KeyBank Gran Fondo Grand Rapids 2026

West Michigan doesn’t have mountains, but it has something else: a genuinely beautiful landscape of river valleys, working farms, orchards, and Lake Michigan-influenced wine country that makes for surprisingly compelling gran fondo terrain. The KeyBank Gran Fondo routes along the Grand River through small villages before the course opens into expansive farmland and vineyard country with rolling hills that string together into real cumulative climbing. The flagship 80-mile route, 40-mile and 25-mile options, and a family 12-mile ride mean the day works for a full range of abilities.

This is also a charity event — proceeds support Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation hospitals. That mission has built real community loyalty around the event, with riders returning year after year not just for the roads but because the cause is local and tangible. The event was previously known as the Grand Rapids Gran Fondo before picking up the KeyBank title sponsorship, so it carries more than a decade of operational polish behind it.

Grand Rapids itself is an underrated cycling city — strong bike infrastructure, a thriving food and craft beer scene, and a rider culture that punches above its Midwest weight. Finishing back in the city center after 80 miles through the countryside is the kind of arrival that earns you a proper meal and a Michigan craft beer without any argument.