Gran Fondo for Northern Ireland

Eamonnator · 16-12-2014 6:47pm #1

Here's one for your calendar for next year. It should be a great event

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/giro-d-italia/cycle-fans-tickled-pink-as-gran-fondo-is-coming-to-northern-ireland-30840425.html

Sunday 21st June.
2 distances: 177kms and 59 kms.
Starts and finishes at the Titanic Centre.

bcmf · 16-12-2014 7:01pm

yay. in regardless of the route!

Unknown Soldier · 16-12-2014 7:13pm

I think this is going to have to be a "must" for me, as I grew up in said Nordie land.

Might try and persuade the auld fella to give it a lash too, bless him.

NeedMoreGears · 16-12-2014 8:12pm

Deadly. Deffo in

Eamonnator · 16-12-2014 8:14pm

I would say, that accommodation will fill up very quickly. i have booked a hotel, 1km from start, for 60 Euro.

Beasty · 16-12-2014 8:24pm

bcmf wrote: »

yay. in regardless of the route!

You realise a Gran Fondo is different from a large Fondue?:pac:

bcmf · 16-12-2014 8:26pm

Beasty wrote: »

You realise a Gran Fondo is different from a large Fondue?:pac:

How so?

Eamonnator · 16-12-2014 8:30pm

Beasty wrote: »

You realise a Gran Fondo is different from a large Fondue?:pac:

A fondue set.....and a cuddly toy

Jim Stynes · 16-12-2014 8:41pm

Any details of the route yet?

poolboy · 16-12-2014 9:29pm

Eamonnator wrote: »

I would say, that accommodation will fill up very quickly. i have booked a hotel, 1km from start, for 60 Euro.

Days hotel city centre £60 for twin room no deposit.. Hopefully can make it now

el tel · 16-12-2014 10:10pm

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Any details of the route yet?

Radio Ulster said it will visit strangford coast and mourne mountains.

As it happens it's one the same day as North Down CC's annual Coastal Challenge sportive, which I think is Ulster's biggest CI club run event at just over 1000 riders usually.

Jim Stynes · 16-12-2014 11:03pm

el tel wrote: »

Radio Ulster said it will visit strangford coast and mourne mountains.

As it happens it's one the same day as North Down CC's annual Coastal Challenge sportive, which I think is Ulster's biggest CI club run event at just over 1000 riders usually.

http://www.iconic-cycle-events.uk/events/the-big-italian-bike-ride/

Ive signed up for this! I thought it was the same people running it but obviously not.

Eamonnator · 17-12-2014 10:48am

Jim Stynes wrote: »

http://www.iconic-cycle-events.uk/events/the-big-italian-bike-ride/

Ive signed up for this! I thought it was the same people running it but obviously not.

Another one, deadly.

This one was on, over a different route, last year, the week before The Giro.
It was a great event, really well organised. There were different groups for different abilities.
The climbing on this year's edition will all be done and dusted in the 1st 100K.

Hi Ho · 19-12-2014 8:37pm

Great to have it. Pity though that it's not one of the UCI world tour qualifiers.

fillup · 19-12-2014 10:21pm

I'd love to do it but it's on the same weekend as Body and Soul and I'm committed to that already, ie tickets for me and family bought

furiousox · 29-12-2014 8:55pm

You can register your interest here to receive email updates.

http://www.granfondogiroditaliani.com/

ratracer · 28-01-2015 2:32pm

I've registered my interest on the Giro website before Christmas. I have the hotel booked for the weekend, but I haven't seen or heard another thing mentioned about this event. Does anyone know if it is still going ahead?

Dooish · 28-01-2015 2:47pm

yep, i seen a post on their facebook of them doing a reckie of the course last week

H.E. Pennypacker · 20-02-2015 10:12pm

£55 for the 177km individual entry...

ratracer · 20-02-2015 10:26pm

H.E. Pennypacker wrote: »

£55 for the 177km individual entry...

About the same as I paid for Ring of Kerry last year so, hotel in Belfast is cheaper, drive is about the same distance.....a new challenge awaits in Norn Iron. It's. Pity it's on the same weekend as Tour de Burren though.

Eamonnator · 20-02-2015 10:37pm

ratracer wrote: »

I've registered my interest on the Giro website before Christmas. I have the hotel booked for the weekend, but I haven't seen or heard another thing mentioned about this event. Does anyone know if it is still going ahead?

I got an email from the organisers tonight.
It is going ahead.
If you registered interest, you get 48 hours head start, before registration opens.

furiousox · 20-02-2015 11:33pm

(From the registration email)

Event details and schedule

Saturday 20 June 2015
Rider registration
Giro Gift Bag pickup
Giro Expo
Entertainment
VIP Ride with former Giro Champions
Gala Dinner

Sunday 21 June 2015
Gran Fondo Start
Giro Expo
Entertainment
Medals awarded
Photo opportunities with Giro Trophy
Post ride Pasta Party

Sounds good to me

Grassey · 20-02-2015 11:35pm

Righteo. In it to win it! ðŸ˜

JKC · 21-02-2015 12:05am

Hi all,

Here is the pre-release registration, if anyone is interested, I've just signed, rider number: 422

https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=14192354&locale=en_gb

Anyone got any recommendations for hotels\B&Bs nearby?

Cee-Jay-Cee · 21-02-2015 1:41am

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Any details of the route yet?

Here you go.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 21-02-2015 1:43am

And the elevations for each route.

Cyclewizard · 21-02-2015 8:26am

Signed up and looking forward to it.

iwasattheRas · 21-02-2015 3:07pm

It's quite a shame the Gran "Fundo" is on the same day as Bangor Coastal Challenge. Surely someday the powers that be will realise that the events that actually raise money for charities are the ones that really matter, especially as they are so ready established and extremely popular. Some will say that the coastal challenge won't be effected but I'm sure it will and that's a shame. North Down put on a brilliant event every year. Their event should have its day in the calendar.

furiousox · 21-02-2015 5:46pm

Signed up.
Reg. no. is 666! \m/
(will transfer to a certain mod if the price is right)

Jim Stynes · 21-02-2015 7:14pm

Price is a bit steep all the same!

07Lapierre · 21-02-2015 7:41pm

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Price is a bit steep all the same!

How much was your Marmotte entry?

Jim Stynes · 21-02-2015 8:01pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

How much was your Marmotte entry?

Not sure what la Marmotte costs as I got it as part of the package but I think it could be 60 euro. I have cycled the grand fondo route a lot so don't think I will be paying £50 for it.

07Lapierre · 21-02-2015 8:21pm

All these events are held on public roads. Your not paying for the route..your paying for the organisation , the marshals, technical support, the pasta party, etc.

I agree it's not cheap but cycling the route on any other day just wouldn't be the same.

el tel · 21-02-2015 8:23pm

iwasattheRas wrote: »

It's quite a shame the Gran "Fundo" is on the same day as Bangor Coastal Challenge. Surely someday the powers that be will realise that the events that actually raise money for charities are the ones that really matter, especially as they are so ready established and extremely popular. Some will say that the coastal challenge won't be effected but I'm sure it will and that's a shame. North Down put on a brilliant event every year. Their event should have its day in the calendar.

I think the Coastal raises about £15k-£20k, all of which goes to local charities. Hopefully it will still attract somewhere close to the usual 1000+ entrants

Jim Stynes · 21-02-2015 8:46pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

All these events are held on public roads. Your not paying for the route..your paying for the organisation , the marshals, technical support, the pasta party, etc.

I agree it's not cheap but cycling the route on any other day just wouldn't be the same.

I realise this. Just saying it's not cheap! I'm sure it will be a great day out, especially for people who haven't been on the roads before. Great scenary. I'm going around most of it in 2 weeks time!

MichealD · 21-02-2015 10:11pm

Pity there is no intermediate distance, say 100-120km. 58km too short and 177km over that terrain too long for me!

clog · 22-02-2015 9:08am

MichealD wrote: »

Pity there is no intermediate distance, say 100-120km. 58km too short and 177km over that terrain too long for me!

When you get into Hilltown rather than carrying on along the Rostrevor road take a left onto the Castlewellan/Kilkell road this will rejoin you with the main route before Spelga dam. (you would not be the only one taking this route).

This cuts off the bottom part of the loop saving about 50-60km.

This exact route was one of my old training spins many years ago.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 22-02-2015 9:53am

Anyone done the 170km route before? What are the climbs like and how does it compare against say, ROK?

MichealD · 22-02-2015 10:06am

clog wrote: »

When you get into Hilltown rather than carrying on along the Rostrevor road take a left onto the Castlewellan/Kilkell road this will rejoin you with the main route before Spelga dam. (you would not be the only one taking this route).

This cuts off the bottom part of the loop saving about 50-60km.

This exact route was one of my old training spins many years ago.

Cheers. I'll dig out a map. Not worth a 250k drive for a 60k ride!

clog · 22-02-2015 11:27am

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Anyone done the 170km route before? What are the climbs like and how does it compare against say, ROK?

It's not that bad, the main climbs are steep but not very long or that great an elevation change.(Dree hill is 3.2km at 6%, would be akin to shay Elliott but with the hardest part in the middle, the others are not nearly as hard). It would be a tougher challenge though than the ROK.

Its drumlin country as well so there will be very few long stretches of flat road.

aindriu80 · 28-02-2015 9:14am

Hi !

Does anyone have the 177km route so I can download on my Garmin 810 ? .GPX would be best. Thanks very much !

http://www.granfondogiroditaliani.com/177km-route/

neris · 28-02-2015 12:39pm

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/412511680

not sure if that will help.

Eamonnator · 28-02-2015 12:49pm

neris wrote: »

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/412511680

not sure if that will help.

No. That is not the route, that is being used for this year's event.

This is the route

http://www.granfondogiroditaliani.com/177km-route/

but, I don't know how to do the GPX thing.

aindriu80 · 28-02-2015 10:26pm

yes its the second one. you can create the route on strave without too much effort, save route as whatever:)

But there is not enough details on the grand fondo site. It would to have as you would know what is coming up etc.

Beasty · 01-03-2015 12:25am

Threads merged

aindriu80 · 07-03-2015 10:41pm

I asked them for a route - on google maps or anything but no reply.

............Upon starting at Titanic Belfast, you will leave the city on the rolling and twisting roads of Co. Down to guide you towards to mountain roads that will greet you after 42km................

but what road exactly ?

I came up with this but a lot on the site was a bit vague, still 17km out.

https://www.strava.com/routes/1535465

The Noble Nudge · 20-04-2015 11:49am

Commute up and down from Dublin any locals point me in the direction of parking etc??

Sinbad_NI · 20-04-2015 2:16pm

There's a large car park opposite the odyssey that will be pretty empty that day I'd imagine. Shouldn't be a problem.

I tried to map the route based based on the website description and the overview map from the website... best I could come up with was this...
https://connect.garmin.com/course/9295494
Think I did something as close as I could in mapmyride (but a few roads wouldn't work properly) and I came out at about 8-8.5k ft of climbing

gambeta_fc · 30-04-2015 10:21pm

Got the registration out of the way this evening ... all systems go! Asked about parking and they recommended Titanic car park rather than Odyssey, discounted rate of £5 for participants on the day.

Here's a link to the routes:
Medio Fondo [114.8km] https://app.strava.com/routes/2197024
Gran Fondo [189.8km] https://app.strava.com/routes/2197005

Looks like climbing will be out of the way in the first half, the last of the three food stops is at 115km so just as well. I'll be stashing a few extra jaffa cakes in Killough to try and see me through!

Forecast is for rain showers but hopefully won't do too much damage on the day.

Jim Stynes · 30-04-2015 10:41pm

The Big Italian Bike Ride on sunday is different from the Grand Fondo in case anyone doesn't know. The Grand Fondo is on at the end of June. A lot of confusion about the two up here!

Anyway, all ready to go for Sunday but I have a funny feeling we are in for a soaking! It will make for a long miserable day if it does lash down. The climbing isn't that bad to be fair. Couple of climbs knocking about in the first half but nothing crazy. Dree Hill, Rathfriland Hill and spelga are the main ones that spring to mind. It will still be a tough day in the saddle I imagine though! 120 mile nearly after all. If it is anything like last year then the organisation will be great!

Lovely scenery around the coast and in through the mournes for anyone who has never been through it before!

gambeta_fc · 30-04-2015 11:03pm

Jim Stynes wrote: »

The Big Italian Bike Ride on sunday is different from the Grand Fondo in case anyone doesn't know. The Grand Fondo is on at the end of June. A lot of confusion about the two up here!

Thanks for that, sorry my fault for not clarifying. There's a Gran Frondo route as they call it for this event but as pointed out above the "Gran Fondo Giro D’Italia" is a separate event in June.

I should really have known better as I got caught in the confusion myself. Got a recommendation to do the Gran Fondo In Belfast with a mate so I signed up for this, crossed wires as he was talking about the one in June, now I'm doing both!

Gran Fondo for Northern Ireland

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