Triathlete Will Draper produced a commanding performance to win the inaugural off-road edition of the Gran Fondo Isle of Man powered by Altenar.
On Sunday (July 26), Draper completed the challenging 60-mile course from Ramsey to Port Erin in 3 hours 8 minutes and 47 seconds.
Pro road racer Adam Kelly finished second, just under two minutes behind, with former pro Leon Mazzone completing the overall podium in third.
New Era
The event marked a new era for Gran Fondo Isle of Man, which this year moved away from its traditional road format to become a point-to-point gravel and cross-country mountain bike challenge, taking riders across farmland, forest tracks, former railway lines and green lanes spanning the length of the island.
In the XC Mountain Bike category it was Owen Collins who took the victory, finishing sixth overall in a time of 3:31:08, narrowly ahead of Ross Thorley, who was the first senior men’s mountain bike finisher, with veteran Rob Sorby completing the MTB senior men’s podium.
In the women’s competitions, visiting rider Cayley Bolton took the gravel honours ahead of Jacquie Fletcher and Christene Johnson with a time of 4:22:10, while Junior Abi Clayton claimed victory in the senior women’s mountain bike category in 4:17:57 ahead of Sophie Acton and Emily Bridson.
A total of 160 riders completed the attritional course across the gravel and mountain bike categories, with competitors travelling from both the Isle of Man and further afield to take on the new-look event.
Organisers described the event as a successful first chapter for the redesigned Gran Fondo, with riders praising the variety of terrain and the unique end-to-end route across the island.
