After hosting Gran Fondo Isle of Man for ten years, including serving as a UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifier from 2021-2024, event organizers announced the 2025 edition on 20 July will be the last – and is no longer listed as a world championship qualifying race.

The event was the sole UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifier in Great Britain, with close to 1000 participants annually trying to qualify for the world championships by finishing in the top 25% of their age/gender category on a demanding 85 mile route around the island.

Commenting on the decision to cancel the event beyond 2025, event director Paul Phillips told the BBC: “It’s difficult to imagine how complex it is, but we run to a really high standard of customer service, professionalism and risk management. We closed significant roads down, had massive traffic management implications, on a scale where there was nothing quite like it locally. To do all that really well is very expensive, complicated and requires a lot of manpower.”

Phillips is considering hosting a different type of cycling event in 2026, maybe a “large scale competitive and recreational event,” but nothing is firm at this time.

Now, the closest qualifying events for Brits hoping to race at the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships will require traveling to France, Germany, Belgium or Luxembourg. The full UCI Gran Fondo World Championship Series calendar with qualifying events and dates is available HERE.

Photo Credit: Gran Fondo Isle of Man

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