Come and Enjoy the Cool Mountain Air at the Boone Gran Fondo!
The Boone Gran Fondo on Sunday, August 7th is a great way to escape the summer heat, enjoy quiet mountain roads, and experience Boone's unique downtown environment
Sitting at just over 3,000 feet above sea level, temperatures in Boone, North Carolina tend to be at least 10 degrees cooler than surrounding areas.
Boone is nestled in the Western Carolina Appalachian Mountains. The scenery is unparalleled with grand vistas stretching over 100 miles. The laid back atmosphere of this western North Carolina college town is contagious. One of the smaller fields for a Gran Fondo National Series event, the Boone Gran Fondo has a supportive, family feel with great local food.
There are distances of 25, 58, or 95 miles to suit all abilities of cyclists. The rural roller-coaster roads around Boone are a ton of fun, and quite challenging. The climbs aren’t very long, but that means there’s not a lot of time for recovery on the descents, either. This is a great course for all-around riders.
A timing-chip keeps track of your progress throughout the course and allows you to compete for the best time through the timed sections out on the course. Your overall time at the end of the day are based only on your combined time through the timed sections.
You can regroup and ride with friends, stop at aid stations, and enjoy the scenery in between. You can ride with confidence on the marked and marshalled course, supported by law enforcement, safety motos, mechanic and sag vehicles, and staffed feed stations.
First Place Photos will be out taking photos at multiple locations around the course. Event photos will available for purchase a few days after the event.
Best Combined Time Wins. Custom Suarez Cycling Winner's kits for Gran Route Age-Group Winners with Awards and Prizes for Gran Route winners. Commemorative gift for Gran Route finishers. Custom "Mid Pack Attack" Jersey from Suarez Cycling. Awards and Prizes for Medio and Piccolo winners and no racing license is required to take part.
Come for the great courses, world-class rider support, timed segment competitions, a great post-ride meal, and more than $5,000 in raffle prizes!
Timed Sections
There are four timed section for the Gran, 3 for the Medio and 1 for the Piccolo.
The Boone Gran Fondo rolls through Appalachian State University and, after just a few turns, climbs beside picturesque Winkler’s Creek during the first timed section.
After a short downhill and a climb up the gorgeous Shull’s Mill road, the course passes the Blue Ridge Parkway and turns onto Hwy 221. This section of road was hand built in the 1890’s across Grandfather Mountain and served as the Blue Ridge Parkway until the 1980’s. This second timed section is like a paved roller coaster.
After passing the Grandfather Park entrance, the downhill into Linville is a local favorite stretch of road. The route passes through the Avery County seat, the town of Newland. The back roads of Cow Camp and Squirrel Creek lead to the North Toe River Valley. Here, riders enjoy a few tranquil moments in the valley before the ascent, and third timed section, on the back of Beech Mountain.
Another nice downhill waits on the other side. The beautiful Bethel Valley brings riders to a climb to the Tennessee State Line to end the fourth timed section. From here, the route cruises on a very long gradual downhill grade through the valley and communities of Sugar Grove and Valle Crucis before it takes a climb up Laurel Fork and White Oak roads back to the town of Boone.
T-1 Winkler’s Creek (all distances)
The climb starts just 2 miles out of Boone, enough time to warm your legs up. The climb is 3.8 miles long with 750 feet of climbing at an average gradient of 3% with no more than 10% in places.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2768366
T-2 Blue Ridge Parkway (counts for 60 and 100 mile distances)
The climb starts after 15 miles after riders have entered Grandfather Mountain State Park. The climb is 7.8 miles long with 841 feet of climbing at an average of 1%.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2768399
T-3 Hickory Nut Gap (counts for 60 and 100 mile distances)
The climb kicks in after 31 miles. Its 4.3 miles with 700 ft of climbing at an average gradient of 3.4%
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36681033
T-4 Beaver Dam
The final climb for those doing the Gran Fondo is after 64 miles at Sweetwater. Its 5.5 miles with 1,015 ft of climbing at an average gradient of 3%, very similar to Beech Mountain.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2769478
Downloadable Course Maps
Even though the course will be well marked, you can load the route to your smart phone or GPS device.
Use this RSVP Code to access premium RideWithGPS features and get turn by turn navigation for free: https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Event/22976/YvMgtoMfxa3Qp9T8
Full GPS course maps are available for download here
Prizes for Everyone
The series believed riders on podiums shouldn't be the only people to get cool stuff too! At every Gran Fondo National Series event, any rider could win one of the following, plus additional prizes from our incredible sponsors.
4-night Stay at Garda Bike Hotel in Italy
Stay & Ride with Movich Cycling in Colombia
Wahoo ELEMNT Rival GPS Watch
Wahoo KICKR smart trainer (model TBD)
Lazer helmet
Industry Nine hubset
Cane Creek components
Swiftwick socks
Bike Flights travel voucher
Shimano products
CTS Trainright Membership
Jittery Joe’s Coffee
UNDRBUDR anti-chafe cream
Ride with GPS Premium Membership
Solo, Team and Age Group Prizes
Professional chip timing keeps track of every rider on course and allows riders to compete for the best combined time through up to 4 timed sections on route. Riders can compete solo or as a team, while also riding at a more relaxed pace with others between timed sections to and enjoy the super scenic views!
More competitive riders can compete for overall victory and age group podiums for men and women. There is also a team competition, won by the combined time of a team’s fastest three riders. Bonus seconds are awarded for additional team members who finish, meaning there’s a benefit to bringing a larger team.
Qualify for 2023 Gran Fondo National Championship
Your participation and results from the Boone Gran Fondo can qualify you for a spot on the start line of the 2023 Gran Fondo National Championship event.
Earn Points Toward Series Championship
Your best three results in Gran Fondo National Series events count toward the season-long Gran Fondo National Series Points Competition. At each event you earn points equal to your age group placing (1 for winning, 24 for finishing 24th, etc.) and the lowest sum of three events wins the Series Points Championship.
Recommended Lodging
QUALITY INN & SUITES UNIVERSITY 23 Reviews say it’s EXCEPTIONAL! 840 E King Street, Boone, NC, 28607, US Phone: (828) 266-1100 Special rate: 10% off for Boone Gran Fondo participants. Be sure to check out all the great Boone independent restaurants.
Register Now and Save!
Registration is open, but with just over a month to go you'll need to hurry to secure a place on this epic challenge across western Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.
Prices go up on July 28th, so register now and save!
For more information, please visit: https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/gran-fondo-boone, or click the button below to register now.
