Nearly 2500 cyclists from 44 countries are gathering this weekend for the Granfondo Vosges, one of the longest and most challenging UCI Gran Fondo World Series qualifiers. The starts will be split up in four separate boxes with the youngest 3 categories all with their dedicated startbox and a fourth one with all riders over 45 starting all with 3 minutes intervals.
The granfondo race is 175 kilometers long and includes a tough 2900 meters of climbing. The course starts at the La Bresse-Hohneck ski station. Most of the big climbs come early and late in the race, with a flatter section in the middle.
There’s also a shorter, but still difficult, 121-kilometer mediofondo qualifier for women and men over 60. This route has 2254 meters of climbing and skips the flatter part of the longer race.
