Bicycle racers and recreational riders from around the US are now registering for the third annual The Oregon Gran Fondo, scheduled for 1 June in Cottage Grove, Oregon.
The presenting sponsors are Eugene companies Rolf Prima Wheel Systems, a manufacturer of premium hand-built bicycle wheels, and Co-Motion Cycles, which makes handmade bicycles. Additional key sponsors include Eugene’s Oakshire Brewing, Slocum Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, and Burley Design.
The Oregon Gran Fondo is produced by dark:30 sports, a Eugene-based event promoter.
Both elite and recreational cyclists will participate in a traditional European event that includes a variety of courses and social riding alongside competitive, clock-timed racers. Gran Fondo traditionally means ‘big ride’. It originated in France and Italy where bicyclists of all ages were invited to ride a stage of one of the professional grand tours, such as the Tour de France.
Last year’s event attracted more than 370 racers and recreational riders to a European-style celebration of cycling that bicyclists of all ages can enjoy. In addition to rides through countryside and forests, the event features family-friendly activities, free camping for registrants at Bohemia Park in historic downtown Cottage Grove, an expo, raffles and prizes, and post-ride refreshments including a beer garden.
The organisers are expecting around 500 cyclists from the US and Canada to participate in this year’s event. The event is produced in cooperation with the City of Cottage Grove and the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce and is one of three cycling events that make up the Oregon Triple Crown Series.
Cyclists registered for the Gran route (117 miles, 5,700 feet of climbing) and the Medio route (71 miles, 3,900 feet of climbing) will get a police-escorted, mass start down Main Street. From downtown, the routes head west to the village of Lorane and from there on low-traffic rural and forest roads into the Siuslaw and Smith River watersheds.
The Gran route features a competitive hill climb with King and Queen of the Mountain trophies awarded for the first man and woman to the top. The event features Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) clock timing with overall results and age-category results.
Cyclists on all three routes will be supported with aid stations (food, refreshments and mechanical support), and support vehicles.
The family friendly Piccolo route follows the paved Row River National Recreation Trail for a maximum ride of 32 miles. Cyclists may ride all or just part of the route – which features a refreshment station – before joining the finish-line festivities.
