Star Production SARL, the company behind the worldwide, fast-growing TriStar series of triathlons, has acquired Gran Fondo USA, the first American series of mass cycling events that has won the hearts of cyclists nationwide across the US.
“Star Events is committed to delivering high-quality sports events, accessible to all levels of competition, and we are very excited about this entrance into the American Market,” said Georg Hochegger, CEO of Star Production SARL.
“Gran Fondo USA is the leading company in mass cycling events in the US market, and offers an ideal platform to develop our cycling division, expanding the current focus of our company.”
Gran Fondos, ‘Big Ride’ in Italian, are exciting long distance, mass rides not races that are immensely popular in Europe. Participation is open to recreational and competitive amateur cyclists and thousands of riders of all abilities participate.
Just like in Italy, each Gran Fondo USA event includes a mass start, challenging routes, a consumer expo, well-stocked aid stations, mobile tech support, a VIP gala night, and a post-ride Italian lunch.
Gran Fondo USA was founded in 2008 by Matteo Gerevini and Rob Klingensmith who launched operations in 2009 with Gran Fondo San Diego, the first Gran Fondo in the United States.
“The success of our rides comes from our attention to detail and our strong commitment to the ‘Made in Italy’ theme,” said Gran Fondo co-founder Matteo Gerevini. “We are proud of this partnership with Star Production, which will bring our operations to a new level and enable us to expand the series to other major cities in the coming years.”
The Gran Fondo USA 2011 season includes San Diego, which was completed in April, and upcoming rides in Los Angeles (June 26), Philadelphia (August 14), and Miami (November 20).
Gran Fondo USA rides will now be a part of the StarTour series which introduces amateurs, who want to participate in quality events at great destinations, to the best cycling races from all over the world. These tours stimulate the local economy while offering unique travel opportunities to cyclists. The StarTour series offers an international portfolio of cycling, swimming and triathlon events that can be found all over Europe and now in the United States.
The Star Events and StarTour label are owned by Star Production SARL, the Monaco based company specializing in the organisation of high-quality sports events focused on fun, social responsibility and environmental protection.
