Date Announced for Levi Leipheimer’s 2010 King Ridge GranFondo
by Mario Fraioli
- November 17, 2009
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The second year of this epic ride returns to Sonoma County in October to benefit the return of the Tour of California to Santa Rosa and Forget Me Not Farm.
SANTA ROSA (November 12, 2009) – Initial planning for the second annual Levi Leipheimer’s King Ridge GranFondo has yielded an official event date of Saturday, October 9, 2010.
Registration for this event will open at 9am PST, December 15, 2009 via the event website at www.levisgranfondo.com. This date will continue to take advantage of Sonoma County’s mild fall temperatures, turning vineyards, and piercing blue skies. Event participants can expect the same stunning vistas, demanding topography, excellent rider support, and overall atmosphere of fun that was enjoyed in the 2009 King Ridge GranFondo.
The first annual Levi Leipheimer’s King Ridge GranFondo, presented by Road ID, was a highly successful event offering three route choices over 103 miles of Sonoma County’s most scenic and challenging terrain. Event patron and three-time Tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer, along with 3,500 other cyclists, including professional riders like Scott Nydam, Axel Merckx, and Bob Roll, took off from Leipheimer’s hometown of Santa Rosa, CA on October 3, 2009 for the inaugural running of this event. The GranFondo was a charity benefit for the City of Santa Rosa and Forget Me Not Farm.
“The success of the 2009 GranFondo exceeded expectations on all sides,” said Carlos Perez, Event Director and President of Bike Monkey. “From the beneficiaries to the participants to Levi himself, it was an unparalleled achievement, especially for a first year event. We’re looking forward to improving on that in 2010.”
With the money raised from this event, the City of Santa Rosa was brought that much closer to being able to host and fully support a stage of the 4th annual Tour of California, now the most prestigious professional cycling race in the United States. This race brings a wide array of benefits to Santa Rosa, including a deepening of cycling culture, vital economic stimulation, and global recognition. Thanks in part to the GranFondo, it was confirmed in late October that Santa Rosa would indeed host the second stage of the 2010 Tour of California.
Forget Me Not Farm, a favorite charity of both Leipheimer and his wife, Odessa Gunn, will also receive a donation from the GranFondo. As a subsidiary of the Sonoma County Humane Society, Forget Me Not Farm not only shelters abused animals on their 17 acre working farm facility, but also involves abused children in the raising and caring for these animals. For many of these children, Forget Me Not Farm is one of the few stable and secure elements in their lives.
The 2010 GranFondo will continue to capitalize on the incredible momentum from the inaugural running of this event, bringing benefit not only to the participating riders, but to also to the surrounding community.
About Levi Leipheimer’s King Ridge GranFondo
Levi Leipheimer’s King Ridge GranFondo is a fully supported bicycle ride with 35, 65, and 103-mile route options through some of the finest cycling country in the USA. The range of riders is recreational to pro, and the pace varies from leisurely to very fast. The ride is owned by VeloStreet and produced by Bike Monkey with Levi Leipheimer as the patron. The ride is organized with the collaboration and support of the City of Santa Rosa as well as communities and fire departments around Sonoma County.
About Bike Monkey
Bike Monkey is a bicycle culture portal that promotes the adventure and passion of cycling through a variety of outlets. Active since 2005, Bike Monkey organizes several races across multiple formats, publishes a high-end quarterly cycling publication to a nation-wide subscriber base, and hosts several personalities via a series of blogs and web articles. To learn more about Bike Monkey, visit www.bikemonkey.net
About VeloStreet
VeloStreet is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Santa Rosa, CA. VeloStreet’s mission is to promote community-based cycling initiatives that encourage advocacy, athletics, and recreation.