Hoping to save the 2021 season, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Gran Fondo World Series (GFWS) organiser Golazo continue to pivot towards an October Gran Fondo World Championship (tentatively 6 October in Sarajevo). The most recent GFWS event moving to the new late summer/autumn event schedule is UCI Gran Fondo Suisse.

The Gran Fondo World Championship qualifying race will now take place 17-19 September in Villars, Switzerland, just down the road from UCI world headquarters. Originally, the event was scheduled 26-28 June 2021 after being cancelled all together in 2020.

Amateurs trying to qualify for the World Championships will race on a course with 2591m climbing over a distance of just 108km. With no flat sections – anywhere – the course favours featherweight climbers and daredevil descenders.

The Alpine course starts in Villars-sur-Ollon, where participants will immediately face the one-two punch of the classic Tour de France climb up Col de la Croix (1778m) and Col du Pillon (1546m), before a long descent to Col des Mosses (1445m). The race ends with a second ascent of Col de la Croix for a summit finish.

Riders finishing in the top 20% of their category will qualify to race at the Gran Fondo World Championship.

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