Start/Finish Location
We will start the event at the Badlands Community centre which is about 300m east of the world’s largest dinosaur.
Gran Fondo Badlands **NEW** Start/Finish Times
This staggered start will allow the longer distance participants a bit of a head start, and to help alleviate back-log at the ferry.
Thursday June 25 – from 11 am-8 pm
TCR (1817 10th Avenue SW, Calgary)
Friday June 26 – from 9 am-1 pm
TCR (1817 10th Avenue SW, Calgary)
ALSO: from 6 pm-8:30 pm at Badlands Community Centre, Drumheller, AB (start/finish line)
Saturday, June 27 (prior to event start)
Badlands Community Centre in Drumheller (start/finish line)
*Waivers for participants under the age of 18 years must be signed by a parent at package pickup.
We fully expect that there will be a line up to get on the ferry, but rest assured that the friendly ferry operator will do everything he can to get as many people over in as short a time as possible. It is a 10 minute round trip, so just relax and enjoy the scenery. There is a short steep grade immediately after disembarking so make sure you are in your easiest gear before you get to the other side. This is also where the first KOM/QOM starts – be prepared!
PLEASE NOTE: The first aid station is located prior to boarding the ferry (at 23km) and the second aid station is approximately 20 km after the crossing.
The course closes for EVERYONE at 4:30 p.m. This gives you 8.5 hours (if you start riding at 8:00 am) to complete whatever distance you have chosen to ride. If you have not finished by that time please be prepared to ride in the sag wagon.
All riding distances are approximate. We have done our best to ensure that each distance is accurate but based on the routes chosen, especially for the 50 and 75 km, it is sometimes difficult to be exact. Rest assured if you are riding the Gran Fondo you will ride a full 100 miles/162 km (based on our GPS) or even a bit more. We know how you hate to be short-changed!
REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT A RACE. Having said that … if you have a GPS and an account on Strava, please feel free to share your statistics on our FaceBook page so other participants can ooh and ahh over the results.
Aid stations are located approximately 25-30 km apart.
PLEASE NOTE: The 162km turnaround is NOT an official aid station (you will have 50km left to ride back to the finish from this point). This turnaround is 14km past the Dorothy Aid Station so if you require water/nutrition to get to the 162km turnaround then ensure you stop at Dorothy, otherwise you will be riding 28km round trip back to the Dorothy Aid Station. The decision is in your hands. Too many cyclists have blown by this aid station in the past and have run into problems … just sayin’.
Portable toilets located at every aid station.
Aid Station Food (not all items at all stations)
Aid Station 1 is sponsored by McDonald’s Drumheller (and is providing the recovery chocolate milk after the ride!)
Aid Station 6 sponsored by Tim Hortons!
Showers!Showers are available in the community centre afterwards, compliments of the GFB – bring your own towel.
ParkingThe Badlands Community Centre (80 Veterans Way) has limited parking. Neighbouring residential streets have ample parking. Please do not park in No Parking designated areas – we take no responsibility for parking tickets!
To view map: Parking Map
Post Event Lunch (incl. in registration fee)Post Event Lunch – 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
BEER/WINE is available for purchase $5 each
Book your post ride massage with the fabulous and well-known National Spine Care and Sports Medicine therapists. Cost is $1/minute. Please bring cash. Sign up after your ride and get the kinks worked out!
Course Support
We are excited to have Velofix supporting us again this year, offering free basic adjustments at the start of the event and helping to keep riders going while on course. Velofix is a mobile bike shop that comes right to your home or office to service your bike. Book your appointment online, they show up when it’s convenient for you, and you’re back out riding the same day.
The awesome Cory Fagan and other TCR SportLab mechanics, along with Velofix, will be the roving bike support vehicles. They are equipped with tools, tubes, tires, bike pumps and other items to assist cyclists with minor repairs which may be required while on the course. Please note that if there are any major repairs necessary to a bike, the mechanics may not have the required tools or parts to assist you, but they will do their best to get you to the finish line. Any repairs required to your bike other than a spare tube will be charged back to you.
PLEASE NOTE: We are happy to provide spare tubes and other minor repairs during the course of your ride, however if you have any other mechanical issues we would ask you to be prepared to cover the cost of these items. Please make arrangements with the mechanics (either TCR SportLab or VeloFix) to pay for them when you arrive at the finish line. Thank you for your cooperation.
In the event your bike cannot be repaired on course, we have sag wagons available to transport you and your bike back to the finish line.
Paramedics will also be on the course should medical assistance be required. As well, there will be limited first aid supplies at each aid station.
If additional medical assistance is required, participants should notify a volunteer at the closest aid station and they will telephone for further help. However, all participants should be carrying their own cell phone in case of emergency and should dial 9-1-1 if immediate assistance is required.
Gran Fondo Refund PolicyEntry fees are non-refundable. There will be no refunds or rollovers under any circumstances.
Transfer of EntryTo transfer your entry to another person, please contact us.
Please note there is a $25 transfer fee, plus applicable tax.
Please click here to contact Gran Fondo Badlands.
Questions?Please contact Rick or Donna at gfbadlands@gmail.com.
