The event who has been part of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series since 2017 has a long tradition since 1992 with what once started as a crazy idea of a ride over Alabama’s highest mountain.
Riders have a chance to qualify for the UCI time trial championships in the time trial qualifier on Saturday over 12 miles with start in Piedmont. The Granfondo on Sunday has several distances with the 100 miles Century course as official qualifier distance. The course is tough and challenging with two times Mount Cheaha (2407 feet) for a total elevation of 9714 feet (3000m).
127 riders have signed up for the time trial while more than 1000 will do the Granfondo.
In the weeks after the Cheaha Challenge Granfondo, the season will slowly get back to a normal pace with events in Russia, Slovenia and Ukraine to then really accelerate in the summer months and the direct lead-up to Worlds in October.
