Third edition of the race…ride…event
NYVC: First off, what was your reaction to learning that two of your participants (David Anthony and Gabriele Guarini) had tested positive for EPO?
Uli Fluhme: Two EPO positives were a surprise because in-competiition (IC) testing is rarely expected to bring a positive result, let alone two (out of 10 tested). When USADA first told Lidia and I about the positive tests, we wondered if it would be someone blaming some obscure substance from the prohibited list that was in their tainted supplements. But EPO can only enter the body via injection, hence being obvious and deliberate doping. With finite "glow" periods and techniques like microdosing, it’s too easy to avoid testing positive if you know when you might get tested. But Anthony said he was too arrogant about it and Guarini didn’t know we would test. Hence, the focus has to be on out of competition (OOC) testing which we did (all tests were negative). That said, IC testing is still very relevant for two reasons: OOC testing is conducted in private while IC testing is visible to other participants. They see chaperones waiting at the finish as well as the doping control tent. People need to see to believe. But more importantly, the primary goal of amateur testing is not catching the cheaters. It is about deterring dopers from competing at our races. It’s about making that 9pm doorbell ring uncomfortable for a doper. It’s about having a doper worried about microdosing and being able to provide a "clean" sample. We had a number of interesting DNS’ and DNFs in 2012. That’s all we need.
We are continuing to work with USADA for GFNY 2013 and are currently establishing a very interesting testing program together with them. I have seen a similar system in place before only in Italy. But what we are trying to achieve is more sophisticated while also simplistic enough that it can be applied to a much larger group of participants.
I think that the reaction from the racing community was generally apperceive that you had spent the money to perform those tests. In many cases it seemed that the same people who had been vocal critics of the GFNY were the most supportive. What kind of interaction have you had with the racing community since?
Uli Fluhme: Yes, the reaction was very supportive. I don’t know if it was in particular from people who before criticized GFNY most because we rarely get direct feedback that actually gives us a chance to address it. But there sure still is this misunderstanding among the racers what a true Gran Fondo is. Just think of it as a marathon: at the front people compete to win, in the middle riders go for a PR and at the end they are trying to beat the cutoff. With GFNY now timing the full course, it’s finally a true Gran Fondo in line with the Italian tradition.
Speaking of Italian tradition: there, masters circuit races are almost non existent. Once an elite amateur (the so-called "dilettante") turns 25 without a pro contract, he/she races Gran Fondos. Unfortunately, there are a lot of event directors in the US using the term "Gran Fondo" who are completely unaware what it actually is. It’s actually anything but a fancy labeled Century ride. It’s not about Ferraris at the start, playing the Italian anthem or serving gourmet food. It’s about providing cyclists a safe course where they challenge themselves.
Another often voiced criticism of the racers pertains to the $200 entry fee. There is no way to offer a 105 mile course around NYC at a lower entry fee given the permit and permit and PD cost of $500,000 to ensure a safe course for the cyclists. Yet, GFNY is still cheaper for a racer living in the city than a rural race that requires traveling and staying at a hotel overnight. Not to mention the time and energy it takes to travel to an event with packing, logistics organizing and actual travel time.
The event grew and changed from the first year to the second and I’d imagine will continue to change. What did you learn from last year’s GFNY?
Uli Fluhme: Again, Lidia and I continue to emphasize that Gran Fondo racing is a personal challenge, it’s not a group ride. We have athletes coming from over 70 countries to race which makes GFNY the most international bike race in the world. Nowhere else do riders have the chance to be part of such a diverse peloton. We’ve continued to grow the number of our Tour Operators and now even work with agents from Japan, Argentina and New Zealand.
Please explain how this year’s event is different.
Uli Fluhme: The main difference is that the course will be timed from the start on GWB to Bear Mountain and back to Fort Lee, a total of 100 miles. The last five miles to the finish in Weehawken are neutralized. In the first two years we limited the timing to four climbs because we wanted the towns along the route to have the necessary amount of comfort in a kind of event that they have never seen before. Thanks to our extensive collaboration with all towns and PD along the route, we’re now finally able to implement that key element of what makes a true Gran Fondo.
Other changes include Buckberg being removed from our course. Unfortunately, some cyclists don’t know how to use their brakes which led to several crashes at the bottom of the descent. It’s a shame that a few irresponsible people make us cut one of the really cool climbs in the area. Also, we’ll tackle Cheescote from North to South and consequently move a few nutrition stops. Last but not least, the cyclists receive a designated lane for the final three miles to the finish in Weehawken. It’s something we asked for last year already but the towns in Hudson County had to see the event first to understand our needs. We’re grateful to receive this because it is a high traffic area and riding there in the traffic was not very pleasant last year.
Are you worried that with the whole 100 miles in play that riders will take more risks that could potentially harm themselves. For example, with traffic in the sections that are not closed, descending hills, esp Bear Mountain too fast and even skipping rest stops to try and achieve a better result.
Uli Fluhme: There are thousands of timed amateur cycling events around the world. Some kind of risk is always involved, that comes with the nature of our sport. Thankfully, 99% is up to the rider to determine how much risk he/she is willing to take and most people are very aware of their limits.
What are you doing to ensure the event will be safe?
Uli Fluhme: We’re adding even more police officers and police cars. I think we’re getting close to 200 at this point which is another world record. Plus, we continue working closely with the PDs and tweak the course slightly where we both see challenges from a safety point of view based on the experience from the previous years.
Last year many recreational cyclists complained about the lines at the rest stops, what have you done to adress their concerns?
Uli Fluhme: We built our nutrition stops to be three times the size of stops at European events that have the same amount of riders. Our European participants were amazed about the size and selection we offered. What we didn’t account for is that here people are so accustomed to queueing. In Europe (to broadly generalize), people get to the tables and grab what they need. To encourage and "organize" that behavior, we hire additional nutrition stop coordinators. Furthermore, we’re increasing the number of spouts five fold. The start-to-finish timing should help riders realize that a nutrition stop is not a picnic site to hang out and wait for your club buddies. Imagine a marathon where people stop every mile: "Hey John, how was that last mile?" "Great, let’s wait for Mark and ask him how he feels."
In Europe, riders try to stop as little as possible. I recently did a Gran Fondo that took me close to four hours. I didn’t have to stop once because I started with two full bottles and a couple of PowerBars and PowerGels in my jersey pockets. Now, for the 105-mile GFNY, not stopping is not an option but for the vast majority of riders stopping every second station is sufficient. It saves time and hassle. Latest scientific research demonstrated that drinking according to thirst is the safest and best way to compete.
Where are you with your preparations to hold a pro race on the same day and course of GFNY?
Uli Fluhme: We’ve met with Pat McQuaid last fall to present Gran Premio New York. He was very supportive. And from a permitting point of view we are 90% there. We’re currently in talks with NYS and NJ to evaluate the full scope of their and our needs. Both States are very interested in having a pro race. It’s hard to not like two hours of aerial shots on live TV if you want to promote a region for tourism. While we want to and have to be considerate of the existing pro races on the calendar, there is very little room for shifting dates in the NY Metro area.
We’re also starting to talk to the Formula 1 organizers who plan to bring the series to Weehawken in June 2014. Finishing off the pro race with five loops of the F1 course would be amazing. It has everything you would want for an exciting finish. While pro races and amateur events complement each other in may ways, like logistically and economically, the motivation for us for adding a pro cycling race is the same as our motivation for organizing GFNY: Lidia and I are passionate about the sport of cycling.
You are under no obligation to do this event
we have a winner!! first “don’t like it, don’t do it/pay for it/listen to it/ see it” comment. Man, I hate that. Doesn’t add much now, does it? Apparently, we should never discuss anything that doesn’t directly impact our lives.
While I personally prefer early morning park races and don’t see myself doing GFNY anytime soon, I admire the obvious effort that goes into making this a top notch event, especially for the out of towners who can’t just pick a day to ride to Bear Mountain. I’m sure it’s not a simple logistical feat.
Nice interview Alex, and good question on the Bear descent. Uli says best way to look at GFNY is like it’s a Marathon. The promoters of really big runs put faster people at the front. Do they do that at GFNY or do you have to get to the start super early or suffer through 20 miles of clogging before it thins out? I really wouldn’t want to be descending Bear fast with the masses.
The entry fee started at $190. Entering late puts the financial risk on the organizer. Hence the higher fee now.
Racers Cat 4 or higher (Cat 3 for Masters and Women) are seeded at the front. You need to be registered by the end of this week and email me a copy of your license (uli@granfondony.com).
GF’s are different than racing. I did the first year, missed last year and am looking forward to this year. The difference is the event, not the route. It is great to have thousands of riders drilling it on the open roads. I am a big fan of the NY GF.
is it me or does it seem like this guy doesn’t really like the people who do his events
would you like putting on an event that has a vocal bunch of whining complainers who never actually do the ride itself or, equally annoying, do the ride but do so “under duress?”
it’s a friggin’ bike ride for crying out loud. do it, or don’t.
let those who want to do it enjoy it for what it is.
Don’t let the stern face in the photo fool you. I think that perhaps Uli’s vision of GFNY being more of a competitive event rather than a social century may occasionally come off the wrong way, but the organizers still care about the riders. Last year, I left a voice mail message on GFNY’s voice mail. The next day I received a response on facebook that Uli and Lidia couldn’t call me back because they were in Italy, but to e-mail the event’s site instead. Uli quickly followed up to my e-mail with a very helpful, detailed, personalized response. By chance I also happened to speak with him at the end of last year’s ride. He was very interested in how the ride was, and any feedback. Since then, I have been in contact with Uli and Lidia multiple times about the event and cycling in general. They’re always open to suggestions, and they truly love cycling. This is quite a contrast to another Gran Fondo event that I participated in, where the organizers would not answer a simple e-mail before or after the event. (That event also folded after the second edition.) I didn’t hesitate to sign up again for GFNY.
Gran Fondo NJ is a great option in early September – 107 Miles, 8,800 feet of climbing on great rural roads, free parking and low hotel rates if you want to make a weekend of it. Plenty of competition, with a friendly atmosphere. The 63-mile Medio Fondo route was selected by Bicycling Magazine for their list of “The 50 Best Rides in America.”
but but $294 gives you the peace of mind to know that you lose against people who do not dope…highly questionable about NY Spring Series
I’ve done plenty of SS races over the years and one GF. The GF really sticks as being quite memorable and a lot of fun. The SS all kind of melt together and are occasionally fun but not especially memorable. Like good sex and masturbating. Both have a place.
From someone who has done it, how quickly does the front thin out? I worry about riding in a 300 person pack with people of spurious bike handling and unfamiliarity with the roads?
It thinned out pretty quickly and will now thin out even quicker with the new format:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OFvGVhK2GQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83NpQ9lbW9k
At $294 I could do 1 GFNY or the entire 11 race NY Spring Series. From a racer’s perspective GFNY doesn’t make sense.
in the picture, it looks like you have a blonde curly ponytail or a mouse climbing on your neck. can you clarify?
great event by the way. My $300 and i will be back again this year.
… a Euro mullet. Or an earpiece for the English translation of Italian during this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXLuEMN0eMI
not even close to as many negative comments this year…at least so far. i’m guessing it’s because the gran fondo’s doping controls snaring DA has given us more entertainment over the last year than anything ever has.
So for those of us not doing the Gran Fondo Sunday, are we going to be able to ride on our usual roads – 9W, Little Tor, Perkins? Or is the GF taking over entirely? How does it work for us non-Fondo’ers?
You could always go east of the river. i.e. Westchester County. Right up Broadway into Van Cortlandt Park, then take the county trailway out to the good riding in northern Westchester.