Inaugural Golden Gran Fondo Brings Road Cycling Back to Greater Denver Foothills on June 23
Scenic courses will take cyclists of every skill level through legendary back roads in Jefferson, Gilpin, and Boulder Counties
Event kicks off June 22 with DocuWest’s “Big Ride Double Feature” cycling film screening at Golden’s Foss Theater
GOLDEN, CO – May 28, 2013 – Building on its long history of hosting world--class cycling experiences, the city of Golden and Gran Fondo National Championship SeriesSM (GFNCS) will stage the Golden Gran Fondo on June 23.
A gran fondo is a European--style cycling challenge that takes bicycle racing to the next level through a hybrid of competitive road racing and casual century rides. The GFNCS 2013 circuit makes its fourth stop in Colorado with courses covering 20, 60 and 90 mile journeys through the legendary Rocky Mountain foothill roads of Jefferson, Gilpin, and Boulder counties. Highlights include Lookout Mountain with spectacular views across the Front Range, climbs towards the Continental Divide via the Peak to Peak Highway and 12,000 cumulative feet of climbing before returning to Golden.
Riders will bike roads featured in the movie American Flyers, Kevin Costner’s classic cycling film that was set in Golden and which will be screened the night before the race. The Golden Gran Fondo features four timed sections, prizes for overall mileage and age group winners, as well as fully stocked aid stations along the route. A portion of the registration fee will be donated to fund outdoor activities for Gilpin County fifth graders.
“The Golden Gran Fondo will take racers on a spectacular circuit through the Rocky Mountains,” said Reuben Kline, founder and president of the Gran Fondo National Championship SeriesSM. “From the starting line in beautiful downtown Golden the event traces the route of the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge and some of the same roads traveled in the Coors Classic. This course is sure to test a cyclist’s climbing prowess while experiencing some of the most ruggedly beautiful landscapes anywhere.”
In addition to the race, GFNCS has partnered with DocuWest to present on Saturday June 22 the “Big Ride Double Feature” – a free, family--friendly twin bill of the classic cycling films: American Flyer (1985) and Ride The Divide (2010).
“DocuWest is excited to present these two acclaimed films, both of which have deep Colorado roots,” said Wade Gardner, co--founder and director of programming. “Golden is known as ‘where the west bikes’ and was selected as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Cyclists. As the home for great film in Golden, we anticipate an enthusiastic crowd.”
The double feature begins at 6:00 pm at the Foss Theater in the American Mountaineering Center, 710 Tenth Street, Golden. Admission is free and open to the public. Golden Gran Fondo riders can bring proof of registration for reserved seating. Kline, Denver--based filmmaker Mike Dion and producer Joe Cantwell will be on hand to present Ride The Divide and take part in a Q&A session following the screening.
The Golden Gran Fondo will start and finish at Parfet Park, 719 10th Street, Golden. There is a 500--person field limit to ensure safe riding conditions for all participants. Registration is available online now at www.goldengranfondo.eventbrite.com, or in person on Saturday June 22 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at Peak Cycles 1224 Washington Avenue Golden, and from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at the Foss Theater. The race begins at 8:00 am on Sunday June 23.
Following the event on Sunday will be the Golden Festival and Vendor Expo. Based in Parfet Park, the venue will provide entertainment including vendors, food, drink, a Cruiser Criterium and a High Roller Big Wheel race.
About Gran Fondo National Championship Series
The Gran Fondo National Championship SeriesSM, established in 2012, is comprised of six European--style ride/races staged in the United States. The series is sponsored by Specialized Bicycle Components, Bertucci Performance Field Watches, Hammer Nutrition, Descente Ltd., Road ID and Polar Water Bottles. Founder and President Reuben Kline has more than 22 years of experience in the bicycle industry, including five years as a professional mountain bike rider, six years as a full--time race director and 17 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
About DocuWest
DocuWest, Golden’s annual documentary film festival, launched in 2009 and is produced by the Foothills Art Center in collaboration with the Artful Journey School of Fine Arts. DocuWest’s objective is to present its audiences with stories that are not only astonishing and jarring, but awe--inspiring and thought provoking. DocuWest screens stories that enable dialogue and discourse to take place over the people, events or subjects presented in each film. The 2013 festival is scheduled for September 11--15. For more information visit www.docuwestfest.com.
Stage 1 - Le Perray-en-Yvelines
