Top cycling stars help Hincapie-Greenville Gran Fondo raise money for Hurricane Helene relief

Former top professional cyclists turned up at the Hincapie Family's Gran Fondo in Greenville, SC at the weekend, the event transformed into a charity fundraiser for Hurricane Helene relief for Polk County

Photo Credits: @hincapiesports

Guest stars included Tour de France legends Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Jan Ulrich, Bobby Julich, Christian Vande Velde, and NFL star quarterback Brett Favre, along with nearly 2,000 fondo fans who made it to the start -- despite ongoing disaster recovery in the region!

The weekend kicked off with an unforgettable night at the Mark Cavendish Retirement & Helene Huricane Relief Party at the stunning Hotel Domestique with exquisite dishes crafted by incredible celebrity chefs to sipping on amazing wine and spirits, the evening was pure magic. Lucky guests were able to share the table with legends like Mark Cavendish, Jan Ullrich, and Bradley Wiggins.

The next day, thousands of participants rode multiple laps on a "low impact 19-mile course" to ensure the ride did not "detract emergency services" from ongoing Hurricane relief efforts in the Carolina's.

Bella Hincapie, Operations Coordinator stated "What an absolutely fantastic day at Gran Fondo Hincapie-Greenville! With perfect weather and thousands of enthusiastic riders, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. We were especially thrilled to have cycling legends Sir Mark Cavendish and Sir Bradley Wiggins joining us on the course, adding an extra dose of star power to the event!"

"We came together not just to ride, but to support our friends in Polk County, North Carolina, and your generosity made a real impact. Thank you for making this day so unforgettable—your energy and spirit truly brought this community together"

This year's 76-mile Gran Fondo event saw a familiar men's podium with 30-year-old former Colombian profesional Diego Ruiz repeating last year's victory in a time of 3:16:49. Jeff Case finished second in 3:18:28, climbing up one podium step from last year, while multiple UCI Gran Fondo World Champion Bruce Bird settled for third place in a time of 3:21:42.

In the women's race, American 2023 UCI Gran Fondo World Champion Amy Phillips secured victory in a time of 3:44:45, with Emma Frost trailing at 3:48:40 and Katie Prowell finishing third in a time of 3:57:38.

Mitch Hopkins won the men’s Medio Fondo in a time of 2:43:54, and Amanda Hodges won in the women's category in a time of 2:48:38.

Jackson Mitten won the men's Piccolo Fondo in a time of 53.02 and Beth Messick won in the women's category in a time of 1:16:27.

Boasting a $10,000 cash prize pool, the Hincapie Junior Challenge, was won by Peyton Perckel for the men and Reagen Pattishall for the women.

Enzo Hincapie took the Junior KOM climb challenge along with Reagen Pattishall.

Link to the 2024 Hincapie-Greenville Gran Fondo results: https://my.raceresult.com/311217