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The US will have a new UCI pro road race next season, with the long-running Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) adding a UCI 1.2-ranked event to its program.
The race will take place on the same date and course as the Gran Fondo New York, May 19, and will be titled the Gran Premio New York City. 180 professional riders from 25 teams will compete, lining out 15 minutes before the 5000 amateur riders take their start.
“Adding a pro race to GFNY mass participation races has been in the making since 2014,” stated GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme in the race announcement this week.
“This new format of pros and amateurs racing together aims to revolutionize cycling where both traditionally race in separate events. Having the pros take on the same course as the amateurs, just minutes ahead of them, will bring the racing fans closer to their heroes and elevate the event experience for all riders, spectators and sponsors.”
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Currently the 1.2-ranked Maryland Cycling Classic is the only one-day UCI road race in the US.
The inaugural event will begin on the lower level of the George Washington Bridge and will follow the single-loop, 137 km (85-mile) GFNY course through Bergen County, NJ and Rockland County, NY. There will be 2000 m (6500 ft) of climbing.
The organisers are billing the event format as a world premiere, saying that running a professional and mass-participation race at the same time is new to the sport.
A women’s race is possible but as of now, not guaranteed. GRNY stated that this will be added if a sponsor is found, and has invited interested backers to get in contact. Should the women’s race go ahead it will start 45 minutes before the men’s contest.
The race organization states that riders from 15 countries will be part of the pro lineup, with European Pro Tour teams with Grand Tour pedigree said to take part, as well as Continental Pro teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia. Ten team contracts have been signed while ten more are nearing completion.
GFNY also states that it intends to run additional UCI pro races as part of some of the other 30+ GFNYs it runs globally. These include GFNY races in Miami, Cozumel, Republica Dominicana, Cannes, Kuala Lumpur and Vaujany-L’Alpe d’Huez.
Sponsors and those interested in offering homestays to athletes are invited to contact the organisers via the GFNY website.
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