Qualification Procedures Published for 2020 USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship
USA Cycling and Gran Fondo National Series (GFNS) today published the criteria required for cyclists to qualify for the inaugural USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship, which will be held during Gran Fondo Asheville in Asheville, NC on July 19, 2020.
Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb, Triple Bypass Gran Fondo and Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo join as qualifiying rounds
(Colorado Springs, CO) The 5-year partnership between USA Cycling and Gran Fondo National Series brings the existing GFNS Gran Fondo National Series and one-day Gran Fondo National Championship into the portfolio of official USA Cycling National Championship events.
Gran Fondo National Series Events
The Gran Fondo National Series encompasses a growing number of events throughout the United States where riders qualify for the national championship event and earn points toward a separate season-long competition. Participating events will benefit from nationwide marketing and promotion of the series. To elevate the gran fondo experience, participating events will create benefit packages for USA Cycling members, which could include early access to registration, entry incentives, priority check in, preferred start corral position, and more.
Gran Fondo National Championship
A USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship title, complete with a national championship jersey and medal, will be awarded to the male and female winners in each Gran Route (~100 mile) National Championships’ age-group category (minimum age 14 years old) at the annual USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship event.
Qualifying to Compete for Gran Fondo National Championship
To compete for the USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship, eligible riders must first qualify for a starting slot. Neither a USAC license nor membership is required to qualify for the national championship. A USA Cycling membership is only required to participate in the USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship event itself.
Athletes who qualify through results at qualifier events will be notified via email within 48 hours after Gran Fondo National Series receives event results from the organizer. A list of athletes already qualified for the 2020 National Championship, based on 2019 results, will be available by the end of February.
“I have wanted to create a qualification system for the national championship for a long time; this is not about USA Cycling trying to regulate the grassroots community spirit of gran fondos,” stated Series Director Reuben Kline, who founded the Gran Fondo National Series in 2012. “Series events will be as they always have been, which is however their event directors choose to run them. To run the National Championship itself, we want to step up the requirements to ensure the competition is fair and champions can attain the prestige deserved.”
Complete qualification criteria available here
Highlights:
GFNS Event Results Qualification: In the 18-month period preceding the USA Cycling National Championships, a rider must achieve one of the following:
Top 25% finish in an age group in a Gran Route (~100 mile) at any GFNS Event, based on the number of starters in that age group.
Top 3 finish in an age group category in Gran Route (~100 mile) at any GFNS Event, regardless of the number of starters.
Complete two (2) or more Gran Route (~100 mile) events at GFNS Events
USA Cycling Automatic Qualifications: Current USA Cycling Amateur or Masters National Champion in any USA Cycling Discipline (Masters - any age group).
“Our vision for entering the gran fondo space is to enhance the event experience for USA Cycling Members by working with promoters to create amenities that fit with the culture of their events,” said Chuck Hodge, Chief of Racing & Events. “Partnering with GFNS is not about using rules and licenses to restrict access to events or collect fees, but rather to create membership benefits that make great events even more appealing for USA Cycling Members.”
Visit USACycling.org for more information on athletes, events and membership programs. Follow @USACycling across all channels for the latest on Team USA.
Qualification Events For 2020 Gran Fondo National Championship
Riders can meet the performance standards above by participating in the 2019 and/or 2020 editions of any of the following gran fondos. Events scheduled after July 19, 2020 can be used to qualify for the 2021 national championship event. Additional events may be added to the list at any time, based on Event Organizer’s decision and Gran Fondo National Championship Series Event Qualification Criteria.
March 22 – Gran Fondo Florida (San Antonio, Florida)
April 26 – TT1 Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo (Helen, Georgia)
May 16-17 – Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo (Jacksonville, AL)
June 7 – Highlands Gran Fondo (Butler, New Jersey)
June 28 – Golden Gran Fondo (Golden, Colorado)
July 10-11 – Cache Gran Fondo (Logan, Utah)*
July 12 – Triple Gran Fondo (Avon, CO)
July 19 – Gran Fondo Asheville (National Championship Event in Asheville, NC)
July 25 – Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb (Idaho Springs, CO)
August 2 – Boone Gran Fondo (Boone, North Carolina)
September 20 – Gran Fondo Maryland (Frederick, Maryland)
September 27 – Jensie Gran Fondo (Novato, California)
About USA Cycling
USA Cycling is a proud member of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). Within the United States, USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, and BMX. With a mission to develop the sport of cycling in the United States and to achieve sustained international racing success, USA Cycling supports cyclists at all levels, from those just beginning in the sport and participating in fun rides to seasoned professionals. The organization not only identifies, develops, and selects cyclists to represent the United States in international competition, but also supports amateur bike racing through grassroots development programs and the provision of critical infrastructure to run organized racing.
USA Cycling is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2020. In 1920, the organization began as The Amateur Bicycle League of America and evolved to become the United States Cycling Federation in 1975 and ultimately USA Cycling, Inc. in 1995. USA Cycling's 100,000+ members are comprised of racers and cyclists of all ages and abilities, coaches, officials, mechanics, and race directors.
About Gran Fondo National Series
Founded in 2012 by event director Reuben Kline, the 9-event Gran Fondo National Series is the largest and most competitive series of gran fondo cycling events in the United States. Acquired in 2017 by the parent company of Haute Route, GFNS events are part of OC Sports’ international portfolio of cycling, running, ultrarunning, and sailing events.