Gran Fondo New York
The East Coast's iconic gran fondo — 100 miles of Hudson Valley roads from Fort Lee, NJ through the Catskill foothills with 8,500 ft of climbing.
The vibe
Hudson Valley epic
Gran Fondo New York is the marquee cycling event on the East Coast. Starting at the base of the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey, the 100-mile route crosses into New York and heads north through the Hudson Valley’s rolling terrain toward the Catskill foothills. The roads are everything the Hudson Valley is known for — winding through small towns, past Revolutionary War sites, along rivers and ridge lines that feel genuinely remote for being an hour from Manhattan.
The 8,500 feet of climbing is distributed across the full distance, with several demanding extended climbs that separate the field. The event draws a genuinely international field — cyclists from across the country and abroad who see it as a chance to ride iconic American terrain with serious organization behind it. Timing chip technology, well-stocked aid stations, and a dedicated finish area in the Hudson Valley make the experience feel more like a professional event than a local gran fondo.
May in the Hudson Valley delivers reliable cycling weather — warm but not yet summer-hot, and the spring foliage is at its peak. The proximity to New York City makes it easy to combine with a city trip, and the growing hotel infrastructure in the Hudson Valley region offers good lodging options close to the start. Fills fast — register before February.