ONE of the less immediate benefits of last year’s hugely successful Giro d’Italia will become apparent this weekend with the staging of the Gran Fondo.
A legacy event from last year’s competition, it will run annually for three years and is open to cyclists of all levels. Stating tomorrow in Belfast, it is expected to attract thousands of amateur cyclists from Ireland and across the globe to the starting line in the city.
Riders will have the choice of two journeys on Sunday – The Mourne Route and The Strangford Route with both rides starting and finishing at Titanic Belfast.
The Mourne Route is a 177km ride, which will challenge the fittest riders by providing tough climbs and take them through some breath-taking scenery including the Spelga Dam and Slieve Croob with views over Lough Neagh. The Strangford Route is a 58km loop achievable for beginner and novice cyclists covering a route around North Down with the beauty of Strangford Lough present for much of the ride.
Top cyclist Richie Porte of Team Sky, winner of this year’s Paris-Nice, Tour of Catalunya and Giro del Trentino stages races, will participate, while famous Irish cyclist legend Stephen Roche will be present over the weekend to welcome riders, tell stories and to cycle the Gran Fondo Giro dItalia.
Ahead of the cycle, Sport Northern Ireland has announced details of funding awards to ten grassroots community projects aiming to build on the success of last year’s Giro d’Italia Big Start and keep local people cycling.
The awards were made as part of special £85,000 cycling-themed strand of Sport NI’s Active Awards for Sport small grants programme, established to continue the Giro legacy and support further development of cycling, particularly in areas of greatest need.
Sport NI Director of Participation Nick Harkness welcomed the announcement, and noted the significance of the awards, stating:
“The tremendous success of last year’s Big Start, and the mounting excitement for this week’s Gran Fondo event demonstrate the huge interest in and enthusiasm for cycling in Northern Ireland. Sport Northern Ireland recognises how important it is for us to recognise and respond to the upward trend in grassroots participation in cycling and that is why we are delighted to be making today’s funding awards.”
The Mourne Route will start at 7.30am on Sunday and the Strangford Route will begin an hour later.
There is also a full schedule of events planned tomorrow on site at Titanic Belfast, such a photo opportunities with the Giro trophy and a street velodrome.
