After finishing 2nd in 2017 and 2018, 51 year-old multiple UCI Gran Fondo World Champion Bruce Bird rode an amazing race and crushed the competition at this year’s Hincapie Gran Fondo Greenville in South Carolina USA.

POINTY END OF THE PELOTON ©HINCAPIE GF

Not only did the Canadian win the KOM competition, but he finished the 80-mile course in 3:49:18, 8-minutes ahead of 2nd place Spencer Miller and 12-minutes in front of 3rd place Samuel Blackmon.  If you add Miller’s and Blackmon’s age together it would still be less than Bruce Bird’s 51 years – significantly less.

GRACIOUS HOST GEORGE HINCAPIE ©HINCAPIE GF

Florence Howden won the women’s category in 4:09:01 with Debbie Milne and Leah Thorvilson rounding out the podium.

Danielle Clarck won the 50-mile women’s Medio Fondo with Jeff Hall taking the men’s.

50-MILE CHAMPION DANIELLE CLARK ©HINCAPIE GF

Over 2000 riders registered for the event, including Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud, Lance Armstrong and Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race television series.

Riding the 50-mile Medio Fondo, Koeghan had an amazing race too and was not eliminated by cold rainy conditions, finishing the challenge in 4:00:54.

AMAZING RIDER PHIL KOEGHAN ©HINCAPIE GF

Afterwards, rider Rich Cohen tweeted, “Truly the ultimate cycling experience – Gran Fondo Hincapie. Although rain threatened and dampened moods a bit here in Greenville at the start, once the wheels were rolling it was on. And dam are the routes great!”

Hincapie Gran Fondo Greenville 2020 is scheduled for October 24.

GFDN Worldwide Gran Fondo Calendar