Endurance Ride or Race Like a Pro at the Gran Fondo New York (GFNY)

With its skyscrapers, heavy traffic, tons of pedestrians, and constantly busy streets, you wouldn’t think that New York City would be a hotbed of cycling. The truth is, NYC is the spot for one of the most prominent gran fondos in America, the Gran Fondo New York.

You start the ride in the city and ride roads outside of it and in New Jersey. It is an event ride and a race mixed together. So, if you’re looking for an excuse to visit NYC and you’re a cyclist, this ride might be for you.

What is the Gran Fondo New York (GFNY)?

The Gran Fondo New York was started in 2010 by Lidia and Uli Fluhme. They based their event on the many gran fondos held in Italy every year. Hundreds of cyclists register for this ride every year.

Since its beginnings, the GFNY has become an international event that is open to everyone who wants to take on the challenge. The event is both an endurance ride and a race with the underlying motto of “BE A PRO FOR A DAY.”

Every cyclist that participates gets this high level of treatment. The organizers of the GFNY supply the following.

• The entire racecourse is police-monitored from start to finish chip timing of all riders.
• The course has cheering friendly volunteers and fully stocked aid stations to keep you fueled.
• The race staff ensures whatever your pace, you will receive the same support and treatment for your entire race.

Courses and Awards for Completing the GFNY

For the event, there are two courses, the long and medium route. The long route is 110 – 180 kilometers. Riders are ranked by finish time. Age-category finishers even go up on a podium during the awards ceremony.

Medium course riders do 40 to 90 kilometers. This is a non-competitive, recreational ride, and since all riders are equipped with chip timers, they are listed alphabetically with their times in the results and not when they crossed the finish line.

Regardless of which part of the GFNY riders choose to participate in, all riders have chip timers. And every rider receives a finisher medal at the end. Additionally, all riders start the ride on the George Washington Bridge (pictured above). Today, there are 20 associated events with the GFNY, some of which are held in Europe, specifically Italy.

Registration and Cost for the GFNY

If you want to register for the Gran Fondo New York, you’ll need to create an account on the event website. From there, you can choose your event and make secure credit card payments. This is an important point because GFNY is connected to several events, some of which are not even cycling-related.

Pricing for registration is not available on the event website. That is probably only visible once you have created an account and logged in. However, pricing for the Ultra GFNY Championship 2025 is listed at $309.00.

Pricing is also available for the Ultra GFNY Championship 2025 -VIP and it is $1,109. This level includes a VIP registration suite, Private shopping service, VIP Corral start, 25-min post-race massage, and Post-race hospitality suite for 1 person.

All participants receive an official jersey, which must be worn on the day of the event. All participants, as mentioned earlier, also receive a finisher medal. Once registered, cyclists can buy additional apparel, branded sunglasses, watches, t-shirts, etc.

Last Thoughts

The GFNY is a well-known and international event that starts in NYC. It is well-organized and supported. If you’re going to be in the area and you’re seeking a cycling challenge, this could be the event for you.

But this ride is primarily a non-competitive, recreational event. Of course, if you want to race, you can. Qualifications aren’t necessary either way. And if you don’t have a bike or an adequate bike to do this ride, a rental can be arranged. The next event is May 18th, 2025, so register soon!