Routes announced for 2012 Iowa Gran Fondo

Posted on May 11, 2012 by tritchie

On May 11, the official routes were announced for the Iowa Gran Fondo, which starts in Sioux City and rides about 100 miles to Sioux Center on July 21.

The iGran Fondo route follows a path through the beautiful Loess Hills of northwest Iowa, then heads north onto more flat plains and rolling hills in Sioux County.

The route will head north out of Sioux City from Riverside Park up Highway 12 to Stone State Park, where riders will have the first challenge, the Stone State Park challenge.

The ride will loop through the park before heading north out of town on Highway 12 to Continue reading →

Hotels offer specials for iGran Fondo riders

Posted on May 10, 2012 by tritchie

The Iowa Gran Fondo has partnered with three local hotels to offer special rates for Gran Fondo riders.

All of the hotels are on or near the Siouxland trails system, making access to Riverside Park easy.

The hotels are as follows:

Stoney Creek Inn, 300 3rd St., which is 3.9 miles miles from the starting point. Specials include a king room for $89, two queens for $89 or a themed suite for $159. Call 712-234-1100.
Holiday Inn, 701 Gordon Drive, is offering $102 single and double room rates for riders in the downtown hotel, which is 4.05 miles from the ride start. Call 712-277-9400.
The Hilton Garden Inn, 1132 Larsen Park Road, is 3.13 miles from the start and is offering two special rates for riders: a single or double for $99, or a suite for $129. The hotel is 1.3 miles from downtown. Call 712-255-4200.

When reserving a room, make sure to mention that you are with the iGran Fondo ride to receive the special rates.

Thank you to the 2012 iGran Fondo sponsors

Posted on May 1, 2012 by tritchie

Already the inaugural Iowa Gran Fondo, or iGran Fondo, is gaining momentum, with many local and national sponsors joining to support us.

Our biggest supporter is USA Cycling, a respected national organization whose name is synanymous with the sport. Without them, the Gran Fondo would not happen.

Closer to Sioux City a number of sponsors have lined up.

Sioux City Velo, Albrecht Cycles and Siouxland Cyclists, the region’s largest bicycle club.

This year’s ride is guaranteed to offer an incredible challenge to cyclists seeking more than just a century ride. Hill-climbing and speed challenges are all part of the fun of this unique event that will take its first turn in Iowa on July 21.

Thanks to those sponsors, and to those who wish to sponsor the ride, contact David Harris.

Check out the iGran Fondo route video

Posted on April 24, 2012 by tritchie

It’s not official yet, but an announcement is nearing on the route for the 2012 Iowa Gran Fondo, called the iGran Fondo.

However, for those too anxious to wait, here is the route, captured on video and sped up so you can see the entire (preliminary) path in just 3 minutes.

We’re still waiting on the Iowa DOT and others to sign off on the official route for the 100-mile challenge, but we’re confident that not much will change once you roll out of Sioux City in July.

The best part? You get to see just how fun those rolling hills will be, but this time at high speed.

Check it out and let us know what you thought by adding a comment below.

Start training now for Iowa Gran Fondo

Posted on March 7, 2012 by tritchie

Photo by Emmett Hume | http://bit.ly/wFUNKC

We’re already in the thick of March, and for many cyclists that means getting the bike out and dusting it off for spring. Or, if you live in sunnier parts, you’ve already had plenty of time to hit the road to train for a Gran Fondo.

So what does training for the Iowa Gran Fondo entail? Lots of hard work, namely, but also persistence, drive and consistency.

Remember, you can get on the bike every day and log the miles, but conditioning muscles, your mind (remember, it’s not just physical) and your legs to a 100-mile challenge takes time.

So let’s get rolling. Here are some tips to get started. We’ll continue to offer more tips as we near the ride. But these should get you started off right.

Ride with strong riders: While many riders prefer to roll solo, find a local group of riders who you can train with because you need to experience riding with others, pushing Continue reading →

Iowa’s newest cycling challenge

Posted on January 21, 2012 by tritchie

Iowa has long been considered a cyclist’s mecca, and now that legacy will continue with the addition of a Gran Fondo timed challenge starting in Sioux City.

Iowa has never had a Gran Fondo. All that will change on July 21 when hundreds of riders will leave Sioux City in a race for the Yellow Jersey. That’s right, there IS a yellow jersey.

So what’s a Gran Fondo, you ask? Basically, it’s a timed race with challenges throughout the course. Popular in Europe and across the United States, the ride is a personal battle against the distance and, in turn, the clock.

Rides typically are about 100 miles, but feature shorter courses for riders seeking less of a challenge. The 2012 inaugural ride will feature three options, all of them in the beautiful Loess Hills of western Iowa.
- a short out-and-back route that starts and ends in Sioux City.
- a medium ride which will be a casual, quick ride to the RAGBRAI start city.
- a chip-timed 100-mile ride, on a specific course, that’s a cross between a race and a ride.

Here’s the cool part: This annual race will be run each year, leaving Sioux City the day before RAGBRAI starts. When RAGBRAI starts in Sioux City, the race will start and end here. When it starts elsewhere, the ride will depart from Sioux City and end in the community where RAGBRAI starts. This year, that means we’ll end in Sioux Center.