Multiple UCI Gran Fondo World Champion Igor Kopse of Slovenia, who turns 50 years-old in a few weeks and previously served a 4-year ban for doping, won the first edition of UCI Gran Fondo Novi Sad – Serbia on Sunday 16 June with a dominating ride.

From a field of almost 600 participants trying to qualify for the 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, the 8x amateur gran fondo world champion finished the 100km route in 2:31:04 with an average speed of 39.7 km/h, winning solo by 5 minutes. 33 year-old Croatian Drazen Strugar (2:35:56) earned second place, with up-and-coming 17 year-old local racer Rastko Nikacevic (2:37:05) finishing third overall.

Vanja Vlaovic, 41, of Serbia won the women’s gran fondo race in 3:12:27, followed closely by Hungarian Hedvig Havaril (3:12:38) and then Russian Iuliia Iakunina (3:18:57).

Oliver Strbac, 36 of Serbia won the 77km medio fondo in 2:15:28, with Bulgarian Pepa Dimitrova, 45, winning for the women in 2:36:18.

Riders finishing in the top 25% of their UCI age/gender category automatically qualify to participate in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships taking place in Aalborg, Denmark this coming August.

Complete UCI Gran Fondo Novi Sad – Serbia results HERE

Photo Credit: Tahjyr

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