UWCT Copenhagen Gran Fondo this weekend was a great event with more than 1750 entries in the Time Trial and Road Race in this European Qualifier for the 2013 UCI World Cycling Tour Final in Trento in September.
The World’s largest Time Trial was held in Elsinore on Friday with 730 entries in a buzzing atmosphere in the town that Hamlet made famous. 1.000 riders were on the streets in the road race Sunday creating a new spring classic in Denmark. A fantastic racing weekend that set new standards for organizing cycling races in Denmark.
“Together with Wonderful Copenhagen, Sport Event Denmark and the cities of Elsinore and Copenhagen we set new standards and created a new way of organizing cycling races for all in Denmark. The participants not only took part in the UCI World Cycling Tour, they also rode like a pro and we’ve heard so many great things and saw many happy and tired faces in the two race days,” says Race Director Thomas Veje Olsen from YWC Sports.
1.000 riders were lined up next to the Danish national stadium, Parken, and ahead of them was a 145 km ride that also took them through two gravel sections that made this a special Danish spring classic.
“It was an amazing race and the cyclists totally reclaimed the streets. I really enjoyed racing on the roads where cars and trucks normally rule. We had a nice peloton going and got our own lead motorbike out front which took us blazing through traffic intersections and the Copenhagen suburbs, while people cheered and clapped. We could cut through the corners without being nervous for cars or traffic. As we hammered down towards the finish line with advertisements and banners it felt like being in the Tour de France. It was literally like being a pro for a day,” says Mads Korsager Nielsen, who finished the road race in 4:02:56.
Next year’s race is scheduled for the end of May 2014 and registration will open soon.
Photos
Can be used for editorial use only. Credit: Martin Paldan/UWCT Copenhagen Gran Fondo 2013
Time Trial:
https://plus.google.com/u/1/photos/100929241110782430739/albums/587782872514154651
Road Race:
https://plus.google.com/u/1/photos/100929241110782430739/albums/5877818114114737025
Facts:
• UWCT Copenhagen Gran Fondo – Part of the UCI World Cycling Tour
• May 10: 26,5 km Time Trial with start and finish in Elsinore, the home of Kronborg Castle from Shakespeare’s Hamlet
• May 12: 145 km Road Race with start and finish next to the national stadium, Parken in downtown Copenhagen
• UWCT Copenhagen Gran Fondo is a part of the UCI World Cycling Tour, the World Championships for all
• Race your bike like a pro with blocked off roads, lots of service and heavy focus on safety
• Limit: 780 participants in the Time Trial
• Limit: 2,500 participants in the Road Race
• 400 flag posts and officials
• 75 traffic officials
• 25 Police Home Guard, Police and medical team
The event is organized by YWC Sports. Sport Event Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen, Copenhagen Municipality and Elsinore Municipality partner the event. Contributing to the PR and public exposure of this partnership is The Branding Denmark Fund.
Web: copenhagengranfondo.com
Facebook: facebook.com/uciworldcyclingtourcopenhagen
Instagram hashtag: #copenhagengranfondo