Increasing worldwide uncertainty, rising COVID cases, emergence of the new Omicron variant and financial risk have resulted in delayed 2022 event calendars for some of the world’s largest gran fondo series –  UCI Gran Fondo World Series (GFWS) and GRAN FONDO WORLD TOUR® (GFWT) – plus the newly announced UCI Gravel World Series (GWS).

The UCI and Golazo Sports, organiser of both UCI series, has yet to release an official GFWS calendar of amateur events for the 2022 season and, in what may be an ominous sign, has started to cancel pro level World Cup cyclocross events.  This is after announcing in September that full GFWS and GWS calendars would be published shortly.  Three 2022 season GFWS events have already been held (Varese ITA, Coimbra POR and Antalya TUR), with only one 2022 event officially confirmed, Neusiedlersee AUT in April. 

As far as the highly anticipated UCI Gravel World Series and UCI Gravel World Champinships, Golazo and the UCI have been mum.  No events, guidelines, rules or World Championship dates have been released.   

The 25 event GRAN FONDO WORLD TOUR® (not part of the UCI) has also delayed the launch of its 2022 series calendar due to new Omicron COVID travel restrictions.

Dani Buyo, CEO of GRAN FONDO WORLD TOUR® made the announcement, “Dear community members and organizers – despite the COVID-19 pandemic, GFWT has been able to continue with 2022 calendar set up, but now in front of this new Omicron wave we have decided to delay the calendar presentation to the middle of January 2022. This gives all organizers additional weeks to understand how this new variant will impact international movement, if some event rescheduling will be needed.

In previous years, prestigious events like Strykeproven, Gran Fondo Vincenzo Nibali, Gran Fondo Seorak and Trilogie de Maurienne were on the Gran Fondo World Tour calendar.

PHOTOS: UCI GFWS, GFWT

Worldwide Gran Fondo Calendar