The 3rd annual Garrett County Gran Fondo in scenic and mountainous western Maryland will be held on June 23, 2012. Garrett County and the Deep Creek Lake area boast some of the finest and most challenging cycling in North America, and in just two years of sold-out rides the Garrett County Gran Fondo has established itself as a premier North American coast Gran Fondo.
Registration for the 2012 event is open. The Garrett County Gran Fondo is limited to 1000 participants total across all five of the rides so do not delay in registering as a 3rd consecutive sell-out is expected.
Current Registration fees for each Garrett County Gran Fondo ride is below. The next fee increase is May 15 at which time fees increase by roughly 15%:
| Gran Fondo Ride | Registration Fee |
| Garrett's Greatest 25 | $45 |
| Fabulous 44 | $50 |
| Masochistic Metric | $60 |
| Savage Century | $70 |
| Diabolical Double | $75 |
The Garrett County Gran Fondo has been chosen as a promoted event of Cycle Maryland, a program run by Maryland's Office of Tourism. The Gran Fondo is a celebrated tradition in Italian cycling culture. A Gran Fondo is a long distance, mass-participation cycling event - not a race - that welcomes professional, amateur, and recreational cyclists.
Garrett County Gran Fondo Rides
The Garrett County Gran Fondo has a ride for everyone from the recreational cyclist to seasoned professionals with five supported ride options. The 125 mile "Diabolical Double Metric", the 102 mile "Savage Century", the 62 mile "Masochistic Metric", and the 44 mile "Fabulous 44" all contain very steep and challenging hills. The "Garrett's Greatest 25" includes hills but is appropriate for the recreational cyclist not desiring to undertake the more extreme Gran Fondo ride offerings.
- The "Diabolical Double" - the feature event of the Garrett County Gran Fondo, the Diabolical Double is a true, extreme epic on par with European climbing classics such as Etape du Tour, la Marmotte, and the classic Italian Gran Fondos. At 125 miles and 16,500 feet of climbing, the Diabolical Double is an all-day affair that is an extreme challenge for even the most fit rider. Included in Rapha Continental's 2009 tour of the Top 25 Epic Rides in North America, and called by the Rapha riders "one of the most demanding and stunning rides of the summer", the Diabolical Double is destined to become a true North American cycling classic.
- The "Savage Century" - at 102 miles and 12,700 feet of climbing, the Savage Century is a very challenging century ride in its own right despite playing second fiddle to the Diabolical Double. The Savage Century shares the first 59 miles and final 15 miles of the Diabolical Double route.
- The "Masochistic Metric" - at 62 miles and 8000 feet of climbing, the Masochistic Metric can stake its claim as the toughest metric century route in North America. The Masochistic Metric shares the first 47 miles of the Diabolical Double and Savage Century routes and includes some of the most stunning rural scenery and vistas you are ever to encounter on a bike as well as the vast majority of the steepest climbs encountered in the Savage Century and Diabolical Double routes
- The "Fabulous 44" - at 44 miles and 4800 feet of climbing, the "Fabulous 44" is an excellent option for anyone looking for a longer, more challenging ride than the "Garrett's Greatest 25", but is not ready to undertake the extreme challenge of the Masochistic Metric Century.
- The "Garrett's Greatest 25" - A beautiful 25 mile ride through the rolling Garrett County farmland with a challenging 3 mile climb to the finish atop Wisp Mountain.
Gran Fondo Specifics
Despite the extreme nature of the some of the Garrett County Gran Fondo rides, there are no qualifying standard or time cutoff restrictions beyond event closure at dusk. The Gran Fondo rides include supply stations, tech/sag support and riders will be provided detailed cue sheets and elevation profiles. Even so, participants should prepare to be self-sufficient for up to 25 slow, hilly miles between checkpoints and supply stations.
All rides will start and finish at Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI), home of the world's only mountaintop whitewater rafting park, perched atop Wisp Mountain high above Deep Creek Lake.
Ride starts are staggered with the "Diabolical Double" departing at 7am, the "Savage Century" at 7:30am, the "Masochistic Metric" at 8:00am, the "Fabulous 44" at 8:30am, and the "Garrett's Greatest 25" immediately following at 8:45. A mandatory pre-ride briefing will commence at start line 20 minutes before each ride start.
All Gran Fondo rides include some very steep, extended climbing. Some hills average 15% grade for over a mile, and many climbs peak out at over 20% pitch. All rides except the "Garrett's Greatest 25" summit finish atop Wisp Mountain with a 3/4 mile 13% grade climb. It is highly recommended that you gear your bike wisely in preparation for this. Even the strongest of cyclists appreciate compact cranks on this terrain.
Checkpoints and food supply stations are available every 20-30 miles, and all riders are required to check in at these checkpoints.
Raise Funds and Become a "Win-The-Fight" Champion The Garrett County Gran Fondo is a "Win-The-Fight" Event that benefits the Joanna M Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. All participants are provided with a personalized fundraising page and are encouraged to raise funds to help the Foundation in it's mission to:
- Educate the general public on prevention and the seriousness of melanoma
- Support medical research that will ultimately lead to a cure for melanoma
- Provide resources for patients and the entire melanoma community
Please visit here for details on the excellent premiums and awards, including a luxury lakefront weekend rental, available to fundraisers.