Cache Gran Fondo in Logan, UT Will Be A UCI Gran Fondo World Championship Qualifier

Cache Gran Fondo to be held on July 13, 2019 in Logan, Utah – will be part of the Gran Fondo World Series.

February 3, 2019 – Logan, Utah. The Cache Gran Fondo (Logan, UT, USA), was selected by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the sanctioning body for international bike racing, to become one of 21 Gran Fondo-style events worldwide in the UCI Gran Fondo World Series. The UCI also sanctions the Tour de France and the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. The event will be part of the series from 2019 to at least 2021.

The Utah event, (www.cachegranfondo.com), participated in a competitive bid process with the support of local, state and national organizations, (Logan City, Cache County, Cache Chamber of Commerce, Cache Valley Visitors Bureau, Utah Cycling Association, and USA Cycling), and was selected to be one of two USA qualifiers. “We are thrilled to have our bid accepted by the UCI to become a member of this exclusive group of international events.” Troy Oldham (founder and race director). “We have seen year-after-year growth of the Cache Gran Fondo, and to be recognized as a potential qualifying event was a great honor in itself, but to have our bid selected was an exhilarating experience.”  “We believe the selection committee were impressed by the beautiful venue Utah offers for cycling, and when the UCI delegate visited Cache Valley and Northern Utah, they were impressed with the natural beauty of the region, and the support of our local cycling community.”

The Gran Fondo World Series is a set of 21 Gran Fondos held throughout the world. The series started in 2011. The events serve as qualifiers to the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.

In the qualifying events, riders from over 76 different counties participate for the ability to compete and represent their country in the world championships.  As a UCI qualifying event, 25% of the Cache Gran Fondo’s top riders, in 16 different age categories (Men and Women) will receive an invitation to the World Championships. The 112 mile distance is a qualifying event for most categories, and for 70+ men/65+ women, the 70 mile event will be a qualifier. In 2019, the World Championships will be held in Poland, and in 2020, The Whistler Gran Fondo in Vancouver BC will host the World Championships. “We believe having a World Championship so close to Utah in 2020 means we will see significant growth in the Utah event as both regional and internationals riders visit Utah and Cache Valley to qualify for Worlds.   

The event is also part of the Gran Fondo National Series, a 10 event series held in various location across the United States. The top three riders from each category will qualify for the Gran Fondo National Series national championships.

Many of the riders are masters, ex-professionals and competitive amateur racers who want an opportunity to compete on a world stage with some of the best cyclists worldwide. “Based on the profile of other events, the participants travel from all over the world to qualify for the world championship event, which is the only way to get in to the event.” explains Troy Oldham (Cache Gran Fondo race director and event founder). ” We are the only western US qualifier, and we believe this means our event will grow as international visitors come to Utah to experience the unique thrill of riding in the Rocky Mountains, and winning a spot in the world championships.” 

Most competitors visit the area for an average of 4-5 days to get acclimated and familiar with the routes and area, and they also tend to stay in the region for 10-14 days. According to Oldham,  “Many bring their families and friends as part of a summer vacation – the profile of these participants are very different than even those who participate in events like the Tour of Utah or even LOTOJA, because they stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and visit our stores and bike shops for multiple days.  The economic impact to the local are, and the State of Utah and surrounding communities is significant.”

Event Details:

The UCI Gran Fondo World Championship Series 2019 calendar