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  11:15 a.m. August 27, 2014
Bike the Smokies for a cause at the Gran Fondo Asheville


bike the smokies
The Gran Fondo ride leads cyclists through the scenic Smoky Mountains.

KNOXVILLE - Get outdoors on September 7th and cycle in the Gran Fondo Asheville and help support Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Starting at 8:00am in Pack Square Park, downtown Asheville, the Gran Fondo ride will lead cyclists through the scenic mountains where they can experience the true beauty of Western North Carolina.

The ride takes bicycle racing to the next level designed for cyclists of every skill with courses covering 30, 60 and 110 mile journeys created by Gran Fondo National Championship Series.

Gran Fondo Asheville benefits Friends of the Smokies and is being held in conjunction with the 13th annual Organicfest in Pack Square Park. Organicfest celebrates everything organic, green, healthy & sustainable, and offers food, music, vendors, family fun and more.

"Friends of the Smokies is thrilled to bring the first Gran Fondo to Asheville," says Meridith Elliot Powell, cyclist and Friends of the Smokies board director. "After riders have enjoyed their scenic ride in the beautiful countryside they will ride down into the city, into the midst of the festival."

The Gran Fondo Asheville features four timed sections, mechanic support, fully stocked aid stations along the route, food & beverage at the finish, a cash purse, and prizes for overall and age-group winners.

Online registration deadline is Friday, September 5th. There is a 500-person field limit to ensure safe riding conditions for all participants. Registration details are at www.gfncs.com.

The Gran Fondo National Championship SeriesSM, established in 2012, is comprised of seven European‐style ride/races staged in the United States.

For more than 20 years, Friends of the Smokies has raised over $44 million to help maintain Great Smoky Mountains National Park as a crown jewel of the national park system, including the establishment of the $4 million Trails Forever endowment to improve Smoky Mountain hiking trails in perpetuity. For information and to make a donation to benefit park projects, visit www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

Published August 27, 2014

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