Features – Page 2 – Alpine Loop Gran Fondo // Harrisonburg, Virginia

#MyGranFondo Challenge

Propelled by the Cancer Journeys Foundation motto #NeverGiveUp, the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo community is taking on a huge late-season goal to motivate and inspire while staying connected and enjoying the camaraderie of shared adventure in support of meaningful causes.

The 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo has been transformed by necessity into a combination of decentralized real-world challenges and virtual competitions under the banner of the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Challenge. The Challenge invites you to share your inspiration, set a big goal, and make the challenge your very own.

On September 27, we will share in the adventure of decentralized real world rides. In advance, we will offer several suggested routes easily and safely accessible from areas where Alpine Loop Gran Fondo participants reside, as well as offering guidance from Jeremiah Bishop about how to create your own incredible routes.

Throughout the month of September we aim to collectively ride 33,000 miles in honor of the 33,000 lives annually claimed by prostate cancer in the U.S.

The Cancer Journeys Foundation will award jerseys to King and Queen of the Mountains Contest age group winners and Sprint Leaders based on virtual challenges that will be ongoing throughout September.

The option to fundraise in support of the Cancer Journeys Foundation – The Prostate Cancer Awareness Project will continue with new incentives recently added and inspired by the #MyGranFondo Challenge adaptation.

When you sign up, you’ll get a 10-week Gran Fondo training plan from Jeremiah Bishop, support from Bishop Training coaches through weekly virtual and real-world challenges, and access to the Strava #MyGranFondo Club where you can engage with coaches and other athletes.

All registrants will receive an event-week #MyGranFondo supply box shipped to them with products to fuel, support, and celebrate your Gran Fondo.

With your registration, you’ll receive:

10-Week Gran Fondo Training Plan
Weekly Virtual and Real World Club Challenges
Access to Strava #MyGranFondo Club
Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Event T-Shirt
Ridge Supply #MyGranFondo Edition Socks
Cancer Journeys Foundation Cooling Neck Band
Sports Nutrition Products
Cutaway USA #MyGranFondo Edition Neck Gaiter
Personalized #MyGranFondo Commemorative Event Bib
Participant Medal on 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Ribbon
Personalized Fundraising Portal
Fun Surprises and Other Special Incentives

Technical details about submitting data toward the collaborative goals, one-day challenge, KOM/QOM and sprint compeitions will be published at AlpineLoopGranFondo.com and e-mailed to participants in August.

As all editions of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, the 2020 #MyGranFondo Challenge will support meaningful beneficiaries. The Cancer Journeys Foundation – Prostate Cancer Awareness Project inspires with the #NeverGiveUp motivation to propel us through 2020. Participants are invited to join in the optional opportunity to fundraise in support of the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project and spread the message of the significance of screening and early detection. A personalized fundraising portal will be created for you upon registration.

A portion of all 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo entries will support:

Cancer Journeys Foundation – The Prostate Cancer Awareness Project
Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition
Our Community Place
Richmond Cycling Corps
Build Our Park

For more information about the charitable mission of the event, visit AlpineLoopGranFondo.com/mission.

Registration is open to a very limited number of additional participants through August 31.

An Update: 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo

#NeverGiveUp
An Update on the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo

We’ve been quiet on the event social channels over the past couple of weeks as we’ve navigated the challenges of ongoing circumstances impacting events. During this time, our event director has been communicating with local permit holders and other leaders; event partners and volunteer representatives; and learning about national, state, and local-level guidance and regulations. Our insurance provider and permit holders’ risk-assessment tools make it very clear that the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, in its traditional sense, is a high-risk situation given the ongoing pandemic.

The event currently represents registrants from 18 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Canada, about half of whom are athletes over the age of 51, and including an inspiring cancer-battling and survivors community. While we want nothing more than to be together, we cannot risk the health of participants, volunteers, and the communities who host us.

Despite so much uncertainty in the world, some things are clear.

We are committed to the event and inspired to bring this great community together. Now, more than ever, we want to provide goals and challenges that will connect you, motivate, and inspire. We crave shared experiences and the camaraderie of big adventure. We want to support you and celebrate your victories. We want to reignite our conversations and engagement, to offer encouragement and share in your success. We have an outstanding group of partners committed to the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo. We want to use our actions to support causes that offer meaningful benefits to those they serve.

With this clarity and renewed purpose, and inspired by the Cancer Journeys Foundation motto #NeverGiveUp, the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo is being transformed into a combination of decentralized real-world challenges and virtual competitions under the banner of the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Challenge. This “my” is all about you.

Together the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo community can remain committed to our late-season cycling goals. We can stay motivated and inspired while remaining connected and enjoying the camaraderie of shared adventure in support of meaningful causes.

The 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Challenge encourages you to share your inspiration, stay committed to your goal, and make the challenge your very own.

Through this challenge, there will be four areas of focus:

September 27^th single-day #MyGranFondo cycling adventure
Collaborative month-long goal to ride 33,000 miles in September
The Prostate Cancer Awareness Project KOM/QOM & Sprint Contests
Support of the charitable mission

Throughout the month of September we will aim to collectively ride 33,000 miles in honor of the 33,000 lives annually claimed by prostate cancer in the U.S.

To support our athletes, the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Challenge will provide training plans and coaching advice, new ways to engages as a community with shared goals, engaging collaborative story-telling projects, and an event-week box filled with items to help support, fuel, and celebrate your adventure, including:

10-Week Gran Fondo TrainingPeaks Training Plan by Jeremiah Bishop
Access to Strava Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Club
2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Event T-Shirt
Cutaway USA Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Edition Neck Gaiter
Ridge Supply 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Edition Socks
Cancer Journeys Foundation Cooling Neck Band
Partnered Sports Nutrition and Hydration Products
Personalized Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Commemorative Bib
Participant Medal on 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Ribbon
Fun Surprises and Other Special Incentives

Currently registered athletes have received communications to let them know what to expect. Event registration has temporarily been paused while the registration site is updated to reflected the necessary changes in store for the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo.

In coming days the registration site will reopen to invite a limited number of new participants to join in. If you are interested in joining and would like to be contacted directly in advance, please e-mail Erin.

As all editions of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, the 2020 #MyGranFondo Challenge supports meaningful beneficiaries.

The Cancer Journeys Foundation – Prostate Cancer Awareness Project inspires with the #NeverGiveUp motivation to propel us through 2020. Participants are invited to join in the optional opportunity to fundraise in support of the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project and spread the message of the significance of screening and early detection. Personalized fundraising portals are created for all registrants upon entry.

Contributions to the Gran Fondo Scholarship fund to increase participation among youth athletes will be redirected to the Richmond Cycling Corps to support their ongoing purpose. VIP Start Line and Additional Contributions will continue to support the charitable mission of the event, as designated. Start Line contributions will be recognized in new ways this year, and again at the start line of a future event. All contributions will be recognized in the 2020 Supporters List, and we will include these participants in special #MyGranFondo Challenge features.

Cutaway USA event jerseys are in production, with the option to purchase remaining open through July 22. These jerseys will be mailed with event-week boxes.

We hope the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo #MyGranFondo Challenge gives you renewed inspiration and motivates you through these unusual circumstances we are faced with.

We are excited to rise to this new challenge together.

2020 Supporters List

Active Fundraisers

To see who is actively working to raise funds in support of Cancer Journeys Foundation Prostate Cancer Awareness Project, visit the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo fundraising portal, where you can also support an individual fundraiser or contribute to the event-wide fundraising goal.

At the conclusion of active fundraising (Oct. 1, 2020) this page will be updated to reflect the names of participants who actively gathered contributions in support of The Prostate Cancer Awareness Project and will be listed in order of most funds raised.

Additional Contributions

Alpine Loop Gran Fondo participants are also showing their support for the charitable mission of the event by making additional contributions along with their registrations into the event. This list will be updated periodically through September 2020. This list was updated September 11, 2020. For these contributions, thanks to the following:

Champions of the Gran Fondo:
John Filicicchia
Jane Gray
Vincent Kelly – In honor of Frank Kelly
Dick Koch
GMike Rodgers – In honor of Richard Rodgers
Barry Sherry
Michael L. Smith

Gran Fondo Supporters:
Curtis Berkey
Kevin Drawbaugh
Ed Edmundson
Steve Nagy – In honor of David Carey
Thomas Peddy

Friends of the Gran Fondo:
Craig Beaumont
Michael Howard
Paul Lengermann

Outstanding Participants:
Dan Behrend
W Chris Davis – In honor of Graham Davis
Matthew Freund
Seth Garber
Kathleen Hughes
Richard McAfee
Chioma Ohalete
Mark Pasierb
LC Yarnelle

Those who are giving to the Gran Fondo Scholarship Fund, supporting the Richmond Cycling Corps ongoing mission:
Dan Behrend
Seth Garber
Michael Howard
Thomas Peddy

With thanks to all who will participate in or otherwise support the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo.

Learn more about the charitable mission of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo.

Free Virtual Backgrounds

Now you can share the inspiring scenery of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo in your virtual gathering spaces.

We’ve formatted some of our favorite Alpine Loop Gran Fondo photos so you can download them here and apply them wherever you meet virtually. These iconic settings can serve as reminders of great adventure and inspiration for all those to come.

To download, click on the photo(s) to open the full file and then save to your device.

As a reminder, thousands of inspiring photos of individuals on course at previous editions of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo are available from our dedicated event photography teams. To find images from previous event years, search event year and “photos” in the search bar above, or hover on the Coverage tab and select Photos from the drop-down menu.

Virtual Training Rides

Missing your Saturday morning group ride? Now you can join Jeremiah Bishop and other members of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo cycling community each Saturday as part of the 10-week Alpine Loop Gran Fondo Virtual Training Ride series.

Each Virtual Training Ride will be hosted on Zwift, and will have a specific workout or training goal communicated in advance. Participation is free and open to anyone registered for the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo and those who have participated in previous editions of the event.

The 10th and final virtual training ride of the spring is USAC Chase Race, Saturday, June 13, at 9:45AM (Eastern). Ride details:

To join the Chase Race and select your route here.

The Challenge of the Alpine Loop

Mountains Worthy of a Grand Tour, the Grit and Character of a Classic

Jeremiah Bishop’s favorite training route earned its nickname with glorious mountain top meadows, winding climbs and hillside farms reminiscent of the Austrian, German and Swiss settings where he has competed.

Now this magnificent scenery is the backdrop for the most challenging and adventurous Gran Fondo in the United States. The route begins in Harrisonburg, Virginia and covers 110 miles featuring over 11,000 feet of climbing dirt road mountain climbs.

If you want to take on the Alpine Loop, you must be aware of the unique challenges presented by the road surfaces and terrain, and follow equipment requirements.

We welcome you to join in the adventure.

Route maps and profiles are available on the Route Page.

Climb Shenandoah Mountain

For the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, there are two ways to experience the challenge of Shenandoah Mountain without having to take on the dirt road climbs of the Alpine Loop: the Shenandoah Mountain Adventure and the Shenandoah Mountain Century.

The Shenandoah Mountain Adventure offers an amazing challenge of 77 miles with over 6,500 feet of climbing on some of the most ideal mountain roads around! Following the same mountain climbs with additional miles, the Shenandoah Mountain Century serves up 100+ miles with 7,800 feet of climbing. If you’re looking for big mountain miles and smooth serpentine roads, these courses serve up a pair of challenging adventures to choose from.

Both routes include three (optional) timed KOM sections: one on Virginia Route 33 up the eastern side of Shenandoah Mountain, the next on Reddish Knob Road climbing Shenandoah Mountain from Sugar Grove, and the last on the feisty .5-mile Mole Hill climb about 5 miles before the finish line.

Setting out from Harrisonburg, Virginia, the courses travel west toward the base of Shenandoah Mountain where the route goes up, up , up. From the summit, riders love the wide-open winding road descending into West Virginia. Once there, you’ll enjoy a few miles meandering alongside the headwaters of the Potomac River. The routes’ hidden gem: a serpentine climb up the western side of Shenandoah Mountain on the newly-paved Reddish Knob Road. Once you rise to the challenge of the final climb, hang on tight for your return to the Valley! Adventure riders will take the direct return to the Finish Line, while Century riders will continue on a scenic “century loop” with added rolling riverside miles and a scenic pass through the historic towns of Mt Solon and Stokesville. The final miles of both routes roll through the countryside and farming communities of Ottobine and Dayton, where horse-pulled carriages are frequent sights along the country lanes.

Route maps and profiles are available on the Route Page.

Experience the Valley

Returning as classic routes for the 2020 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, there are two ways to experience the renowned riding of the central Shenandoah Valley: The Valley View Challenge and Mt Solon Metric Century. These routes offer an experience for cyclists of varied abilities.

The Valley View Challenge is a 36-mile route that showcases the idyllic scenery and country roads that make Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia famed riding destinations. The route is paved with a few brief connectors on little dirt roads, over low-water bridges and up country lanes – and they make the experience one to remember! Don’t let the “Valley” fool you; this route offers a great challenge with over 2,600 feet of rolling climbs and a steep jaunt up the timed segment up Mole Hill.

The Mt Solon Metric Century offers 100 kilometers (62.4 miles) of Shenandoah Valley riding. The Mt Solon Metric Century overlaps the Valley View Challenge with the addition of what we commonly refer to as “the century loop” – a special 20-mile segment only ridden by Mt Solon Metric Century and Shenandoah Mountain Century participants featuring country lanes and nearly-secret riverside roads beyond Mt Solon and Stokesville, Virginia. This route rolls through 3,743 feet of climbing over its 100 kilometers and features the brief but brutal timed segment up Mole Hill.

The final miles of the Valley View Challenge and the Mt Solon Metric Century wind through the farming communities of Ottobine and Dayton, Virginia where horse-pulled carriages are frequent sights along the country lanes.

Route maps and profiles are available on the Route Page.

2019 Results King and Queen of the Mountains

Results from the Cancer Journeys Foundation King and Queen of the Hill and Prostate Cancer Awareness Project King and Queen of the Mountains contests are posted at SVE Timing.

At the event, King and Queen of the Hill winners (first place on Mole Hill timed segment, 5-year age groups, in Valley View Challenge and Mt Solon Metric Century categories) were recognized and awarded a pair of The Alpine Loop Gran Fondo socks by Ridge Supply.

King and Queen of the Mountains winners (top-3, 5-year age groups, Alpine Loop and combined Shenandoah Mountain routes) were recognized and awarded a Prostate Cancer Awareness Project jersey and The Alpine Loop Gran Fondo socks by Ridge Supply.

Couples Conquer the Mountains contest results will soon be posted. Prostate Cancer Awareness Project jerseys were awarded to Keystone Racing, the top team in this category.

If you have corrections or questions about the timing data, please use the “Contact Timer” button on the upper right of the results page.

Photos of the podium ceremonies will be available for free, and high-resolution versions will be available in the complete gallery from the Bruce Buckley Photography team. Links those these galleries will be updated when they are published.

2019 Event Date, Registration Details

Save the date! The 2019 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo is September 29.

Registration for the 2019 event will open Friday, February 1, 10 a.m., at www.BikeReg.com/GranFondo.

Early Bird Entries will be available to the first 50 registrants. When they are claimed, the next 100 registrants can take advantage of other discounts. The event is capped, and will fill in advance. Hopeful participants are encouraged to register early.

We’re planning to have even more gravel for those of you who want it, and will offer many of the classic paved routes as well. Look for details and other announcements in the weeks ahead.

2019 fundraising will support the Cancer Journeys Foundation Prostate Cancer Awareness Project.