Gran Fondo Maryland

Complete event details available at https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/gran-fondo-maryland

Includes Event Jersey if registering 26 or more days in advance

GRAN FONDO MARYLAND &

2024 GRAN FONDO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Presented by
 OURISMAN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Frederick, MD

Sunday September 15, 2024 

Gran Fondo National Championships riders start at 8:00AM

Gran Fondo riders (Gran, Medio, Piccolo) start at 8:30AM

Benefiting: Linganore Mountain Bike Team (high school team)

3 Loops to Choose From

 Event Open to All

4 Timed Sections in the Gran loop – Best Combined Time Wins

Age Group Categories

Awards and Winners jerseys for Gran Route Age Group

Awards & Prizes for 60 mile and 30 mile Age Group winners

This is a 2024 SUAREZ Gran Fondo National Series event

Ride with your friends, Race with your friends

Fully Stocked Aid Stations to keep you going

Come Challenge Yourself

U23 Made Possible By Shimano

Riders who will be 23 years of age or under as of December 31, 2024, are eligible to use the coupon code: U23byShimano at checkout for any of the company’s owned SUAREZ Gran Fondo National Series events including Gran Fondo Florida, Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo, Highlands Gran Fondo, Gran Fondo Asheville, Boone Gran Fondo, Gran Fondo Maryland, as well as the 2024 USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championships. The offer is limited to participants under the age of 23 and entrants are verified by their age. Juniors – cyclists under the age of 18 – are eligible to use the same coupon code.

Check-in & Packet Pick Up:

(Watch for updated Information on these dates and locations the below is from 2023 but will likely be the same) 

Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM at Ourisman Honda in Bethesda, located at 4800 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814. 

Saturday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Volvo Cars of Frederick / Audi Frederick located at 6001 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD 21704.

Sunday from 6:00 AM to 30 minutes prior to start (7:30 for #GFNats riders, 8:00 for Gran Fondo riders) at 500 Fleming Ave, Frederick, MD 21701 (at location of race start)

For Gran Fondo Maryland, in order to speed up packet pickup and reduce congestion, riders may collect packets for up to three additional riders. You must present your ID and a copy of each rider’s photo ID and a statement of permission. A text or email containing a photo of a rider’s ID and their statement will work.

Registration will also be available at an increased fee on Saturday and Sunday, tell your friends to sign up now; they can still register.

Course Description 

After starting in historic downtown Frederick Maryland, the 100 mile Gran Fondo National Series, Gran Route, will gain over 10,000 feet of elevation through several different state parks, municipal forests, protected watersheds, and the Catoctin Mountain National Park.  Riders will travel northwest out of the city of Frederick before entering the Frederick Municipal Forest where the first timed section will gain over 1270 feet in a 5.6 mile race segment. At the top riders will be able to relax and enjoy the cool mountain forest as the course plummets over the west side of the mountain range.

The second timed section ascends the southern approach to Harp Hill for a punchy up-down-up-down-up lasting for a brief 1.4 miles and 279 feet of vertical gain. For the next 25 miles and 2500 feet of cumulative gain, the route then follows a mix of small and obscure backroads heading north towards the decommissioned military base of Fort Ritchie.

Time Section #3 is a more dynamic segment and certainly cannot be called a timed climb. Section #3 will require riders to use caution and technical skill with several 90° turns including an old bridge crossing and tarp & chip road surface. The section starts on a wide downhill roadway where for the first 4.9 miles riders lose 500 feet of elevation before hitting the last 1k and 300 vertical feet to the finish of section #3 on top of Hornets Nest Road. Time segment #3 known as The Gully of Darius is a total of 5.5 miles -574 /+386 feet.  From here the route heads south and works its way back exploring nooks and crannies in the Catoctin Mountain Range and travels through Catoctin Mountain National Park  for 22 miles and +2250 feet of untimed pedaling. Past riders will be able to take special appreciation as they descend Park Central Road, which was used in the opposite direct as race section #2 in past years.

As Gran Route riders approach mile 71 they need to take in a deep breath, shake out their legs and prepare for the hardest segment of the day, (this segment also counts as a time segment for Medio Route riders). Section #4 is 11.4 miles +1203 feet and will test every rider’s ability! The segment starts by gaining 784 feet over the first 4.6 miles and then continues for a challenging and undulating 6.8 miles on top of the mountain ridge on Gambrill Park Road through Frederick Watershed and into Gambrill State Park. After completing time section #4, riders will have over 1000 feet of elevation on their side as they drop off the mountain range and into the valley towards the finish, but completing the route in not over, there are still some hills that are sure to make riders know they are still alive. Riders will return back into historic downtown Fredrick and be welcome to well deserved festivities at the finish line, complete with great food, beverage, and more fun.

Visit Frederick welcomes you to hip and historic Frederick County, MD. Below you'll find information about hotels and ways to make your stay in Frederick enjoyable and memorable. 

https://www.visitfrederick.org/gran-fondo/

For more info please refer to our previous year's roadbook. Note information may change for the next event.

 2023 Road book