GRAN FONDO ASHEVILLE

Saturday Morning Pickup

10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Hunter Volvo - 208 Hunter Airport Dr, Fletcher, NC 28732

Saturday Afternoon Pickup

3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Rabbit Rabbit - 75 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801

Sunday Pickup - 7/18/21

5:45 AM to 30 mins prior to your start time; Twisted Laurel - 130 College St, Asheville, NC 28801 (at race Start Finish area)

You must check-in in person and you must have ID to check in. We recommend picking up your packet on Saturday to avoid the rush on race morning. If you plan to pick up on Sunday morning before the race, don’t be afraid to be early, you are better off having some extra time, you will need it.

Registration will also be available at an increased fee on Saturday and Sunday, tell your friends to sign up now, they can still register.

TIMING CHIPS AND BIB NUMBERS

All Timing Chips must be picked up on race morning. This is a very quick process that is separate from check-in, you will need to show your race bib number to get your chip.  You can be dressed and ready to ride and swing by to get your chip. Race numbers must be mounted on your back right side and be easily readable.

You must return your timing chip or you will be charged 100 dollars. Please make sure you return it!

PARKING

The garage at 164 College Ave is convenient for participants, but paid, this lot is 0.1 miles from the venue (Twisted Laurel 130 College St, Asheville, NC 28801).

We are cyclists ourselves and a few of us have made the mistake of leaving our bike on the car and then driving into a garage...so we will also be providing bike valets and bike racks at the entrance to the garage.

On-street and metered parking is free in Asheville on Sundays. If you choose to go this route, please allocate the appropriate time to find a spot. Verify that the spot is free before leaving your car.

START TIME AND LOCATION

Start/Finish Location: Twisted Laurel 130 College St, Asheville, NC 28801

USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship riders will start at 8:00am.

Gran, Medio, and Piccolo route will start at 8:30am.

NEARBY ACCOMMODATIONS AND ATTRACTIONS

We recommend the Sourwood Inn, and a variety of nearby attractions can be found at: ExploreAsheville.com

There will be 3 aid stations along the 100-mile route, 2 on the 60-mile, and 1 on the 30-mile (about every 20-25 miles). Each aid station will be fully stocked with great products from Ingles Market, plus water, sports drink mix, Hammer Gel, Endurolytes, Bonk Breaker, Bananas, PB&J Sandwiches, Cookies & Chips and more.

BATHROOMS

Aid-Stations will have bathrooms.  Please use bathrooms.  One of the biggest local complaints is cyclists peeing on the side of the road.  Please help our reputation and use porta-johns.

CUTOFF TIMES

No exceptions for 100 & 60 mile riders! If you do not maintain an average progression speed greater than 10mph you will be directed to take a shorter route. These cut-off spots will happen at the pre-established splits and you will be directed to the shorter route. Please Note: This is a 10mph progression speed, not average speed. Progression speed includes all stopped time. No exceptions!

Short cut- If want to start the party early? 60 & 100 mile riders, at 12 miles from the finish, there is an alternate route back to the finish line that bypasses the final climb up Elk Mountain Scenic Hwy and will save you about 10 miles of hard riding. Although you won’t quality for timing sections, you can still win great door prizes during the awards celebration.

Lost items: We are not responsible for lost or damaged goods or anything left at aid stations or the start finish area. We will try to help but cannot be responsible for your personal items, including your bike.

There will be great food and cold beer waiting for you at the finish line party! We will have more details closer to the event. Cyclist must have valid I.D. to be served beer at post festivities.

RESULTS

Fully searchable results will be posted on the Results page as soon as they are available.

AWARDS AND RAFFLES

Awards presented three deep for each category for fastest section times. In addition, the fastest male in section 2 and in section 4 and the fastest female in section 1 and in section 3 will win a prize.

Custom produced Gran Fondo Winners Asheville kits will be awarded to the fastest riders in each age category of the Gran Route event. These will be mailed to you post event in the size you order.

Team competition: fastest four person team in the Gran Route details at: https://www.granfondonationalchampionshipseries.com/team-category/

Estimated times to start awards - 60 mile & 30 mile 3:00-3:30pm. Awards for the 100-mile Gran Route will happen at or as close as possible after 4:00pm.

We will try to do awards as early as possible. Please understand, it is not possible to tell who won until everyone is finished… this is the nature of a gran fondo, the first one back is not necessarily the winner. We will have great food and drink, to help you get to the awards. You will not be given any awards until the awards ceremony. If you do place in the top three of your age group, and you cannot/wish-not-to wait for the awards ceremony, you can send a self-addressed postage-paid mailing package to us and we will mail you your award. If you are not present at awards you will not receive any prizes, the prize will go to raffle and make someone else happy.

Yes the raffle, we will be holding a raffle directly following 100 mile awards, we will have great stuff for the raffle from our sponsors including prizes such as: Industry Nine hubset, Products from Cane Creek, Rudy Project, SeaSucker vacuum mount bike rack, Swiftwick socks, Shimano components, Jittery Joe’s Coffee, Crotch Guard, a holiday at Garda Bike Hotel in Italy,  as well as other prizes). Yes, it’s worth sticking around for!  (List subject to change)