EVERGREEN, COLO, February, 4th 2020 — Two legendary Colorado-based cycling events (The Triple Bypass Ride and the Bob Cook Memorial / Mt. Evans Hill Climb) will have “partner status” with the National Gran Fondo Series for the 2020 season. Both events will now offer the opportunity to earn Gran Fondo National Series Points and qualify for the USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship event.
The Triple Bypass and the Mt. Evans Hill Climb are both produced by Team Evergreen — the largest, longest-running cycling club in Colorado. In addition to these events, Team Evergreen has also recently added the Beti Bike Bash to its 2020 event calendar. Invested deeply in the cycling/trail community — all proceeds of Team Evergreen events are donated to a variety of charitable organizations (with over 3 million dollars to date).
In true “Fondo fashion”, The Triple Gran Fondo will not be a start-to-finish race. A participant’s overall time from start to finish does not matter for this competition. Only the timed segments count. Rankings are determined by your KOM/QOM standings for each pass as well as the combined time for all timed segments. The Triple Gran Fondo is what climbing dreams are made of. Leaving from Avon Colorado, timed segments are on the uphill portions of the passes of the Triple – Vail, Loveland and Squaw.
Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb
“The Triple Bypass has been a bucket-list event for over 30 years so we are proud to collaborate with the Gran Fondo National Series to bring it to a new level for 2020,” said Jen Barbour, Executive director of Team Evergreen. “Timing riders up three mountain passes over a 120-mile course is sure to create one of the most challenging and rewarding events in the country.”
And while racing from Idaho Springs to the summit of Mt. Evans (14,130’) has always been an epic feat, this will allow participants to race on the same course as those that have made it to the highest level of cycling. The Bob Cook Memorial / Mt. Evans Gran Fondo starts in the historic mining town of Idaho Springs and finishes just below the summit of Mt. Evans. The race is a mass start and is 28 miles in length and climbs over 6,600 feet.
“We’re excited to work with Team Evergreen cycling to include the Bob Cook Memorial / Mt Evans Hill Climb and the Triple Gran Fondo as Series events, and as qualifiers for the USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship,” said Reuben Kline, series director. “This partnership allows us to offer more series points events in the region; while the Golden Gran Fondo has been part of the Series for the last seven years, Golden has been the only accessible Series event for those who live in the Colorado / Rocky Mountain region. This new relationship will allow riders to take part in three events within geographic proximity and score points in the Series standings. Both [Mt. Evans and the Triple Fondo] are very well organized and fit beautifully in the Series. They promote the same positive energy to grow cycling, share the primary goal of giving cyclists an opportunity to participate and compete at their personal level and have a great time doing so!“
About Triple Bypass: The Triple Bypass Bicycle Ride is recognized as one of the premier cycling events in the nation. Celebrating its 32nd Anniversary, the Triple Bypass takes you on a gorgeous tour through the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from Evergreen to Avon Colorado. There’s something in it for everyone from a 40-mile single pass to 240 miles over 2 days. www.triplebypass.org
About Bob Cook Memorial/Mt. Evans Hill Climb: The 55th annual Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb is an iconic bicycle race that takes place on the highest paved road in North America, at 14,264 above sea level. Challenge yourself to an epic event that creates lifelong memories. http://bicyclerace.com/
About Gran Fondo National Series: Founded in 2012 by Series Director Reuben Kline, the Gran Fondo National Series (GFNS) is the largest and most competitive series of Gran Fondo cycling events in the United States, including a season-long series competition and the official USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship. Through the integration of a timed section format, GFNS provides an inclusive alternative to traditional road racing and welcomes more people into the sport of cycling. Acquired in 2017 by the parent company of Haute Route, GFNS events are part of OCSports’ international portfolio of cycling, running, ultrarunning, and sailing events. granfondonationalseries.com
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