Cheaha Challenge Granfondo
Date
Saturday 16.05.2026 - 17.05.2026Distances
20 ITT - 135 - 160 kmCity
Jacksonville, Alabama
Country
United States of AmericaThe Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo Century has a 30-year tradition and was originally created as a challenging route over the highest point in Alabama – Mount Cheaha – and then back. The ride starts and finishes on the sweeping campus of Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.
Road race
Boasting 9,714 feet (3000m) of climbing, the century course tests the stamina and endurance of cyclists with challenging climbs, gaps, and descents. The 100 miles – 160km race is a back and forth loop with Cheaha Mountain (2407 feet – 733m) as highest climb of the day before reaching the turning point at 50 miles for the century turnaround. The finish is back at the Pete Mathews Coliseum on Jacksonville State University’s campus.
Men and women over 55 have the shorter 84 miles (135km) as official qualifier distance!
Besides the Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo Century and 84 miles as official UCI qualifying distance, NEABA also offers distance options of 24, 44, 62, and 126 miles on the same course as non-qualifying distances.
Major climb of the day is Mount Cheaha that has to be done twice (top after 42 and 57 miles) …but also other climbs with the names of White’s Gap, Heflin Mountain, Horseblock, Not Again, OH SHIFT!, and Adam’s Gap at the turning point have to be done twice.
Time Trial
Organized for the fifth time is a time trial on a closed 12-mile straight shot course (only three turns, all near the finish) where cyclists show their power as they race against the clock. The time trial is on Saturday and will be the start of the festival weekend.
Start of the time trial is from 7am onwards in Piedmont, finish is at the same spot as the Granfondo in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville, Alabama
Jacksonville, population 12,548, is blessed to be the home of Jacksonville State University (JSU) the city’s largest employer, with an enrollment of 8,314 on a sweeping 459-acre campus. The residents of Jacksonville are family-oriented and friendly, complementing the warmth and inviting atmosphere surrounding the community. Jacksonville is filled with Southern charm, historic churches, and homes, and a unique “public square” that help maintain the charm and grace of peaceful, small-town life. From JSU pep rallies to multiple festivals and farmer’s markets to charming shops and eateries, activities revolve around the town square, a gathering place at the heart of the city. Jacksonville has award-winning barbeque restaurants, along with ones that feature a variety of cuisines.
Lucky for visitors, the region is known for its mild temperatures, clean air, and blue skies, and is located in the midst of four mountain areas – Coldwater, Blue, Choccolocco and Dugger, and includes the Talladega National Forest and Dugger Wilderness Area and the Alabama Scenic River Trail. Nearby is Cheaha State Park on Mount Cheaha, the highest point in Alabama.
Cheaha Mountain
Rising to 2,407 feet (733 m), Mount Cheaha—often called Cheaha Mountain—is the highest natural point in Alabama, standing proudly within the Talladega Mountains, a southern extension of the Appalachian range. Located near the town of Delta and just a short drive from Jacksonville, Alabama, it forms the centerpiece of the historic Cheaha State Park, established in 1933 and Alabama’s oldest continuously operating state park.
Mount Cheaha is known for its dramatic quartzite cliffs, forested slopes, and sweeping ridge‑top panoramas. The stone Bunker Tower, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s, marks the true summit and provides one of the state’s most iconic viewpoints. Nearby overlooks—such as Bald Rock and Pulpit Rock—offer easily accessible vantage points where visitors can absorb miles of rolling Appalachian foothills. from the Creek (Muscogee) word chaha, meaning “high place,” a fitting description for a peak long regarded as a natural sanctuary.
Today, the mountain remains a beloved destination for hikers, cyclists, and road‑trippers. Trail networks connect to the Pinhoti Trail, Alabama’s premier long‑distance hiking route, while scenic byways wind upward through changing ecosystems that shift from dense hardwood forest to rocky, windswept summit. beyond its natural beauty, the mountain plays a central role in regional outdoor culture.
