Granfondo Isle of Man has been organized since 2016 and since 2021 part of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series. The event’s course takes in three of the toughest climbs on the Isle of Man – Injebreck, Druidale and the Round Table.
General
Situated between the coastlines of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, in the middle of the Irish Sea, you’ll find our beautiful Island.
Blessed with an extensive coastline, stunning natural landscapes and the cleanest beaches in Europe, the Isle of Man is within easy reach of the rest of the British Isles.
The Island is 52 kilometers long and 22 kilometers wide. In old money that’s 32 miles by 14 miles. It’s home to about 80,000 people.
The Island has a 10,000-year history with a strong Celtic and Viking past. It is governed by its own parliamentary assembly – Tynwald – the oldest continuous parliament in the world. The national symbol of the Isle of Man is the three legs and its motto: whichever way you throw it, it will stand, could be seen as a symbol of Manx independence and resilience.
The Island is beautiful at any time of year. Dramatic landscape and coastlines give way to wooded glens and valleys. You can tour the Island in original carriages and tramcars from the 1870s on the vintage electric and steam railways.
The Isle of Man is also, of course, home to the world famous TT races; a Mecca for motorsport enthusiasts the world over. The Island is transformed for 2 weeks every year in June as motorbikes line the streets.
A cycling destination
As birthplace of two of the greatest cyclists of the modern generation, sprinting legend Mark Cavendish MBE and Olympic Gold Medallist Peter Kennaugh, the Isle of Man is the perfect location to enjoy road cycling.
Here you can follow in the tracks of an Olympic gold medallist and Tour de France stage winner, taking in the varied colourful countryside, spectacular coastal views and pretty glen valleys along the way.
Gran Fondo Isle of Man is based at Mooragh Park in Ramsey – a coastal town in the north of the Island. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Ramsey is north east of the Island; only 40 minutes drive from the airport and 20 minutes from Douglas.
Road race
The Gran Fondo on Sunday starts at 10am in Mooragh Park, Ramsey for an 80 miles course. The majority of the roads are fully closed to traffic with some minor parts which are still open for local residents. The route has a flat start for the first 20 miles but goes over three of the major climbs on the island with Druidale (1.25 miles @ 10%) which comes after 20 miles in the race . The second climb with the name of Round Table is following after 40 miles and goes up in two steps with a short downhill in between (2.5 miles @ 5%). The third climb (Injebreck) is one mile long but very steep with a gradient up to 15% (11.7% average). The last 10 miles to the finish are back flat and fast.
The course also has a gravel section of 1 mile coming after 47 miles into the course.
Total elevation of the Granfondo course is 6167 feet (1880 meter). The Granfondo is the qualifier distance for Men 19-59 and Women 19-49!
Granfondo
Mediofondo
The Mediofondo over 42 miles (67 kilometers) has the same start and finish section as the Granfondo course but starts half an hour later. It takes a shortcut on the Granfondo course after 25 miles and only has the first Druisdale climb as part of the course. Total elevation of the Mediofondo is 2230 feet (680 meter). The mediofondo is the qualifier distance for men 60+ and women 50+.
Time Trial
The Time Trial of 5.6 miles (9km) is organized on Saturday and is a real challenge as the course is going up all the time taking place on part of the world famous Isle of Man TT motorcycle racing circuit. The elevation gain of 1312 feet (400 meter) over the full distance means an average gradient of 4.4%.
