GFNS culminates in Maryland finale

This is your opportunity to earn a Gran Fondo National Series Jersey!

The Gran Fondo National Series in historic Frederick, Maryland is your opportunity to earn the title of fastest rider.

GFNS offer some of the longest timed sections and most challenging terrain of any Gran Fondo in North America. The rider with the fastest combined time through each designated section will have truly earned their Gran Fondo National Jersey.

3 Distances to choose from Piccolo Route (30 mi), Medio Route (60 mi) and Gran Route (100 mi).

There are up to four Timed Sections and the Best Combined Time Wins. Four for the Gran, two for the Medio and one for the Piccolo.

There are Cash Purse and Prizes for Gran Route winners and Awards and Prizes for Medio and Piccolo winners and the team prizes too across a range of male and female age categories for all three distances giving ample opportunities for participants to win a coveted jersey, cash, awards and prizes too!

The Gran Fondo National Championship Series truly is the most fun you can have on a bike whilst challenging yourself!

The Gran Fondo is a tough 100 miles including around 10,000 feet of climbing and 4 timed climbs of Hamburg Hill, Harp Hill, The Gully of Darius and Gambrill Park. The Medio Fondo is 63 miles with 5,765 feet of climbing with 2 timed climbs of Hamburg Hill and Gambrill Park. The 30 mile Piccolo Fondo contains the timed climb of Hamburg Hill.

Timed Sections

After starting in historic downtown Frederick Maryland, the route travels through several different state parks, municipal forests, protected watersheds, and the Catoctin Mountain National Park.  Riders will travel northwest out of the city of Frederick before entering the Frederick Municipal Forest where the first timed section starts.

Hamburg Hill

The section is approximately 5.7 miles long and contains 1,233 feet of climbing with gradients reaching over 17% in places, with an average 4% grade, hence this is a category 2 climb.

Timothy Rugg holds the KOM in a time of 20:31 and Alexis Zink holds the QOM in a time of 24:00 both set in the 2016 Gran Fondo Maryland. 

Alexis Zink was the fastest rider of the combined climbs riding for The Misfits of Belleville.

https://www.strava.com/segments/13153908

At the top riders will be able to relax and enjoy the cool mountain forest as the course plummets over the west side of the mountain range.

Harp Hill

The second timed section ascends the southern approach to Harp Hill for a punchy up-down-up-down-up lasting for a brief 1.4 miles and 279 feet of vertical gain, an average of 3%. Maximum grade is 12% halfway through the section after short descent.

Timothy Rugg holds the KOM in a time of 4:03 and Alexis Zink holds the QOM in a time of 5:25 both set in the 2016 Gran Fondo Maryland.

https://www.strava.com/segments/13153925

For the next 25 miles and 2,500 feet of cumulative gain, the route then follows a mix of small and obscure backroads heading north towards the decommissioned military base of Fort Ritchie.

There will be 4 aid stations along the 90 mile route, 3 on the 60mi, and 1 on the 32 mile route. Each aid station will be fully stocked with Water, Drink Mix, Hammer Gel, Endurolyte Fizz, Bananas, PB&J Sandwiches, Cookies, Chips and Pretzels.

The Gully of Darius

The Gully of Darius is a more dynamic segment and certainly cannot be called a timed climb. It will require riders to use caution and technical skill with several 90° turns including an old bridge crossing and tar & chip road surface. The section starts on a wide downhill roadway where for the first 4.9 miles riders lose 500 feet of elevation before hitting the last 1k and 300 vertical feet at 12 %, to the finish on top of Hornets’ Nest Road.

Timothy Rugg holds the KOM in a time of 12:01 and Alexis Zink holds the QOM in a time of 15:03 both set in the 2016 Gran Fondo Maryland.

https://www.strava.com/segments/13193316

From here the route heads south and works its way back exploring nooks and crannies in the Catoctin Mountain Range and travels through Catoctin Mountain National Park for 22 miles and +2,250 feet of untimed pedaling.

As Gran Route riders approach mile 71 they need to take in a deep breath, shake out their legs and prepare for the hardest segment of the day, (this segment also counts as a time segment for Medio Route riders).

Gambrill Park

Gambrill Park is 11.4 miles +1,203 feet and will test every rider’s ability! The segment starts by gaining 784 feet over the first 4.6 miles and then continues for a challenging and undulating 6.8 miles on top of the mountain ridge on Gambrill Park Road through Frederick Watershed and into Gambrill State Park.

Matt McLoone, holds the KOM in a time of 30:17 and Alexis Zink holds the QOM in a time of 36:29 both set in the 2016 Gran Fondo Maryland.

https://www.strava.com/segments/13154018

After completing time Gambrill Park, riders will have over 1,000 feet of elevation on their side as they drop off the mountain range and into the valley towards the finish, but completing the route in not over, there are still some hills that are sure to make riders know they are still alive. Riders will return back into historic downtown Fredrick and be welcome to well-deserved festivities at the finish line, complete with great food, beverage, and more fun!

Fully Supported

There are fully stocked feed stations on all routes to keep you fed and hydrated, *complimentary event T-shirt, complementary Cycling Cap from Hub Labels, Goody Bag with various swag items, a finishers Medal for completing the Gran Fondo route, awards for age placement, a raffle and of course the chance to win cash and prizes for placement in the overall timed climbs,

Registration is open - but with only a month to go you'll need to hurry to secure a place on this epic challenge across through several different state parks, municipal forests, protected watersheds, and the Catoctin Mountain National Park.

*Enter before September 7th and receive a complimentary event T-shirt - www.GFNS.com

Come experience some of the best Gran Fondo’s the U.S has to offer: timed sections, individual and team prizes for all abilities, come race - #GFNS #BelieveInTheBike