Gran Fondo Hincapie has announced official courses for its new Bentonville event in Arkansas. Designed for cyclists of all ability levels, the September event will also include a Junior Challenge aimed at growing youth cycling in the United States.
The event weekend takes place on September 7-8, 2024. In partnership with Visit Bentonville, the Ozark Foundation, and Runway Group, the Hincapie-Bentonville event will also feature a ‘large cash purse and prizes’ for cyclists aged 18 and under.
On Saturday, day one of the Gran Fondo Hincapie-Bentonville weekend, riders will experience rolling hills with a course that heads north out of Bentonville, through Bella Vista, AR, and then makes an eastern loop into Missouri. Race options include:
- Gran – 86.5 miles | 4,848 feet of elevation gain | 3 timed climbs | 3 rest stops
- Medio – 55 miles | 3,428 feet of elevation gain | 3 timed climbs, 2 rest stops
- Piccolo – 18.1 miles | 1,136 feet of elevation gain | 1 timed climb
On Sunday, day two, riders are treated to a different set of scenic road courses. First, routes head north out of Bentonville, ride through Bella Vista, and then make a western loop through Missouri.
- Gran – 84.3 miles | 4,893 feet of elevation gain | 3 timed climbs | 4 rest stops
- Medio – 43.7 miles | 2,788 feet of elevation gain | 2 timed climbs, 2 rest stops
- Piccolo – 18 miles | 1,136 feet of elevation gain | 1 timed climb
“What’s great about these courses is that you have flat to rolling hills, wide open countryside and then you come in and out of Bentonville, so there’s a little something for everybody,” said Jamie Godfrey, Gran Fondo Hincapie Event Director.
“It’s not just for the serious cyclists. It’s for someone who may have never been to a gran fondo or mass participation event before.”
A Junior Challenge is also being introduced for the Hincapie-Bentonville event, which will feature a large cash purse and prizes for cyclists ages 10–18. Participants will ride the Medio courses but have their own staging and start corral.
Younger riders will be required to present a current 2024 USA Cycling or UCI license. To help grow the sport of cycling and encourage participation amongst young riders, junior riders 18 and under who are not interested in racing, but still want to participate in the Hincapie event are invited to register for any of the fondo distances for free.
“There is simply not enough racing for juniors around the country. When I grew up, I could race almost every weekend in big fields. We need to bump that back up,” said George Hincapie.
“We have a great crop of American professionals now that are helping to elevate the sport in the minds of young riders across the country. For young riders to line up [at the Hincapie-Junior Challenge] and have a professional World Tour-looking stage, it’s a great opportunity for them.
He continued, “Hopefully from starting an event like this, they continue to grow their passion for the sport and never want to leave it, keep getting better, and keep making their lives about cycling. We want to continue to see and grow youth cycling in the United States.”
In addition to two days of rides, the event weekend has a Family Fun Festival included in the registration cost after each day of riding, complete with gourmet food, entertainment, podium awards, and drinks alongside friends, family, and other cyclists. Participants also receive an event jersey, chip timing, on-course SAG support, fully stocked rest stops, and free participant photography.
“The Hincapie event is unique in that it’s two days, plus on Friday night there is a celebrity chef dinner, expo, and packet pick up,” said Jamie Cathey, Outdoor Recreation Events Manager at Visit Bentonville.
“People are coming in and spending a whole weekend here. People are signing up for both days, which offers them two different riding experiences. They’re staying in town for two separate nights, hopefully enjoying The Momentary, and eating at our restaurants.
“For a group of people who might not have thought that Bentonville was a spot for them, this [event] expose that road group… now we’re getting a whole other group of people to know what we know, which is that there is a really amazing cycling culture here, and there is a place for them too on the road cycling side.”
The Bentonville, AR, event (September 7-8) adds to Gran Fondo Hincapie’s lineup of other upcoming events. The Merced, CA event took place on March 16-17 and the Chattanooga, TN, event took place on May 3-4. The next events are taking place in Lehigh Valley, PA (May 31 – June 1), followed by Bangor, Maine (June 21-22), and Greenville, SC (October 18-19).
