With 2019 UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifying races wrapping last week, qualified riders are now fine-tuning their form, packing bags and making travel plans to be in Poznan, Poland for the championship races August 28 – September 1, 2019.

POZNAN CITY SQUARE ©POZNAN.

Flat, Fast and Furious, with a lot of cross-wind, narrow roads, nervous riders and plenty of crashes as riders jostle for position is what participants can expect.

Weather-wise, Poznan averages 2″ of rain, a daily high of +18 °C (64.4 °F), a low of +9 °C (48.2 °F) and often skies are grey and cloudy during September – so pack a rain cape.

ONE BIG FLAT LOOP DECIDES WHO WINS A RAINBOW JERSEY. ©GF POZNAN

At 152km long with only 453m elevation change, the main course is well suited for sprinters, while pure climbers will sit this one out and wait for Vancouver 2020.

Using some of the same roads as the gran fondo, the shorter medio course is 107km with 348m climbing.

Below is a preview video of the 2019 UCI Gran Fondo World Championship course.