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Cycling event will be held on Oct. 19 with modified course within Greenville Co.

 

GREENVILLE—Gran Fondo Hincapie recently announced its 13th annual Greenville cycling event, scheduled to take place on October 19, will instead be held as a fundraising event for the local community impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. 

“We initially thought that we were going to cancel the event,” said Rich Hincapie, President of Hincapie Events. “But then I realized that we could use the Gran Fondo to draw attention to the massive devastation in our area and turn the entire thing into a huge fundraising effort. While we understand that many counties are in need, we want to focus on our neighbors in Polk County, who have partnered with us and supported our Gran Fondo event for thirteen years. We want to rally the global cycling community and really make a difference in Polk County. Our goal is to raise one million dollars.

“Our friends in North Carolina have supported this event for over a decade. Now, it is our turn to give back to them and help them rebuild their community. The proceeds collected will be donated directly to Polk County Community Foundation in North Carolina. We selected Polk County as this is the home of Saluda, Tryon, and Columbus, all of which have gladly hosted rest stops, partnered with our event, and cheered us on during our Gran Fondo Hincapie Greenville rides,” said Hincapie.

The event will feature a new, modified 19-mile course entirely within Greenville County. 

“We do not want to take away any police, rescue, or emergency support from North and South Carolina, and so we chose a course with minimal intersections and traffic,” explained Jamie Godfrey, Hincapie Event Manager. “Our top priority is our staff and participants’ safety, so we developed a course that has clear roads and does not go into North Carolina.”

All three distances will still be offered: the Piccolo will do one lap of the course, the Medio will do three laps, and the Gran will do four laps. Hincapie staff and volunteers will man one rest stop along the course loop at mile 6.5, and Highway 11 will be closed for the entire event. 

Held since 2012, Gran Fondo Hincapie originated as a retirement ride and celebration for retired professional and Olympic cyclist George Hincapie. Today, Gran Fondo Hincapie hosts events in Arkansas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and California, in addition to the Greenville event, which will take place at Hotel Domestique, a European-inspired boutique hotel established by George. 

As with all of Hincapie’s Gran Fondos, the event is more than just a big ride. Athletes are encouraged to hang around after the finish for a free Festival and an afternoon of music, awards, food, and beverages. 

All programming aspects of the Fondo weekend have been tailored to maximize fundraising, including special dinners, live auctions, and targeted events. The event schedule for the weekend includes the Hincapie Sportswear Warehouse Sale, a Celebrity Chef Dinner that allows participants to sample culinary creations from the country’s top chefs, and an After Party where athletes can enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The After Party will feature a live painting of Mark Cavendish by local painter Jared Emerson at 9 p.m. Once the painting is done, there will be a live auction of the painting, and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Polk County Community Foundation. 

A portion of the weekend’s revenue will be donated to the Polk County Community Foundation. To donate to PCCF, visit polkcountycommunityfoundation.dock.gives.

Online registration for Gran Fondo Hincapie Greenville is still open through Oct. 13. All registrations are still valid for this year’s event. 

For more information about the Gran Fondo Hincapie Greenville, visit hincapie.com/pages/gran-fondo-greenville.