Earn Gran Fondo National Series Points and qualify for the USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship event
Cyclists participating in the 719 Ride have an opportunity to earn Series Points and qualify for the 2023 USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship by throwing themselves up, and measuring their worth on, two timed segments.
- The 1-mile Woodmen Road timed segment (5.7% average grade).
- The .719 mile Rossmere KoM/QoM segment (8.9% average grade).
Although recumbent bicycles are encouraged to enjoy the pleasure of the 719 Ride, cyclists riding recumbent bicycles will not earn Series Points.
Cyclists on e-bikes are also welcome at the 719 Ride. However, they too will not be eligible for Series Points.
In contrast to this despotic rigor, you may rejoice that a USA Cycling license is not necessary to participate in the 719 Ride or the Gran Fondo National Series.
Past participants of the 719 Ride have said it’s ‘intense pain and excellent fun.’ That ‘it’s a true test of mental toughness’ and is ‘like gelato for the soul.’ I’m excited to partner with the SUAREZ Gran Fondo National Series to introduce the 719 Ride lactic acid crippling haze to the fondo riding community. I’m confident that Series riders will be solidly cracked by the end of the Gran Route and that all riders will love the easy-going, low-key nature of our suffer- and pleasure-fest. — Ottavio Severo
How will Series Points be assigned?
We are glad you asked. Not everyone is as brave and self-assured as you are. This bodes well for you in your tussle with The Course That Cannot Be Defeated.
Piccolo Fondo
- One to two laps of The Course That Cannot Be Defeated is "un piccolo fondo" (14-28 miles).
- Your best time on each segment will be used to determine your Series Points in the Piccolo Fondo category.
Medio Fondo
- Three to four laps of The Course That Cannot Be Defeated will place your efforts in the Medio Fondo category (42-57 miles).
- Your three best times on each timed segment will determine your Series Points.
Gran Fondo
- Five or more laps of The Course That Cannot be Defeated garners you a ranking in the Gran Fondo category (71.9 miles or more).
- Your five best times on each timed segment will determine your Series Points.
Follow the ORANGE Route Arrows marking the course, or send a GPS route file to your device.
You can also print a cue sheet with turn-by-turn instructions.
When, where and how can I see how great I did?
Results will be provided to the Gran Fondo National Series within 24 hours of the completion of the 719 Ride. They will be posted at www.granfondonationalseries.com/results at that time.
You will not experience the glory of an awards ceremony on event day. Your name and achievement won't be publicly announced to the assemblage of friends, family, spectators, vendors and fellow cycling personages.
Instead, you will utter unmentionables, invoke the names of cycling's past and call down thunder and lightning as you experience old-school excitement and tension and expend nervous energy repeatedly refreshing your browser what will feel like eons after the 719 Ride ends.
And now for something slightly different and slightly related.
If you happen to become a Premier of Rossmere (fastest man and fastest woman) by decimating your competition on the Rossmere KoM/QoM segment, or you happen to find a resting place on the segment leaderboard that is evenly divisible by 71 (e.g., 71, 142, 213, 284, etc.), then you will receive a check in the mail for $71.90. Woo hoo!
This prize money is only associated with the Rossmere KoM/QoM segment. Prize money will not be given based on performance times on the Woodmen Road timed segment leaderboard.
Also, this prize money has nothing to do with the SUAREZ Gran Fondo National Series. It is an event specific largesse.
Qualify for the USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship
Qualifications slots are awarded based on placement in official SUAREZ Gran Fondo National Series events, of which the 719 Ride is one.
To qualify, a rider must achieve one of the following results.
Top 25% finish in an age group in a Gran Route at any Series Event.
Top 3 finish in an age group category in a Gran Route at any Series Event.
Complete two or more Gran Route events at Series Events.
All USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championships participants must be members of USA Cycling.
Prepare to make the grade and qualify with the 719 Ride workouts on Zwift and iFIT
Custom 719 Ride Workouts for Zwift
Ride The Course That Cannot Be Defeated in your favorite Zwift virtual world. Mimic the effort levels and climb durations needed to complete a lap of Il Corso Imbattibile in 45, 60, 75 or 90 minutes.
Each Zwift workout is available with and without commentary from the fictional inspiration of the 719 Ride, Ottavio Severo.
The 719 Ride iFIT Workout
To join iFIT trainer Richard Biglia as he tackles The Course That Cannot Be Defeated during the 2022 719 Ride, enter 719 Ride into the search field of your iFIT app when browsing the workout library.
