This year Portugal’s UCI Granfondo Coimbra Region moved from summer to early spring, offering riders two days of rain soaked racing north of Lisbon this past weekend. The UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifying event featured a 20km time trial on Saturday, followed by a challenging 148km gran fondo or a shorter 106km medio fondo on Sunday.

With dark skies and rain pouring down 350 riders rolled down the time trial start house ramp on Saturday, with Spain’s Francisco Salido, 31, clocking the fastest time to win in 0:26:31, defeating Luis Borras by 12 seconds and Helder Loureiro by 25 seconds. Salido flew over the course with an impressive average speed of 45.3 km/h. Among the women, Line Ostergaard of Denmark dominated, stopping the clock at 0:31:58, leaving Patricia Rosa behind by 56 seconds. Helen McKay grabbed third place, another 14 seconds later.

In the Gran Fondo on Sunday, out of 1250 participants Belgian Jens Moerman, 26, sprinted past two Portuguese riders, Tiago Galhano and Joao Jacinto, to claim victory on another wet day of racing. Lars Coppenolle, the Men’s 19-34 UCI Gran Fondo World Champion, won the chasing pack sprint to claim fourth place two minutes behind the leaders. Triathlete Susana Lourenco of Portugal emerged victorious in the women’s race, crossing the finish line solo with a gap of two and a half minutes over Marisa Costa. Line Ostergaard, the time trial winner, secured third place.

Riders finishing in the top 25% of their age/gender category automatically qualify to participate in the 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships taking place in Denmark next September/October.

UCI Gran Fondo Coimbra Region results HERE.

Photo Credit: Granfondo Coimbra Region/Bia Martins

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