Upwards of 5000 amateur cyclists from 50 countries signed up to participate in the 2022 GFNY World Championships that took place Sunday 15 May in New York City, with most paying $300 USD to register for the one-day event. For Italians Luca Vergallito and Samantha Arnaudo the investment paid-off, both won GFNY world titles in the 100-mile men’s and women’s races.

Cyclists riding the point-to-point 50-mile event were not as happy with their return on investment. Although the steep registration fee included transportation of rider and bike from Bear Mountain back to the start/finish in Fort Lee, the return trip did not go as planned.

In fact, the return trip was a disaster, sometimes taking over four hours and leaving riders stranded without food, water or bathrooms, according to social media posts and photos.

On Twitter ,@lydialeon posted: “#gfnystranded the experience was terrible. 4 hours waiting for the bus. The price of the services don’t match the value promise of @gfny”

@BaynerK posted: “GFNY stranded cyclists…send vehicles. At least we’re out of the Sun now after 2hr…still waiting for buses to bring us back. Why did we pre-book our spot on a shuttle?!? #sendabus #sendfoodandwater #bringbathrooms ”

In the main 100-mile GFNY world championship race, Italians Luca Vergallito and Samantha Arnaudo, who traveled from Italy to New York City to compete in the event, luckily did not rely on GFNY to get them to the finish line.

Vergallito and Arnaudo are elite level amateur racers who compete regularly on the Italian gran fondo circuit. This is not the first time they have stood on the podium together, they both won the Italian classic La Granfondo Fausto Coppi in 2021.

This season, 28 year-old Arnaudo (OM.CC TEAM) won Gran Fondo Torino two weeks ago and used her outstanding form to solo to her first 100-mile GFNY World Championship title in 4:42:24.

Luca Vergallito (OM.CC TEAM), 24 years-old, is no stranger to winning big races, he was a 2015 Italian Junior National Champion and won this year’s GFNY World Championship with a final time of 4:17:52 for the 100-mile race.

Complete 2022 GFNY World Championship results HERE.

Photos: GFNY; Twitter: @BaynerK, @lydialiona; GFNY