Piedmont University’s cycling program delivered a masterclass on home soil on Sunday 19 April 2026, with the USA Demorest-based collegiate squad dominating the Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo across both the men’s and women’s fields.
Shannon Himstedt took the men’s overall title by the narrowest of margins — 0.13 seconds — over teammate Pearson Bruhns, with combined timed-segment times of 44:04.71 and 44:04.84 respectively across the gruelling 90-mile Gran Route through the North Georgia Mountains. Nashville’s David Howe was the first non-Piedmont finisher in third at 45:00.55. Himstedt, a senior originally from nearby Cleveland, Georgia, has been on an upward trajectory since winning the 2023 SECCC Overall Mountain Bike Conference Championship.
The Lions’ reach extended well down the results sheet, with Kaden Zimish (4th), Gerasimos Agoudemos (6th), Tyler Rogers (8th), and Evan Merrick (13th) all Piedmont riders. On the women’s side, Grace Wilson took second overall and Emma Frost topped the F 23-34 age category — both also from the Demorest program.
The women’s overall, however, went to Sarah Watkins of Evansville, Indiana, who finished in a commanding 51:05.91 — 26th overall — with Jeanine Seeger of Boynton Beach, Florida, completing the women’s podium in third at 53:23.56.
The Gran Route, starting and finishing in the Bavarian-themed mountain town of Helen, features four timed climbs famously included years ago in the pro Tour of Georgia: Glassy Mountain, Unicoi Gap, Hog Pen Gap, and Cigarette Hill.
Riders finishing in the top 25% of their age/gender category qualify for the USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship at Gran Fondo Maryland in Frederick, MD, on Sunday 20 September 2026.
Complete 2026 Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo results HERE
Photo Credit: Piedmont University Cycling
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