Team Primal Audi Denver hit overdrive in the Golden Gran Fondo
Team Primal Audi Denver take the Team Award ahead of Team USA Cycling at one the America's Hardest Gran Fondo's
Golden, Colorado, August 29th - Hundreds of cyclists from all over Colorado and the U.S. converged on Golden to tackle one of America's hardest Gran Fondo's.
It started by tracing the route of the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge towards continental divide and featured some of the same roads used in the Coors Classic and featured in the movie American Flyers and featured over 10,000 feet of climbing. Kevin Costner’s classic cycling film American Flyers that was set in the town of Golden.
In part, the Golden Gran Fondo is a scenic ride of casual nature that cyclists like to do with friends. But it also has a reputation of being one of the most challenging Gran Fondo's in the U.S.
The Gran Fondo featured 4 timed climbs including Pine Ridge, Tremont Mountain and Twin Spruce for cyclists to compete for individual and team prizes with a cash prize purse of around $2,000 dollars.
Due to road construction, the timed section of Twin Spruce replaced Drew Hill and an additonal timed section added between Pine Ridge and Tremont Mountain.
Primal Audi Denver's Team consisted of Kip Taylor, Ian London, Austin Stephens and Kyle Thomas. Kip Taylor, who races for the team and was the fastest man in the individual category of the combined times across the 4 climbs, recently rode the Tour of the Gila and competed in the Bob Cook Memorial Mt Evans Hill Climb.
Runner's up in the team prize were Team USA Cycling consisting of USA Cycling CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall, Jeffery Hanson, Brent Westenburg and Shane Garman.
For the women, local rider, Angela Des Cognets was the fastest female in the Gran Fondo.
“You get to ride with your buddies,” said Marty Quinn, one of the event organizers. “Everybody rides together on the same course. But if you want to win, you have to go all out. You’ll feel great having completed such a challenge."
"This year’s beneficiary was the Golden Optimists Club, a bicycle-recycle program that provides bikes to community members in need. Plus a number of community organizations — local Boy Scouts, Gilpin County Schools, the Golden Bike Shop and Pedal Pushers racing, to name a few — all helped out during the race" Quinn said.
For the full results and categories, please visit - http://my3.raceresult.com/60064/?lang=#
VIDEO: Riding the 2016 Golden Gran Fondo
VIDEO: Gran Fondo World Tour 2016 episode 4 Golden Gran Fondo USA GFNCS
2016 Gran Fondo National Championships
The Giordana GFNCS series culminates in the final round in Maryland on Sunday September 18, 2016.
2016 Giordana Gran Fondo National Championship Series® Events
The 2016 Gran Fondo National Championship Series® (GFNCS) schedule is set and registration is open for all 2016 GFNCS managed events. The 2016 GFNCS event schedule:
Gran Fondo Florida - Saturday March 26, 2016
Bicycling Spring Classic - Sunday April 24, 2016
Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo - Saturday May 14, 2016
Highlands Gran Fondo - Sunday June 5, 2016
Gran Fondo Asheville - Saturday June 18th, 2016
Boone Gran Fondo - Sunday August 7, 2016
Golden Gran Fondo - Sunday August 28, 2016
Gran Fondo Maryland (2016 Gran Fondo National Championship) - Sunday September 18, 2016
The Golden Gran Fondo was rated by Gran Fondo Guide as one of the hardest Gran Fondos in the US.
To register for a GFNCS event visit: www.gfncs.com
About the Giordana Gran Fondo National Championship Series®
The Giordana Gran Fondo National Championship Series® was established in 2012 and is comprised of eight European-style ride/races staged in the United States. The series is sponsored nationally by Giordana Cycling, GRUPPO STELVIO, Bertucci Performance Watches, Bicycling Magazine, Hammer Nutrition, Swiftwick, SeaSucker Vacuum Mount Bike Racks, Peaks Coaching Group, Feedback Sports, Rudy Project, ProGold Cycling, Jittery Joe’s Coffee, Polar Bottle, Ritchey Bicycle Components, and Capua Law Firm. Founder and President Reuben Kline has more than 25 years of experience in the bicycle industry, including five years as a professional mountain biker, ten years as a full-time race director and 20 years as promoter of the Michaux Endurance Series. The company is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area.
For more information visit www.gfncs.com
To discover the history of GFNCS on Gran Fondo Guide, please type "nationals" on our site search (top RHS).