Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo

The CHEAHA CHALLENGE CENTURY is a qualifier for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championship!

Are you UP for the Challenge?

The Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo Century ride is the only UCI World Championship Qualifier in the USA. What does this mean for our century riders? The first three in each age category and the top 25% of each age category will be awarded with guaranteed entry to the UCI Gran Fondo World Championship in Varese, Italy in the fall. Only the CENTURY riders are eligible.

The 2018 Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo Century & ULTRA ride upholds the tradition of excellence established 25 years ago. The 1992 ride organizers' vision, to create a challenging route over the highest point in Alabama - Mount Cheaha - and then back again, continues to fulfill the event's tagline promise to be "the toughest ride in the South."

The rides start and finish on the sweeping campus of Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, where both the University and City have proven to be gracious hosts for the events.

Each rider receives a stuffed goody bag with all sorts of cycling and fitness-related items. All finishers receive finisher gifts, and those completing the ULTRA receive a unique Finisher Shirt, a bragging rights shirts only confirmed finishers are allowed to wear.

The Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo Century & ULTRA provide a variety of distance choices - 24, 44, 62, 84, 100 and the ULTRA - 124 miles (200K). The ULTRA is for experienced riders only.

The century ride includes 9,714 feet of climbing including the top of Alabama, and the ULTRA encompasses all major climbs in our area, for a total of 11,733 feet of climbing. The ride takes cyclists along the scenic and rugged terrain of the Talladega Mountains, and includes nine rest stop locations for the century ride and 11 rest stop locations for the ULTRA.

What's Included:

• Pre-ride dinner and band party at JSU – Buffet by Classic on Noble and entertainment by Little Known Letter (Buffet is free to riders. $10/head for others.)
• Goody Bags - drawstring backpacks stuffed full of goodies and info, compliments of Sunny King Automotive
• Pre-ride breakfast at JSU – Free to all: riders, family, friends, vendors, volunteers, sponsors…
• Pre-ride devotion - By Dunaway Conner, inside Pete Mathews Coliseum (7:00 am)
• Post-ride party – Buffet by Cooter’s Rib Shack and entertainment by Robby & Marc and Cornbread Killers (Buffet is free to riders. $10 head for family and friends. Vendors and Volunteers eat free at the Volunteer Tent.)
• Fully stocked Rest Stops - Depending on the distance chosen, Challenge and ULTRA riders have access up to 11 Rest Stops. (The Chief Ladiga Cruise has 3 Rest Stops.)
• Law enforcement support
• Medical support on courses and at Start/Finish by JSU’s College of Nursing Trailer, with support from Highland Health Systems
• SAG and technical support
• On-course communication
• Official custom number bibs
• Professional Timing – TopView Sports. Chip time – start to finish.
• Custom Finisher Caps created by Hincapie Sports and compliments of Highland Health System
• Option to order custom event jersey by Hincapie Sports
• Custom ride t-shirts
• Bragging rights for ULTRA Finishers ONLY, and ULTRA Finishers receive a custom Finisher Shirt (Non-Finishers will receive the ashes of their burned shirts.)
• Finisher medal for Cheaha Challenge Century and ULTRA riders - Alabama Backroads Century Series
• BIKEXPO – New! At Pete Mathews Coliseum Saturday and Sunday
• HOT SHOWERS AT THE FINISH!