Join the Millionaire’s Riding Club on a challenging 100+ mile course from Sand Hill Road to the far reaches of Sullivan County and back in an experience fit for a pro and open only to those that hang with the Mayor. This unprofessionally managed event will feature the excitement of starting in Gardiner, at least four climbs with KOM large format IPAs to the winner of each, beautiful scenery, charming towns and the camaraderie of group cycling. Gran Fondo MRC is an Official Qualifier for 2011 Beer Cross (but participation is not mandatory to qualify for Beer Cross). Background: Gran Fondo is a challenging, 100+ mile bike race, a concept stemming from Italy. You can think of it as a marathon on bicycles. At Dark Horse NY, there are long-course bike rides, singlespeed-a-paloozas, and 40 mile trail races. Here is where Gran Fondo MRC is different: it is a long-distance challenging ride that appeals to competitive racers and beer swilling cyclists alike. In Italy, a Gran Fondo has 1,000 to 10,000 participants, covers at least 100 miles and goes over challenging terrain. In France and the UK, this style of racing is known as cyclosportives.
Course: The undulating terrain of the course will challenge participants’ strength and stamina with at least 5,000ft/1,524m of climbing. The Gran Fondo MRC course will take participants from Gardiner to Kerhonkson, around the Roundout Reservoir and into the stunning mountains of Sullivan County. After arriving at the Ashokan Reservoir riders will break at one of Top Chef’s favorite haunts for lunch and espresso before tackling the steep side of Peekamoose and finishing off with climb to the Minnewaska State Park entrance. The five-mile climb up 44/55 will serve as the final big climb and make you realize that you have survived. After the high speed descent, riders will regroup and bring it home to Casa de C-Dubs for a well earned BBQ and cold beers.
UCI World Beer Cross World Championship Qualification: Four challenging climbs will count towards the King of Mountain competition and the UCI Amateur Beer Cross World Championship qualification. The top 10% of each Age Group will qualify for the 2011 UWCT World Championship in Belgium.
There is no timing or competition over the whole course. However, athletes have to complete the full course to be eligible for prizes and Beer Cross World Championship Qualification. Race your hearts and guts out on the climbs but enjoy the rest of the ride in international company.
Support: Yellow MAVIC cars will not offer technical support on the course and instead will be supporting the Tour de France. In fact you might get more support from a used jockstrap then you will from the MRC, but hey we're all friends so everyone helps everyone or we slash your tires. At each espresso stop, there will be food, drink, portapotty (that means the bushes). Volunteers will be present on the course at any turn on the course to attempt to send you in the wrong direction. Volunteers on motorbikes will be circling the course as well, ready and push you over and blast exhaust at you on the steepest pitches. Along the route, participants will not enjoy well-stocked rest stops (since there aren’t any). A great post-race party will await participants (would you expect anything less from the NECS) at the finish line. Not feeling it on the day? We won’t have SAG vehicles so suck it up and ride your sorry ass to the finish line like the rest of the peleton.
Prizes: Winners of each of the KOM climb will receive a special large format IPA or growler. The overall KOM will ride home on a new CIPOLLINI PODESTA road bike (yeah right, you will ride home on you own bike, what do you think we are – RICH?). Other prizes may or may not include MAVIC racing wheels, used Sidi shoes, smelly Giro helmets, completely ass worn Specialized saddles and much, much more (mostly the old crap I can't sell). Additionally, raffle prizes will be distributed throughout the awards ceremony.
Entry Fee:The entry fee for each participant is a six pack of beer and some food for the post ride BBQ (we don’t ass rape you like those other Grand Fondos). Included in the entry fee is a custom NECS spoke card, which is mandatory for the event. The event goodie bag, "pacco gara" will contain various products from event sponsors. If you've registered but are unable to participate, you may transfer your spot to someone else for a $50,000 transfer fee by May 31, 2011. NECS fees and credit card processing fees are third party fees, Gran Fondo MRC is not responsible for third party fees.
Travel Booking: Gran Fondo MRC is working with travel agencies in Italy, Germany, UK, Ireland, Australia, France, Spain, Bermuda, South Africa and Toronto. Please check the Gran Fondo MRC blogsite for travel partners. All athletes have the option to register directly and handle their own travel. Or they can book their travel and registration through an official GFMRC travel partner in their region.
Team Competition: If you are cycling for a team in GFMRC, please make sure that each teammate writes the name of the team in the exact same way during the registration process to be easily matched up in our records. A team name can be a cycling team, a him+her team or a tandem bicycle. Tandem bicycle teams are not eligible for competition awards, in fact no teams are eligible for awards or welcome at our event.
2 comments:
I'll pedal my legs off for a large format IPA.
Obamador, KOM from the Peekamoose 100, so glad to see you are in for the Grand Fondo - MRC.
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