The UCI Gran Fondo World Series continues to grow, with three new events in 2017-2018 and one event returning to the calendar.
The UCI Gran Fondo World Series, the UCI’s masters and amateur mass participation series, comprises 21 qualifying events worldwide in 2017-2018. The qualification period for the 2018 Worlds began last September, immediately following the 2017 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Albi, France.
Four events have already taken place: the Poznan Bike Challenge (Poland), the Amy’s Gran Fondo (Australia), the Tre Valli Varesine in Varese (Italy) and the Dubai First Granfondo (United Arab Emirates). Varese will host this year’s UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, while Poznan has been awarded the Worlds for 2019.
Tre Valli Varesine in Varese (Italy) was the first new feature on this season’s calendar. Varese will host the 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, so athletes had the perfect opportunity to test the World Championships courses in race conditions during this event.
Granfondo Antalya (Turkey) is a totally new event. Taking place in May, it will enable riders and their families to combine tourism and cycling in the beautiful and famous tourist city. Riders will start and finish on the beach in front of all the top-star hotels, tackle some climbing around the turning point before heading back to the beach.
The UCI Gran Fondo World Series is also happy to announce a new qualifier in Spain in July. Granfondo Ezaro(Galicia) is an existing and popular event, with famous Spanish cycling heroes at the start and a tough finish on Mirador do Ezaro.
An event which returns to the series after a two-year absence is Granfondo Golfe de Saint-Tropez (France) in April which offers a stunning course in the famous French mountains not far from the Mediterranean Sea coastline.
The remaining events are classical stopovers in the series which continue to grow both in terms of the number of participants and the quality of organisation. Competitors who finish one of the qualification events in the top 25% of their age group earn the right to compete in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships
The UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Varese, Italy, will take place from August 30 to September 2, 2018, with a 22km time trial and a 130 or 103km Granfondo (depending on the age category) on hilly roads.
Further information can be found on www.ucigranfondoworldseries.com
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