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United States | Midwest | Ohio >> Ohio Cyclist Rides Gran Fondo in the wrong Birmingham

Ohio Cyclist Rides Gran Fondo in the wrong Birmingham!

John Hoopingarner accidentally signed up for Gran Fondo race in the wrong "Birmingham" in the UK (not the USA), so decided to make the transatlantic trip anyway!

Keen cyclist John Hoopingarner, from Ohio, flew to the UK to take part in the 100-mile Velo Birmingham, after signing up to the event he thought was in Alabama!

Mr Hoopingarner thought "well I made it this far, I may as well just go" after realising his mistake and turned it into a holiday.

Mr Hoopingarner received an e-blast from the event that saw 15,000 cyclists ride through Birmingham said: "I thought, 'wow, this sounds really cool' so I signed up."

When he discovered he had paid to cycle in Birmingham UK rather than Birmingham USA, he said, "well I made it this far, I may as well just go."

Mr Hoopingarner said he hoped to repeat his mistake next year and told the press "Birmingham was the coolest place I've been to in the UK yet," he said. "It was really fabulous. The people are great, the town's awesome, the guys that did the ride were really tremendous. It was a brilliant event. I am hoping to come back next year. I've been promised free entry so I'm tempted to take the organisers up on it."

Mr Hoopingarner is making the most of his first visit to the UK and is holidaying in Edinburgh and London, with plans to also go to Dublin.

Ohio Cyclist Rides Gran Fondo in the wrong Birmingham