Tibitanzl and Zakarin win the 2024 Skoda UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus

Hundreds of riders enjoyed the three-day cycling festival on super sunny and warm Cyprus over Easter

Tibitanzl and Zakarin win the 2024 Skoda UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus

Photo: Skoda Cyprus Gran Fondo - Day 3 (Awards Ceremony) Credit: @nassostphoto

Ex-professional Russian cyclist Aidar Zakarin (INEX Club 1) was fastest overall for the men and German Laura Tibitanzl (Team Greybee) was fastest overall in the women’s category.

The cycling festival took place in the last weekend of March 2024 for the tenth consecutive year and provided the perfect opportunity for recreational riders to qualify for the World Gran Fondo Championships in brilliant weather. This year, a diverse contingent of 400 riders representing 40 nationalities has eagerly enrolled to partake in the race.

The festival brought passionate cyclists together, professional and amateurs riding shoulder to shoulder, to enjoy the amazing Cyprus terrain and have fun in a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. Starting every day next to the Mediterranean coast, participants climbed the nicest mountains of the island and passed through traditional rustic villages, enjoy beautiful weather and Cypriot culture, before returning back to accommodation in the best hotels in Paphos to celebrate every evening. 

The event welcomed amateurs, ex-pros and recreational cyclists for good times and sunny vibes.

Photo: The event welcomed amateurs, ex-pros and recreational cyclists for good times and sunny vibes. Credit: @dcphotography.88

The time trial unfolded on Friday along a classic route—a circular course starting from Nikoklia town, traversing a 28km path to a midway turnaround point. The initial leg presented a gradual climb, while the latter part offered a predominantly downhill descent, culminating at the finish line.

Aidar was fastest on the opening day’s 28 km time trial beating compatriot Evgenii Tikhonin by just 9 seconds, with brother Ilnur Zakarin in third place nearly 2 minutes behind.

In the women’s time trial Laura Tibitanzl was fastest in a time of 42m 3s beating UK’s Naomi De Pennington by 5 seconds, with Isreali Diana Egerton-Warburton in third place.

The second stage started outside the historic confines of Paphos’s ancient castle.

Photo: The second stage started outside the historic confines of Paphos’s ancient castle. Credit: @nassostphoto

Zakarin went onto win Saturday's 103km Queen Stage which commenced from the historic confines of Paphos’s ancient castle, featuring a 15km neutralized preamble as first part of the hard 102km route, ascending to 860m elevation after 66km of racing.

Evgenii Tikhonin was in second place overall, having also placed second in Saturday's time trial alongside Dmitrii Puzanov. Ilnur Zakarin was third overall, finishing fourth on the day.

Participants were treated to beautiful weather and scrumptious food.

Photo: Participants were treated to beautiful weather and scrumptious food. Credit: @nassostphoto

In the women's race, Laura Tibitanzl claimed the top spot with Meredith Byrne, last year's overall winner, in second place and Rebecca Zauer in third position overall.

After finishing 2nd on the first two stages, Evgenii Tikhonin managed to win the 3rd and last stage of 2024 Skoda Cyprus Gran Fondo.

The final stage, though shorter at 59km, maintained its reputation for challenge and excitement. The latter half of the course introduced a formidable 12km climb, followed by a final ascent towards the finish line. Additionally, both Saturday and Sunday stages accommodated a Mediofondo distance, catering specifically to male cyclists over 60 and female cyclists over 50.

Tikhonin finished 2nd overall behind the back-to-back overall winner Aidar Zakarin. Third overall and 3rd at the last stage was brother Ilnur Zakarin.

In the women’s race Laura Tibitanzl was fastest for the third day in a row, claiming an easy win in front of last year's overall winner, Meredith Byrne, who finished 2nd overall. Rebecca Zauer was 3rd overall by finishing 4th on Sunday, behind well-known and accomplished local rider Constantina Georgiou who was recovering from a bad reaction from a Bee Sting a few weeks earlier.

In the team competition, Russian team INEX Club 3 (Zakarin Ilnur, Ivanou Miron, Egorov Ivan) took first place, with team TRAKTOR (Bushkov Andrei, Sivov Aleksandr, Grazhdankin Aleksandr) in second and local team Ride Easy Club 1 (Antoniou Andrianos, Agisilaou Agisilaos, Lisk Mark) in third place.

For the full results including age category winners and a list of UCI World championship qualifiers, please visit the 2024 Skoda UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus results:  https://www.activatecyprus.com/gran-fondo-cyprus-results

The top 25% have qualified for the 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Denmark!

The next round is the Istria Gran Fondo in Croatia starting April 12th 2024.

 
Tag: ucigfwseries
 
Apr 19 2024 - NEWS: Krainer and Brand take victory at UCI Tour de Brisbane
Apr 14 2024 - NEWS: Simenc and Zandri fastest at UCI Istria Granfondo in Croatia
Apr 02 2024 - NEWS: Tibitanzl and Zakarin win the 2024 Skoda UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus
Mar 14 2024 - NEWS: Lepoutre and de Vries fastest at the inaugural Millars Granfondo in Spain
Mar 06 2024 - NEWS: Moerman and Lourenco fastest at growing Granfondo Coimbra Region
Feb 27 2024 - NEWS: Orekhov and Baleisyte fastest at UCI Spinneys Dubai 92 Challenge
Feb 23 2024 - NEWS: Rafal Majka's Gran Fondo no longer qualifier for the 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships
Feb 03 2024 - NEWS: New UCI-ranked Gran Fondo Ireland launched as Worlds qualification event
Feb 04 2024 - NEWS: Zein and Basim fastest at the 2nd edition of the UCI GranFondo Jordan 2024
Jan 31 2024 - NEWS: New race route revealed for the 2024 Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge
Jan 19 2024 - NEWS: 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Series bigger than ever before
Nov 13 2023 - NEWS: Registration opens for the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge
Oct 03 2023 - NEWS: VIDEO: Behind the scenes at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
Aug 08 2023 - NEWS: Israel-Premier Tech’s Sylvan Adams wins double World Titles in Scotland
Aug 08 2023 - NEWS: Vinokurov wins Gold Medal at 2023 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships
May 12 2024 - EVENT: 3RIDES Gran Fondo
May 19 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Vosges
May 25 2024 - EVENT: Schleck Gran Fondo
May 26 2024 - EVENT: Hawaii Express 41 Tartu Rattaralli
Jun 07 2024 - EVENT: Maraton Franja BTC City
Jun 08 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Svendborg
Jun 08 2024 - EVENT: Majka Gran Fondo
Jun 09 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Costa Rica
Jun 15 2024 - EVENT: Niseko Classic
Jul 05 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Suisse
Jul 07 2024 - EVENT: Granfondo Ezaro
Jul 27 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Isle of Man
Aug 23 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Matildica
Nov 10 2024 - EVENT: UCI Granfondo Pomerode
Nov 15 2024 - EVENT: UCI Nirvana Gran Fondo Antalya
 
Tag: cyprusgranfondo
 
Apr 02 2024 - NEWS: Tibitanzl and Zakarin win the 2024 Skoda UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus
Dec 27 2023 - NEWS: Enjoy sun-kissed Gravel at the 3rd BEDROCK Gravel Festival!
Jan 19 2024 - NEWS: Register now for the UCI Cyprus Gran Fondo
Sep 12 2023 - NEWS: UCI Cyprus Gran Fondo offers early bird registration until the end of September!
Apr 05 2023 - NEWS: Zakarin and Byrne overall winners in Cyprus
Mar 31 2023 - NEWS: Georgiou and Helgesen fastest at UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus Time Trial
Nov 17 2021 - NEWS: Enjoy gravel unbound on Sunny Cyprus at the Bedrock GravelFest
Oct 13 2022 - NEWS: Registration opens for the 2023 UCI Skoda Cyprus Gran Fondo
Nov 23 2022 - NEWS: Enjoy endless sun-kissed Gravel at the 2nd Bedrock GravelFest in Cyprus
Nov 05 2021 - NEWS: Register Now for the 2022 Skoda Cyprus Gran Fondo
Apr 03 2022 - NEWS: Zabelinskiy and Christoforou fastest at the UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus
Jul 30 2021 - NEWS: Apollo Aphrodite Gran Fondo in Cyprus joins the Gran Fondo World Tour Series
Dec 03 2020 - NEWS: UCI Cyprus Granfondo offers full refund up to 14 days before march
Jun 17 2020 - NEWS: Ilnur Zakarin wins Olympic Mountain Cyprus Gran Fondo
Jun 11 2020 - NEWS: European Gran Fondo racing restarts in Cyprus this June
Jun 01 2024 - EVENT: 0-2000 Cycling Challenge
Sep 28 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo ApolloAphrodite