Gran Fondo Super Prestige: North America's Biggest Gran Fondo Challenge

Gran Fondo Super Prestige: North America's biggest Gran Fondo challenge
Gran Fondo Super Prestige calendar launches in 2014 with eight listed events and offers a new challenge for cyclists.

New for 2014, Gran Fondo Super Prestige (GFSP) is a challenge established by GFNY Magazine that includes the premier and truly competitive long distance cycling events in North America. Riders have to complete the longest distance course at three out of the eight events to obtain Gran Fondo Super Prestige Finisher status for 2014. Women can complete the longest or the second-longest course at a Gran Fondo Super Prestige event to qualify for Gran Fondo Super Prestige Finisher status. GFSP is an independent entity that does not create any affiliation among the events.

"With Gran Fondo Super Prestige, we're emulating the highly successful Prestigio series of our Italian sister magazine Bicisport" says GFNY Magazine publisher Uli Fluhme. "I've followed the series since its inception in the 1990s and have participated in many Prestigio Gran Fondos. What I love about Prestigio is that it's not about winning a race which only a few riders will ever have a shot at. Instead, it's about completing some of the toughest Gran Fondos out there. That in itself provides a challenge not to be underestimated and keeps riders motivated to train all year."

A Gran Fondo is a marathon for cyclists. It’s an event where riders get a chance to take on a cycling challenge, like runners and triathletes have done for decades over long distances, without stopping at stop signs or traffic lights while having a chance to do their best. Events in the Gran Fondo Super Prestige calendar are following the concept of a true Gran Fondo and its three key elements: police giving cyclists the right of way at every intersection, individual chip timing and rankings based on time and a tough course. In addition, all events listed on the GFSP calendar meet a size requirement to be considered "Super Prestige."

The achievement of Gran Fondo Super Prestige Finishers will be recognized with a GFSP badge and sticker as well as lifetime bragging rights. Riders will be recognized in the GFNY Magazine. Every cyclists who finishes an event on the GFSP 2014 calendar is automatically part of GFSP and is in the running to be a Gran Fondo Super Prestige 2014 Finisher.

Gran Fondo Super Prestige 2014 calendar (in order of date): Campagnolo Gran Fondo New York, Gran Fondo Axel Merckx, RBC Gran Fondo Banff, RBC Gran Fondo Whistler, Gran Fondo Niagara Falls, GFNY Italia, Gran Fondo Hincapie.

More details at www.granfondosp.com

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