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Cheaha Challenge may become qualifier for 2017 Gran Fondo World Championships

It won’t be until October, two months later than usual, that cyclists can register for the Cheaha Challenge but it’s worth it if the challenge is named a qualifier for a world championship, ride officials announced Friday.

Brooke Nelson, Cheaha Challenge ride director, announced via email that registration would be pushed back because the May Gran Fondo is under consideration to be the only qualifier in the United States for the 2017 Union Cycliste Internationale Gran Fondo World Championship in Paris.

“Shortly before the Challenge this year, I received an email from Erwin Vervecken with UCI,” Nelson said by phone Friday. “His email said because of our ranking within the gran fondo world, we captured UCI’s interest and they wanted to know if we would submit a bid to be a qualifier for the world championship for next year.”

Nelson admitted she wasn’t sure if the email was real so she forwarded it to a USA Cycling coordinator.

“I sent it to Stuart Lamp and asked him it was real and he got very animated,” Nelson said. “He was extremely excited so I went ahead and got all the information.”

Bidding for the qualifying gran fondo ended in August, Nelson said.

“We were notified that we are in the top running for it,” she said. “We were told they would announce it between Oct. 10 and 15th.”

Tom Nelson, president of the Northeast Alabama Bicycling Association, said hosting a UCI ride would bring a lot of recognition to the Challenge and the area.

“UCI is a big deal,” he said by phone Friday. “They are the ones who sanction world tours and the Tour de France. It’s pretty exciting that they contacted us about putting in a bid.”

Brooke Nelson said Vervecken noted the ride’s scenery as a point of interest and the amount of community support.

About the Cheaha Gran Fondo

The Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo begins and ends in Jacksonville, AL. The challenge of this ride is that the participants encounter more than 9,714 feet of cumulative climbing for the century ride, and more than 12, 835 feet for the ULTRA (for experienced riders only). Shorter route options have much less climbing. The CCC+ is famous for being extremely well organized and supported by local volunteers and businesses.

The course is out-and-back and takes cyclists over Cheaha Mountain, Alabama's highest point at 2,407 feet, and home of Cheaha State Park. Given that the route is out-and-back, cyclists also have a lot FAST downhill! Most of the 100 mile route takes riders through the Talladega National Forest by way of the Talladega Scenic Drive, affording breathtaking vistas of the beautiful mountains and valleys in this foothills region.The ULTRA portion is for experienced riders only, and encompasses all major climbs in our area: Mount Cheaha, Bain's Gap, Cottaquilla, and Chimney Peak.

Cheaha Challenge may become qualifier for 2017 Gran Fondo World Championships