Team GFNY is racing GP NYC pro race
May 2, 2024
On May 19, 2024, 150 pro cyclists will start 15 minutes ahead of the GFNY mass participation race with thousands of riders
NEW YORK CITY, May 2, 2024 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The inaugural UCI 1.2 men elite pro race Gran Premio New York City will be held on May 19, 2024 on the same course and same day as the 12th annual mass participation race Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC.
The teams
20 teams from over 10 countries will make GP NYC an exciting race. European Pro Tour teams with Grand Tour pedigree will lead the field, followed by Continental Pro teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia. Elite teams receiving wild cards will round out the field and get to measure themselves with the very best.
Team GFNY (USA)
The top finishers at the 2023 GFNY NYC World Championship were each awarded a roster spot for the new Team GFNY at the inaugural GP NYC. This emphasizes the role of GFNY as a springboard for young talent into the pro ranks and will show the blurring lines between amateurs and pros.
“GFNY racing is held on courses that pros race on as well” says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. “That’s part of the Be A Pro For A Day experience the riders get. But these courses also prepare aspiring young riders for the reality of pro racing much better than one hour criteriums which are the reality today in amateur racing. GFNY fills a gap that is left behind by disappeared road races.”
Team GFNY is directed by cycling legend Nelson Vails (USA). The roster is a mix of young talent and experienced athletes that will give the team an exciting underdog role in a race that is open like few others all year. If the stars align, GP NYC could well see a GFNY rider on the podium.
The team’s strongest rider is 24-year old Mattia Gaffuri (ITA) who dominated the 2023 GFNY NYC and narrowly missed a World Tour contract with Alpecin Deceuninck at this year’s Zwift Academy. Chilean Benjamin de Vicente was the runner-up last year and is keen to show his abilities in the pro field.
Mexican Olympian Luis Lemus brings Pro Tour experience with Israel Cycling Academy. His compatriot and cousin Flavio de Luna has ten years as a Conti Pro in his legs. Francesco de Candido (ITA) is a former downhill skier who will use his big engine to put his team mates in position.
Last but not least, 60-year old Mexican cycling legend Raul Alcala is completing Team GFNY. He raced for teams such as PDM, Motorola and 7-Eleven in the 80s and 90s, winning stages at the Tour, finishing top ten there twice and winning the one day classic San Sebastian (1992) as well as the 1987 Coors Classic stage race in the US. Unlike other ex-pros, Alcala has been keeping in tremendous shape by training hard and racing GFNYs in Mexico. On May 19, he will get to taste pro racing one more time and be an inspiration and source of knowledge to not only his team mates but anyone racing and watching.
Already announced Teams:
Pro Tour
VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè (ITA)
Continental Pro
Skyline – Cadence Pro Cycling (USA)
Novo Nordisk Development (USA)
Mito Q – NZ Cycling Project (New Zealand)
Elite
Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii (Canada)
Team GFNY
Stay tuned for the next announcements.
World premiere
Holding a professional and mass-participation race at the same time on the same course is an event format never held before in cycling, although it’s commonly done in running and triathlon. GFNY is taking a revolutionary step to bring professional and mass participation racing together to augment both race fields and take advantage of existing operations, logistics and exposure.
The course
In this revolutionary format for cycling, the 150 pros from 20 teams will line up 15 minutes before the thousands of amateurs on the closed-to-traffic lower level of the world’s busiest bridge, George Washington Bridge on May 19, 2024.
Both the pro and amateur races are held on the same one-loop course of 85 miles (137 km) and 6,500ft (2000m) of climbing that has the characteristics of a Belgian spring classic which favors allrounders.
The start area looking over the NYC skyline, suspended over the Hudson River, with upbeat music, interviews, announcements and pre-race excitement offers the most amazing race start in cycling.
The course passes through charming towns, beautiful nature and challenging climbs of Bergen County and Rockland County and the metropolitan life of the world’s capital, New York City.
The race’s finish line and post-race festival are located in Fort Lee, NJ, providing easy access to NYC, airports, hotels, restaurants, highways, and more.
Sponsorship
The format of this event, with a professional race and a large-scale international mass participation race taking place on the same course at the same time, is providing an unparalleled exposure opportunity.
Cycling embodies the two most relevant topics of our time: health and the environment. GFNY adds to your company as a brand concerned with and engaged in these topics.
If your company or organization is interested to align with this modern health & eco brand, GFNY, as well as be a part of this revolutionary, inaugural, unparalleled event, please reach out to GFNY. There are a variety of experiential, engagement and visibility opportunities available, both in-person and via the live broadcast.
More news to come
As GFNY prepares for this ground-breaking race format, more news about the race is going to be shared. Stay tuned in the GFNY facebook page, on instagram, subscribe to GFNY email newsletters by going to gfny.com and providing your email address.
Website: gpnyc.gfny.com
About GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series
GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series is a sports event company with three decades of experience in racing, planning and organizing events. The global endurance sports brand hosts multiple events throughout the year around the world on five continents.
Working with partners around the world to deliver a first-class experience, GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series puts its athletes first.
The official GFNY website is: gfny.com.
Cycling – Mass Participation
Dozens of races held around the world. View the latest calendar here.
Riders get to BE A PRO FOR A DAY ® by competing against others, themselves and the clock in a personal endurance challenge.
Top 10% (20% at regional championships) of finishers in each age group qualify for the Elite Qualifier Corral at every GFNY World event.
Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC
The 12th annual Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 19, 2024. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. It is so international, it’s often described as the United Nations of cycling. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.
The official Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC website is: nyc.gfny.com.
Cycling – Pro Racing
Gran Premio New York City is the inaugural UCI 1.2 pro race on May 19, 2024. 25 professional teams will race the same course as riders at the Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC – but with a 15 minute head start.
Further Material for Media Use
GFNY Press Images: here
GFNY Results: here
GFNY World calendar graphic: here
Previous GFNY press releases: here
Media Contact
Gran Fondo New York Inc.
Uli Fluhme, uli@gfny.com
Caroline Lindsay, caroline@gfny.com
Company Info
GFNY
CONTACT INFO
Caroline Lindsay
975 00 59 42
caroline@gfny.com
www.gfny.com/
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