Once again ex-pro George Hincapie’s season ending gran fondo was a huge hit, with over 2100 participants riding and climbing in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains around Greenville, South Carolina USA on Saturday.

Former Colombian pro Diego Ruiz, 29, took top honors in the gran fondo, defeating UCI Gran Fondo World Champion Bruce Bird of Canada and local pro Jeff Case in a final sprint with an overall time of 3:56:11.

Valentina Cuellar-Zuluaga, 38, claimed her second-in-a-row Hincapie Gran Fondo win in the women’s race. She finished solo in 4:24:25, followed by Debbie Milne at 4:40:54 and Marjie Bemis at 4:41:51.

With a $10,000 cash prize list, the Hincapie Junior Challenge saw Ashlin Barry of Toronto, Canada and local rider Laura Kate Galbreath both standing tall on the men’s and women’s podium at the end of the race, with each taking home a well earned $1500 check.

Ross Morgan won the overall men’s medio fondo in 2:27:47 and Danielle Clark did the same for the women in 2:28:35.

Photo Credit: Facebook/ciclismoenlineaibague

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