Mcloone and Patterson crowned Gran Fondo National Champions
Matt McLoone and Jill Patterson are crowned 2017 Giordana Gran Fondo National Champions in Maryland
Over 500 cyclists took part in the SOLD OUT Gran Fondo Maryland at the weekend. With category and a team prizes on offer, riders battled it out on timed sections. Congratulations to everyone that completed the difficult but beautiful courses, extra congratulations go out to the podium finishers and raffle winners.
The Gran Fondo was a tough 100 miles with 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 was 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.
Competition in the team category was fierce with 9 teams coming from as far as New Jersey and Virginia to participate. It was team Battley Harley-Davidson Spokes Cutaway from Washington DC who celebrated victory in the team prize ahead of Adventures for the Cure from Maryland and Skylands Cycling from New Jersey.
The Battley Harley-Davidson Spokes Cutaway team was made up of Connor Ryan, Joe Escabar, Shaun Abell and Matt Mcloone.
Mat Mcloone was also crowned the 2017 Men’s Girodana Gran Fondo National Champion, with team mate Connor Ryan 2nd and Adam Driscoll team member of Adventures for the Cure from Maryland in 3rd rounding out the podium. Mcloone had the fastest combined time of the four timed sections in a time of 1h 37m 31s.
Photo: (left to right): Connor Ryan, Mat Mcloone and Adam Driscoll.
Jill Patterson from Wilmington, DE was crowned the 2017 Women’s Girodana Gran Fondo National Champion, with Angela Harrington from Jefferson. MD 2nd and Susan More from Long Valley NJ 3rd. Patterson had the fastest combined time of 1h 16m 16 secs.
Photo: (left to right) Angela Harrington, Jill Patterson and Susan More
In the 63 mile Medio route Susanna Panzini from New York was first overall for the women ahead of Jessica Rigelman from Annapolis MD in second and Tarah Wilson from Bel Air MD in third. For the men, James Beacham from Westminster MD was first ahead of Douglas Hickey from Arlington, VA in second and Jeremy Michalkefro Ellicott City, MD in third.
In the 30 mile Piccolo route Joanne Gribler from Washington DC was first, ahead of Melissa Hickey from Arlington VA in second and local Michele Mark from Frederick MD in third. For the men it was local cyclist Johnny Mac from Frederick MD first, ahead of Erik Argueta from Arlington VA in second and Richard Hofbauer from Hoboken NJ in third.
A big thank you goes out to each and every one of you who have made the 2017 season such a great one, from everyone at GFNCS!
Click here for a full list of the results and winners across all the distance and age categories for both men and women: http://my4.raceresult.com/82464/
For more photos, please visit: facebook.com/gfncs/
2017 has marked the 6th year of the highly successful and expanding series of events, many SOLD OUT in advance due to the popularity of GFNCS’s Gran Fondo format of timed sections, individual and team prizes for all abilities. Every Giordana Gran Fondo National Championship Series (GFNCS) event has offered courses covering approximately ~30 (Piccolo), ~60 (Medio) and ~100 miles (Gran) through some of the most beautiful, and challenging cycling terrain across the U.S.
The Gran Fondo National Championship Series® was established in 2012 and is comprised of seven European-style ride/races staged in the United States. The series is sponsored nationally by Giordana Cycling, Bertucci Performance Watches, Bicycling Magazine, Hammer Nutrition, Swiftwick, SeaSucker Vacuum Mount Bike Racks, Peaks Coaching Group, Feedback Sports, Rudy Project, ProGold Cycling, Jittery Joe’s Coffee, Polar Bottle, Ritchey Bicycle Components, and Capua Law Firm.
For more information visit granfondonationalseries.com
Photo: (left to right) Mat Mcloone and Jill Patterson winners of Bertucci Performance Watches
