Two Reasons to Fondo in the Roanoke Region

Posted on May 17th, 2018

Nine years ago the Roanoke Regional Partnership decided to focus on leveraging one of our greatest strengths – the beauty of where we live – to attract investment and talent.

We started down the path of changing our community’s narrative to one that places a high value on the outdoors; one example of how that is working is that we’ve created a climate where multiple events have room to thrive.

Last week, Virginia’s Blue Ridge Sports, Botetourt County, the Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce, and Muddy Squirrel announced the date for the first Virginia’s Blue Ridge Gran Fondo in October. The event, which is Oct. 14, coincides with the Roanoke GO Outside Festival and complements another gran fondo in the region, Gran Fondo Alleghany on July 21.

What’s impressive is that there’s enough outdoor interest to support so many events, including two gran fondos. (If you aren’t familiar with it, a gran fondo is a road cycling event that provides participants with amazing routes in beautiful locations.)

VBR Gran Fondo

  • When: Sunday, Oct. 14
  • Where: Start/finish at Ballast Point Brewing Company (555 International Pkwy)
  • Route options: 30, 50, or 80 miles through Historic Fincastle, Troutville, and Buchanan; portions of the routes will include the U.S. Bicycle Route 76, a cross-country bicycle route from Missouri to eastern Virginia and even the old Tour DuPont route.
  • Learn more: Registration is open, and courses are online with elevation profiles.

Gran Fondo AlleghanyAlleghany Gran Fondo bike ride

  • When: Saturday, July 21
  • Where: Starts in Downtown Covington (241 W. Main St.) and ends at Clifton Forge School of the Arts (518 Church St.)
  • Route options: 30, 64, 69, and 103 miles from Covington to Clifton Forge with different elevation challenges. (There’s a shuttle service available.)
  • Learn more: Registration is open.