Rankin and Aros fastest at the 13^th Annual Gran Fondo Florida

Nearly 500 cyclists enjoyed new courses on quieter country roads in beautiful spring weather!

This year’s Gran Fondo Florida attracted nearly 500 cyclists from across the USA to ride in beautiful, warm sunny weather on a new quieter courses from Dade City. It was so warm, touching 80F, cyclists were in shorts and jerseys!

The weekend began with a Saturday Cycling Expo and Packet Pickup featuring SUAREZ Cycling Apparel, BMC Bicycles, Undrbudr, regional bike shop booths, and more. Garda Bike Hotel’s owner, Nicola Verdolin, was on hand to greet cyclists and reunite with old friends at the hotel’s booth in the Expo. On Sunday, Nicola was able to personally present a 4-night stay at Garda Bike Hotel in Lake Garda, Italy, to a lucky raffle prize winner!

Cyclists were treated to near-perfect cycling weather for their choice of 100-, 68-, or 35-mile routes on Sunday, March 17. The 100-mile Gran route included an astonishing 3,670 feet of climbing, making it Florida’s most challenging Gran Fondo.

In the men’s Gran route, Felipe Aros from Miami was fastest over the 4 timed sections in a time of 39m 14s, ahead of Justin Jordan from Riverview in second and Marc Boults from Odessa in third place. In the women’s Gran route, Danielle Rankin, also from Miami, was fastest in a time of 42m 1s, ahead of Carly George from Tampa in second and Pau Romaguera from Miami in third place.

In the 68-mile Medio route, Nicolas Vargas from Hialeah Gardens completed the 3 timed sections in the fastest time of 32m 26s, ahead of Patrick Wenning from Naples in second place and Matthew Nalesnik from Jupiter in third place. Madeleine Vergauwen from Longwood was fastest in the women’s category, in a time of 36m 28s, ahead of Meghan Bailey from Naples in second and Kathryn Northup from Sanford in third place.

In the 35-mile Piccolo route, Eric Spaulding from Tampa completed the single timed section in the fastest time of 14m 32s, ahead of female Bego Lopez from Deland in second place overall and James Klowan from Smithfield RI in third place overall. In the women’s category, Alexandria Cornell from Plano TX was second behind Lopez, with Judy Wilson from Deland in third place.

In the ever popular team competition, Miami’s Delirium Cycling club took the top two podium spots with Velobrew in third place.

After the ride, the Hammer Nutrition tent was very busy popular, as they handed out their delicious recovery shakes.

Upon returning to Dade City, Florida, riders were greeted at the downtown cycling festival with a hot meal from Uncle Fattys and cold beverages from Dade City Brewhouse, along with recovery drinks from Hammer Nutrition! The enthusiastic crowd stuck around for the awards ceremony and the legendary raffle with $5,000 worth of prizes given out by Series sponsors!

More than 70 riders qualified for the 2024 USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championships, to be held during the Gran Fondo Maryland in Frederick, MD on September 15, 2024, by finishing on the podium or in the top 25% of their age category. The 2024 USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championships is a qualifier event for the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, making the SUAREZ Gran Fondo National Series your pathway to National and World Championship titles!

2024 Gran Fondo Florida Results

Gran Fondo Overall Men’s Podium
1^st - Felipe Aros 39m 14s
2^nd - Justin Jordan
3^rd - Marc Boults

Gran Fondo Overall Women’s Podium
1^st - Danielle Rankin 42m 1s
2^nd - Carly George
3^rd - Pau Romaguera

Medio Fondo Overall Men’s Podium
1^st - Nicolas Vargas 32, 26s
2^nd - Patrick Wenning
3^rd - Matthew Nalesnik

Medio Fondo Overall Women’s Podium
1^st - Madeleine Vergauwen
2^nd - Meghan Bailey
3^rd - Kathryn Northup

Piccolo Fondo Overall Podium
1^st - Eric Spaulding
2^nd - Bego Lopez
3^rd - James Klowan

Piccolo Women’s Overall Podium
1^st - Bego Lopez
2^nd - Alexandria Cornell
3^rd - Judy Wilson

For full age category results, please visit the full 2024 Gran Fondo Florida Results: https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/florida-2024-results

Next Up: Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo

Make space in your calendar on April 21, 2024 to ride this stunning Gran Fondo in Helen, GA. Register by March 26th to receive a FREE custom SUAREZ jersey!

Helen, Georgia is a unique mountain town styled in a Bavarian theme with plenty of accommodation options, it’s about two hours from major airports in Atlanta, GA and Greenville, SC, Helen is adjacent to the beautiful Unicoi State Park which is packed with family fun.

Enjoy Alpine food and drink as you explore historic timbered building and cobblestone walkways, surrounded by natural beauty, wineries, artisan tours, festivals, and much, much more. With rolling farmland transitioning to mountainous terrain, the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River, and a section of the Appalachian Trail, White County is an outdoor recreation paradise. The Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo visits nearby iconic climbs, made famous by the Tour de Georgia professional race.

There are three routes offered to match all abilities; the 25 mile Piccolo Fondo, the 66 mile Medio Fondo, the 90 mile Gran Fondo with four timed sections and nearly 9,000 feet of climbing. There are well placed aid/feed stations on course for riders to rehydrate and take on additional nutrition to keep them fuelled up throughout the challenge.

Register NOW to Secure a Place

Registration is open - but you'll need to hurry to secure a place on this epic challenge across north Georgia's Appalachian Mountains.

Register before March 22^nd before prices rise. Register before March 26^th for a FREE custom event jersey!

For more information, please visit: https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/gran-fondo-georgia

2024 Gran Fondo National Series Partner-Event Calendar

Jan - Feb – E-Fondo Series on Zwift
March 17 – Gran Fondo Florida (Dade City, Florida)
April 21 – Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo (Helen, Georgia)
May 18-19 – Cheaha Challenge GF (Jacksonville, AL)*
June 2 – Highlands Gran Fondo (Butler, New Jersey)
June 29 – Vermont Gran Fondo (Bristol, VT)*
June 30 – Bogus Basin Hill Climb (Boise, ID)*
July 13  – Cache Gran Fondo (Logan, Utah)*
July 14 – Gran Fondo Asheville, presented by Applewood Manor (Asheville, North Carolina)
July 20 – 719 Ride (Colorado Springs, CO)*
August 4 – Boone Gran Fondo (Boone, North Carolina)
September 15 – Gran Fondo Maryland and USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championships (Frederick, Maryland)
October 6 – Alpine Loop Gran Fondo (Harrisonburg, VA)
October 13 – Virginia's Blue Ridge Gran Fondo (Fincastle, VA)*

*Partner event. Registration dates may be different.