GFNY updates course for Pro Race in NYC next year

Gran Premio GFNY New York City will allow pro cyclists to start 15 minutes before the amateur mass start and everyone will race the same course

The 11th annual GFNY World Championship NYC on May 21 is being transformed to a test race for a new UCI 1.2 pro race planned for May 19, 2024: the Gran Premio GFNY New York City. The race will draw pro teams from Europe and the Americas to the iconic start line on George Washington Bridge in New York City. It is scheduled to start 15 minutes ahead of the mass participation race which travels the exact same route as the pro race.

In anticipation of the pro race next year, riders of this year’s mass participation race GFNY World Championship NYC get to test the 136 km (84 mile) course with 1930m (6330 feet) of climbing. The course features the classic start on the world’s busiest bridge, George Washington Bridge (GWB), travels through Bergen County and Rockland County and back to finish in Fort Lee, NJ, in full view of the GWB.

A number of select pro cyclists will join the race to test the course. Cash primes for the first three to summit Alpine Hill, Gate Hill and Cheesecote will animate the race. The first six non-pro finishers overall will get to race the GP GFNY NYC pro race in 2024 as “Team GFNY”.

“Adding a pro race minutes ahead of the mass participation race is a fantastic opportunity for amateur riders to compare themselves to the best in the sport,” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme.

“Pros even from World Tour teams have raced GFNY in the past. But an actual pro race minutes ahead of the amateurs will bring GFNY a step closer to integrating professional racing in a mass participation race. Running and triathlon have shown the power of this format where all athletes get to race against their heroes. It’s time for cycling to follow this successful model at select races.”

Cycling’s Boldest Live Broadcast

GFNY NYC’s race day broadcast is the world’s boldest live broadcast offered by an open-to-all race. Check out the live broadcast on gfny.com, which is available in three languages: English, Spanish and French. Get up close to all the action with in-the-peloton cameras, pre-recorded interviews with top racers, celebrities, personalities and special guests and commentators taking you inside the race.

After the finish, each language broadcast features interviews of the top finishers. Later, the live feed turns into a Finish Line Camera where friends, family and supporters can watch their cyclists cross the finish line live, remotely. The broadcast remains live for the whole day, until the last athlete has crossed the finish line.

Tune into gfny.com from 6am ET on Sunday, May 21st to watch the GFNY NYC race day show and the Finish Line Camera.