What is a gran fondo?

Imagine a bike race where nearly everyone is there for the scenery, the company and the lunch. That is a gran fondo for most of its riders: a long day on beautiful roads, thousands of other cyclists, villages cheering, and a pasta party at the end.

The basics

According to Wikipedia's overview, the gran fondo grew up in Italy, with the first commonly dated to 1970, and spread fast once chip timing arrived in the 1990s. Courses are usually long and hilly, often between 120 and 200 kilometres, and most events also offer a shorter route. In Italy, events are run like races, with chip timing from start to finish and prizes for the fastest in each category, but most riders are competing against the clock, or against themselves, rather than anyone else.

A good example is the Nove Colli ("nine hills") in Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast, one of the most famous and longest-running. Its organisers trace it back to 1971, and today it offers a long route of about 200 kilometres, a medium route of about 137 kilometres and a gravel route, starting from the seafront at sunrise.

What happens on the day

• Registration the day before or early in the morning: you collect a number, a timing chip and usually a goody bag.
• The start, often by pens, with faster riders at the front. Thousands of riders rolling out together is a sight in itself.
• The route, signposted and marshalled, sometimes with roads closed or partly closed. Follow the marshals and the highway rules that apply.
• Feed stations along the way, with water, fruit, cakes and sometimes local specialities. In Italy, these can be surprisingly elegant.
• The finish, with your time recorded by the chip, and often a big meal, the pasta party.

Long route or short route?

Most gran fondi offer at least two distances, often a granfondo and a mediofondo, sometimes more. If you are new to long rides:

• Choose the shorter one. It still has the atmosphere, the feed stations and the finish.
• Check the cut-off times. Some routes close checkpoints after a set time; read the event rules so you are not rushing.
• Look at the climbing, not just the distance. A short route with big mountains can be harder than a long flat one.

Our guide to your first long bike ride helps you get ready for the distance.

Riding one for fun

• Start near the back. You will avoid the nervous start and ride at your own pace.
• Ride in a group if you can, taking turns and keeping a steady line. Our guide to group ride etiquette covers the basics.
• Eat and drink early, not only when you are already tired. Feed stations are part of the fun.
• Pace the climbs. Let people go past. There is always someone faster and someone slower.
• Look around. Most gran fondi go through stunning country, so enjoy it.
• Check the rules, including helmet requirements and any paperwork the event asks for, such as a licence or a medical certificate. Read the event information carefully well before the day.

Similar rides elsewhere

Other countries have their own versions under their own names. The idea is the same: a long, organised, supported ride with lots of people. Some are timed and some are not; Wikipedia notes that many events outside Italy are non-competitive.