Four Premier Fondos in Asia, Europe and Africa confirmed for 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series
Four Premier Gran Fondos have confirmed participation in the expanding 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series, with many North American destinations to be confirmed shortly
The Portorose Gran Fondo (Slovenia), the Giant Seorak Gran Fondo (South Korea), La Trilogie de Mauriene (France) and the Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic (South Africa have joined the 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series Calendar, giving male and female cyclists more opportunities to participate and win $36,000 USD in cash prizes!
Next week, the North American destinations will be revealed, giving male and female cyclists across North America the same opportunities to participate and win $36,000 USD in cash prizes too!
The 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series offers one of the biggest prize pots for amateur cyclists in the world!
Portorose Gran Fondo, Slovenia, March 18, 2018
The first event of Gran Fondo World Tour ® 2018 series is the Portorose Gran Fondo, in Slovenia on March 18, with 4 distances and Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points available:
Pro Course 133 km (1,000 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points)
Long Course 88 km (750 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points)
Hobby Course 56 km (500 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points)
Family Course 42 km (500 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points)
The Portoroz Gran Fondo is part of the BIKE FESTival Slovenia and over 800 cyclists took part in 2017.
All participants will gain the same points as a non-competitive event, this will be a great oportunity to reach 1,000 points for the world tour ranking.
Remember the final top three on Gran Fondo World Tour ® Ranking will take home $10,000, $5,000 and $2,000 USD, both men and women!
The Slovenian stage represents a good oportunity to start off at the top of ranking with an early season event!
Registrations are open for Gran Fondo Portorose: sportoroz.eu/gran-fondo
Giant Seorak Gran Fondo, South Korea, May 12, 2018
The new Asian event will take place on May 12th.
The Gran Fondo originated from a ride that 10 cyclists took from the east side of Baek Bok-ryeong in the Donghae city of Gangwon Province, over seven hills to reach Sokcho, a ride of 265 km.
Consisting of beautiful mountain scenery from Seorak Mountain and O'de Mountain in Gangwon province, which is one of the best mountain areas in Korea, the Seorak Granfondo is the one of the most challenging, an "F" difficulty rating, the 208km course tackles five 5 big climbs, in particular, the last, the Gurong pass, is 20km long and is rated "HC" Haute Category, the hardest.
1,100 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points await the winner of 208km Gran Fondo, with 10% added points for final ranking!
The event has a 105 km Medio Fondo with 750 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points on offer for the winner!
Registrations are open for Giant Seorak Gran Fondo: granfondo.kr
La Trilogie du Mauriene, France, July 13- 15, 2018
Another very challenging ride in the French Alps has joined the Gran Fondo World Tour ® La Trilogy de Maurienne, which is a 3 day event climbing the big French "Cols”, where you can emulate the professionals in races like the Tour de France.
The Maurienne Trilogy is one of the oldest events in the French cyclosportive calendar. Renowned for being one of the hardest cyclosportives in France, this event is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, containing Tour de France favorites like the Lacets of Montvernier, Col du Chaussy, Col de la Madeleine, Col de la Croix de Fer, Glandon, Col du Mollard and the Col du Galibier. This is on the menu in arguably one of the best cycling areas in the world, La Maurienne.
The event consists of four courses spread over the three days of the Maurienne, that is to say three days of competition in the assault of these mythical Cols. Seven “Hors Categorie” HC climbs with 288 kms, 3 stages for the most difficult challenges on the Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series. An event is also part of the French Cyclo Tour Rotor Challenge series. There are 1,100 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points on offer for the best placed man and woman.
Registrations are open for La Trilogie de Mauriene: challengecyclotour.com/trilogie-maurienne
Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic, South Africa, October 21, 2018
South Africa's oldest road classic with full road closure from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on the Amashova route, with a new Gran Fondo distance of 146 km.
Marking the final event of the 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series with a mountainous itinerary from Pietermaritzbourg to Durban, it could decide the overall winners of 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® series ranking, being the last event in the 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® calendar.
The oldest ‘classic’ cycle race in the country, it was the dream of having a bicycle race on the route of the world famous Comrades Marathon, between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, by veteran Springbok cyclist Dave Wiseman and his friend Tony McMillan.
1,100 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points will be awarded to the winner of the 146km Gran Fondo, with 10% points added, as final event in the series!
The other three distances of 106km, 65km and 35km are available to cyclists of all abilities.
Registations are open for Tsogo Sun Amashova: shova.co.za
North American Events to be Revealed
Next week, the full 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series calendar will be revelated with NEW North American destinations announced along with the 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Points to be awarded. This will give male and female cyclists across North America the same opportunities to participate and win $36,000 USD in cash prizes too!
There will be a dedicated 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series dashboard available on granfondoguide.com for participants to keep up with the latest news, events and series ranking throughout the season, culminating in the final round in South Africa, on October 21, 2018 at the Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic, where by the final overall podium winners will be announced.
The 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series will award $36,000 USD in cash prizes to the winners who finish three events, for both men and women.
Participants who finish one event will be included in the 2018 Gran Fondo World Tour ® overall ranking.
For more information, please visit granfondoworldtour.com
Photo: 2017 Gran Fondo World Tour® Champions, Norwegians’ Jonas Orset (men's champion), and Siv Elin Saeteren (women' champion)