The second edition of the Gran Fondo Encamp Pas de la Casa in Andorra took place on the weekend of May 27-28, nine months after the event’s maiden edition.
With 400 participating cyclists in the gran fondo, according to the organising team at Gran Fondo World Tour (GFWT), the 2023 event also marked a milestone in the recovery of the accompanying Andbank Andorra Bike Race.
“Beyond the growth in quantity, we value the quality of the event with personal care, knowing almost every participant by name and surname,” said Dani Buyo, CEO of Gran Fondo World Tour and director of the event.
On Saturday, the Andbank Andorra Bike Race mountain biking event featured a more technical first part, followed by views from the base of the Grandvalira slopes.
Dani Buyo continued, “We have always thought that the Andorra Bike Race brand has a lot of potential, with a more pure and tough format, following a track, as is already customary in gravel cycling, combining linking sections with timed ones, as done in the Dakar.
“We didn’t want to repeat already-used formulas, and the result was evident, with a significant presence of electric bicycles, more than half.”
On Sunday, around 400 cyclists took part in the three versions of the Gran Fondo Encamp Pas de la Casa, with the longest race, the Envalira, being the most crowded, filling the slopes of Beixalis, Ordino, Envalira, and Cortalls d’Encamp with bicycles.
Timed sections on the climbs combined with the neutralization of other segments… ‘to ensure the race coexisted with the normal life of Andorra.’
Dani Buyo added “Female participation has been above 20%, a very important figure aligned with the growth of women in cycling and demonstrating that we cater to all audiences.”
