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 GFNY Conference offers expert panels on training, travel, the GFNY World Calendar and the GFNY World Championship NYC 2023

New York City, January 26, 2023 – The GFNY Conference will take place this Sunday January 29, 2023.  GFNY invites all athletes to register for free and to tune into the GFNY Conference which will be presented in three different languages:

French at 12pm CET

English at 12pm ET

Spanish at 2.30pm ET

All four panels will be held in each language.

Panel 1

34 GFNY races in Asia, Europe, North America South America in 2023 – whether for a first timer, someone going for a three-timer medal, or climbing the ladder to ten, twenty, or more GFNY finishes, we will discuss all that’s available to the riders on the always growing GFNY calendar.

Panel 2

Get an introduction to the brand new GFNY Training Plans on the Training Peaks platform, the latest addition to the GFNY Coaching offerings.

Panel 3

What a GFNY rider can expect on race day and how to arrive calm, prepared, and ready to enjoy the experience.

Panel 4

How an athlete should choose a GFNY race to maximize the experience and achieve the set goals.

Register now for the free conference this Sunday at gfny.com/conference

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 11th annual GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 21, 2023. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. Athletes take on a challenging 100-mile route from NYC to Bear Mountain to Fort Lee 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

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,

USADA announces four year suspension of the Mexican rider for antidoping rule violation at GFNY Florida 2022

NEW YORK CITY, January 12, 2023 – A sprint decided the race after 95 miles at the 3rd GFNY Florida Sebring on October 23, 2022. 

At the finish, however, there was a controversy during the antidoping controls administered by USADA: fourth place finisher Elias Montañez Barros (Merida, Mexico) sprinted away faster from the antidoping chaperone than to the race finish. After a hectic chase, he was found at his car, changed and ready to leave. 

First he pretended to be someone else but his wristband identified him. He then was brought to the USADA testing tent where he was explained the consequences of declining to be tested: a lengthy racing ban. Yet, he refused to get tested and walked off. And not only that: he raced a week later in his home Merida and finished third there. Furthermore, he accused GFNY and USADA for running illegal antidoping controls and smearing his reputation.

Barroso received a four year suspension from USADA for “evading sample collection or refusing or failing to submit to sample collect without compelling justification.”

In addition to this four year, global racing ban starting November 30, 2022, he received a lifetime ban from racing any GFNY. Montañez Barroso has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained subsequent to GFNY Florida Sebring.

“There is the saying you can’t make a racehorse out of a donkey,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “And I long believed that. But I’m no longer sure.”

“In the lead group of four that I watched from the race director’s car, he clearly stood out. The other riders looked great and smooth on their bike, like experienced riders do with thousands of miles in their bodies. Barroso on the other hand looked uncomfortable and moved a lot on his bike. He didn’t look the part. Why was he in this group of elite riders and ex-pros, all guys who train 15,000-20,000 miles per year? Now we know. Modern drugs are powerful and clearly able to drastically distort true performance levels.”

“In competition (IC) testing is and remains important to show force and detract athletes from cheating,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme.

“IC testing is often dubbed an ‘IQ test’. But it also means that athletes have to microdose or stop taking drugs earlier before the race. Add to that the performance detrimental anxiety of actually testing positive. Half times of drugs aren’t an exact science because they depend on the athlete’s metabolism and factors like hydration. All this forces a doper to take less drugs. And if they don’t expect to get tested at all – like Montañez Barroso – then IC testing is obviously as effective as out of competition (OOC) testing.” 

OOC testing remains a key pillar of GFNY’s antidoping strategy since 2012 when GFNY was the first mass participation race to do so. GFNY keeps exploring ways to keep its races as clean as possible. The vast majority of riders race clean and deserve this effort. 

“Sadly, we’re quite alone among mass participation race organizers with our antidoping actions,” Fluhme adds. “I’ve lobbied for two decades for antidoping at mass participation races but it’s costly so most prefer not to spend money on it. While we keep doing what we can, I highly encourage riders to choose wisely where to race. At GFNY, dopers are not welcome – and we make sure they know.”

USADA adds in their press release: “In order to aid athletes, support team members, parents and coaches, USADA provides clear instructions on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete whereabouts, how to obtain permission to use of necessary medication and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance enhancing and recreational drugs”.

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 11th annual GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 21, 2023. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. Athletes take on a challenging 100-mile route from NYC to Bear Mountain to Fort Lee 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

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,