Texas Gran Fondo Bicycle Race

Saturday, April 5, the inaugural Gran Fondo bicycle race took place in Fredericksburg. Billed as a Tour de France class race, there were 100, 65, and 35 mile loops.  92 participants in the 100 mile with the winner clocking 21.6 mph, completed in 4 hrs. 38 mins.  113 participants in the 65 mile Medio Fondo, completed by a couple folks in 3 hrs. 13 mins.  The winner of the Piccolo Fondo, where there were 76 participants  completed the 35 miles in just under 1 hour and 46 mins., at an 18.7 mph pace.

The race started right in the residential area of town, and went through the Hill Country rural areas.  The cyclists I talked to as they completed the 100 mile said the terrain was not sufficiently challenging (hilly that it is).