Glamour and Dolce Vita for the Cycling Enthusiasts

Beverly Hills, CA – Gran Fondo USA, the Italian-themed mass cycling event, is pleased to announce its new destination, the most exclusive and legendary Californian neighborhood: Beverly Hills! The upcoming edition will take place on Sunday, June 26, 2011 starting from a world-wide celebrated shopping destination, Rodeo Drive.

This premiere Gran Fondo Colnago Los Angeles aims to attract thousands of local bike fans and their families as well as national and international cycling enthusiasts. The non-professional cycling market in the US is experiencing tremendous growth; it is estimated that there are 30 million recreational cyclists, 3 million of whom are avid participants of Gran Fondos.

A “prelude” to the Gran Fondo in Beverly Hills will be the annual automobile Concours d’Elegance, this year celebrating the “The Art of Italian Motoring”: a tribute to the most famous names in Italian cars’ and motorcycles’ design and lifestyle. The week-long program (June 19-26, 2011) also features other cultural and recreational appointments dedicated to la Dolce Vita. Gran Fondo’s experience will then kick off on Saturday, June 25 at 10 am in the 9900 Wilshire Blvd. Parking lot (across from the Beverly Hilton Hotel), where participants can pick-up their race bag and enjoy a Cyclists’ Expo featuring products and services, along with attractions for families and friends. There are plans for some tasty Italian cuisine to be available for sale while a VIP, invitation-only event, is planned in the evening.

The actual bike ride will start at 7am sharp on Sun. June 26, at the North end of the 400 block of Rodeo Drive and Little Santa Monica. Cyclists will line up in the 300 and 400 blocks of Rodeo Drive while Ferraris will head the riders North and then West onto Big Santa Monica to Wilshire, on the operatic notes of famous Italian arias performed by Pavarotti Participants will then ride towards the Ocean, embracing challenging ascents and hills, rolling through breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. A lively and authentic Italian lunch will reload all returning cyclists’ carb levels, while VIPs are going to enjoy their very own special treatment with superlative wines, gourmet foods and delicacies in the best Italian hospitality flare. Plans for Bike demonstrations are also in the works along with family fun and entertainment. King and Queen of the Mountain will be crowned in the afternoon.

Gran Fondo means “Big Ride” in Italian. They are long distance, mass-participation cycling events – not races – that are immensely popular in Italy. Participation is open to both recreational and competitive cyclists, and tens of thousands of riders of all abilities participate. Just like in Italy, each Gran Fondo USA event includes a mass start, and two challenging routes. In the Los Angeles edition, there are going to be respectively 72 miles and 39 miles courses. “The success of our events comes from our strong commitment to the ‘Made in Italy’ theme,” reveals the founder of Gran Fondo USA, Matteo Gerevini, “after three successful editions of the Gran Fondo Colnago San Diego and one edition of the Gran Fondo Colnago Philadelphia, we are now excited to launch this new event in Beverly Hills.”

“We are proud supporters of the Gran Fondo Colnago series in California,” says Nicola Faganello, Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles. “This event is a great opportunity to showcase the ‘Italian Way of Life’ in this part of the United States, fostering and promoting Italian excellences on the American market. A perfect conclusion of the “Dolce Vita” celebrations taking place in Beverly Hills that week.”

Sponsors of the event include Colnago, Alitalia, FSA, Campagnolo, Fulcrum, Gaerne, Speedplay, Cuore Italiano, Villa Sandi, the Italian Trade Commission, GU Energy, Il Borro and Castiglion del Bosco wineries (owned by the Ferragamo family), Prologo, Maxxis, Italy Bike Hotel and Il Palagetto winery.