Since its inception in 2011 the UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) has encompassed stunning locations as diverse as Saint Tropez and Brazil, but 2013 sees this ‘cycling for all’ event set down in Sri Lanka, its first ever visit to Asia, and fuller details of the event have now been made known.
Running from April 5-7, the Gran Fondo Sri Lanka will be comprised of three events: The 110.4km Road Race will have a neutralised start at Galle Face Green in the capital Colombo, with the ‘real’ start at the 11.4km point in front of the Parliament; three feed-stations (49, 70 and 85km in addition to an early option water-only station at 27km) and just over 1000m of climb later and riders will wheel into the small town finish at Lellopitiya. Time Trial specialists will come into their own on the second day with the 17.6km TT – starting and finishing at Galle Face Green, looping on the flat via Marine Drive; whilst the third and final event is the 2.66km Criterium. Both the Road Race and TT are qualifying events for the UCI World Cycling Tour 2013 final, which will take place September 19-22 in Italy.
International registration for the Gran Fondo Sri Lanka is $99, which includes participation in all three events plus chip timing, mech and medical support, feed-stations, goodie bags, prize draws, after-ride lunch on the Road Race, Winner Ceremony lunch, expo and event entry and more besides. The event is expected to attract a field of around 500 (both local and international) and although riders can participate on either (easy to obtain) day licenses or an elite license those who ride with a UCI registered team or have competed at Olympic or World Cup levels are excluded, so you won’t have to worry about going toe-to-toe with, say, Cadel Evans.
Sri Lankan Christy Fernando, pictured above, is just one of the local riders looking to test his mettle against participants from around the world. Further details on the Gran Fondo Sri Lanka can be found at granfondosrilanka.com and on the wider UWCT series at uciworldcyclingtour.com
Organisers of the Gran Fondo Challenge Sri Lanka have announced that the event, which was set to run in the country’s capital Colombo April 5-7, has been postponed. Citing unspecified ‘security reasons’ and after what they described as a ‘long meeting with Sri Lankan government’ the decision was made to delay what was to be the first-ever Asian held UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) event. The potential of the Gran Fondo had been seen by the UCI as a testing ground for future events in the region with UCI Development Coordinator Andrea Marcellini previously commenting, ‘The potential Asia has is immense… In the next few years, we hope to help develop people’s interest in cycling by bringing at least two more UWCT Qualifiers.’ The postponement is an obvious blow to growth in Asia and to UCI plans. Full details of the refund methods for those already signed up to ride the three-day challenge can be found at granfondosrilanka.com