Giant Seorak to host 2020 Gran Fondo World Tour Championship ® this May

Last year over 4,600 participants took to the start line, testament to the rapid growth of road cycling in Asia!

The 5th Annual Gran Fondo World Tour Championship ® will be held on May 23, 2020 in Seorak, South Korea. Giant Seorak Gran Fondo features an international peloton of riders from over 40 countries. Athletes take on a steep and challenging 208 km route through the Seorak National Park and compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

“Seorak Gran Fondo originated with 10 riders departing from the east side of Baek Bok-ryeong in the Donghae city of Gangwon Province in June 2010, to ride 265km over seven mountain to reach Sokcho. Consisting of beautiful mountain scenery from Seorak Mountain and O'de Mountain in Gangwon Province, the route travels through one of the best mountain areas in Korea.  Our event has grown over 10 years and we are proud to be the Gran Fondo World Tour Championship®  in 2020,” said Mr. Kisseok Uhm, Principal and head manager, Giant Seorak Gran Fondo.

The Giant Seorak Gran Fondo is now the biggest Gran Fondo in Asia with over 4,600 riders lining up at the start in 2019, asserting the rapid growth of Gran Fondo cycling culture across Asia, making a new market in cyclotourism and adventure travelers searching for new far flung destinations.

The Gran Fondo riders have to complete the 208 km course over four category 2 climbs and 1 of HC (Hors Catégorie) Category Mountain within 12 hours. The Medio Fondo riders have to complete the 105 km course over two category 2 mountains and 2 category 4 mountains within 7 hours.

2020 Gran Fondo World Championship ®

Male and Female winners of the the 2020 Gran Fondo World Championship ® will receive a prize of €1,500. The Championship takes part on the Gran Fondo 208 km Course only. Participants in the championship event will get a bonus of 50% Gran Fondo World Tour Championship ® points too. 

The Gran Fondo will also award the winner 1,000 Gran Fondo World Tour Championship ® points for 1st place and the Medio Fondo: 750 Gran Fondo World Tour Championship ® points for 1st place. Every other rider will receive points based on their finish time and the percentage that they are behind the winner, with a minimum of 600 points for all finishers. Participants in non-timed events will all get 900 points.

This year more than 40 nationatilies were represented from 5 continents, explaining its dominance as part of the expanding Gran Fondo World Tour ®series.

In 2019, local cyclists, Song Joomi (women) and Cheon Sosan (men) were the winners. Joomi finishing in an amazing 13th place in the overall ranking, passing over more than 1,600 participants on the Gran Fondo course; an amazing result that shows the potential of Korean Cyclists in the overall 2020 Gran Fondo World® ranking this year.

The next edition is May 23, 2020, the last weekend of May, part of the 2020 Gran Fondo World Tour ® Series.

For more information, please visit: http://granfondo.kr

Gran Fondo World Tour ® 2020 Calendar

About the Gran Fondo World Tour ®

2020 Gran Fondo World ® Tour offers avid cyclists the opportunity to race in the most attractive locations and experience the cultures of the world. The 2020 series is a collection of events featuring a variety of routes, from challenging hills to fast flat roads, each event showcases the beauty and authenticity of the region. Riders explore the splendor of a cycling in the most remarkable landscapes and experience unique cultures while racing the clock, each other and themselves..The series brings participants to some of the world’s most picturesque and jaw-dropping destinations.

By taking part in the events in the series, cyclists collect points for the world ranking system of the GRAN FONDO WORLD TOUR ®. The ranking is open to all cyclists, regardless of performance level. The concept is to build a community of avid cyclists and inspire others to ride.

The 2020 Gran Fondo World ® Tour ® philosophy is quite simple: We love cycling, we love to meet new people and to explore the world. Therefore, our wish is to gather unique events in attractive locations and make these events more visible to explorational cyclists around the world. #WeAreGranFondo

For more information on the 2020 Gran Fondo World ® Championships, please visit: https://www.granfondoworldtour.com/en