Last year we wrote about the ten most beautiful multi-day gran fondos for your bucket list. Of these, this year the Tour de Kärnten has been canceled, the Haute Route Crans-Montana is cancelled for the time being and the Campilaro is full. Therefore, we are highlighting ten other multi-day events, each with its own character. They are all supported events, i.e., with logistical assistance and feed stations.
Date: May 8-12, 2024.
Number of stages: five.
Distance and meters of elevation: 598 km / 10047m+.
Start: Erbalunga (near Bastia).
Finish: Bonifacio (southernmost point of Corsica).
Beautiful multi-day gran fondo in which you cross the entire island of Corsica from north to south. The convenient thing is that this takes place during the long Ascension weekend. Of all the stages combined, 230 km are with timekeeping.
© Corsica Cyclo GT20
Date: June 9-15, 2024.
Number of stages: seven.
Distance and meters of elevation: 1000 km / 20000m+.
Start: Roses on the Mediterranean.
Finish: Saint-Jean-de-Luz on the Atlantic Ocean.
Transpyr stands for Transpyrenées and that's what you will do during these 7 stages where you will have to cover each stage autonomously, based on a GPX file. There will be feed stations and technical support along the way.
© Transpyr
Date: June 12-15, 2024.
Number of stages: four.
Distance and meters of elevation: 611 km / 11260m+ (maximum, there are also shorter distances).
Start and finish: Saint-Félicien, France.
The Ardéchoise really needs no introduction as this is already the 32nd edition of this popular gran fondo. You can cycle along for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days. Whoever chooses the 4 days formula has a nice gran fondo which allows you to explore the whole Ardèche. Attention, this is the gran fondo with probably one of the ugliest shirts (see photo). They have since become a collector's item though!
© L'Ardéchoise
Date: June 12-21, 2024.
Number of stages: ten.
Distance and meters of elevation: 1500 km / 26000m+.
Start: Paris (Fontainebleau).
Finish: Nice.
This is already the 21st edition of this stage race that promises a trip to the sun. The event is all about cordiality and friendship.
Date: June 16-21, 2024.
Number of stages: five.
Distance and meters of elevation: 886 km / 14000m+.
Start and finish: Bellamonte, Italy.
This is a five-day round trip through the Dolomites where in stages 1 to 4 you'll cover about 100 km and 3000 m+ daily over the famous Dolomite cols such as Passo Valles, Rolle, Fedaia, Giau, Sella, Gardena, Campolongo and Pordoi. In stage 5 you have the choice between 3 distances: Stelvio alone, Stelvio from two sides, or the Mortirolo, Gavia and Stelvio. The entry fee is "only" €499 but you have to raise €2500 sponsorship money because this Giro is for a good cause: Kika stands for Children's Cancer Free Foundation.
© Giro di Kika
Date: June 21-July 1, 2024.
Number of stages: nine.
Distance and meters of elevation: 1100 km / 18000m+.
Start: Madrid (Plaza del Sol).
Finish: Cascais (north of Lisbon).
A wonderful multi-day that connects both capitals of the Iberian Peninsula. A real challenge and adventure to remember. There is also a gravel version of 14 stages (and a rest day, which you will most likely need) and an MTB version of 15 stages (without a rest day!).
Date: June 28-30, 2024.
Number of stages: three.
Distance and meters of elevation: 440 km / 9000m+.
Start and finish: Arbent, France.
This event follows the formula of the Giro delle Dolomiti and the Giro delle Sicilia, where only certain strips are timed. In the first stage, this strip does include the 17 km-long climb of the Grand Colombier! In the second stage, there are two timed strips, namely climbs of 5 and 6 km. And in the third stage there is one segment, a false flat climb of 10 km. To ensure the friendly atmosphere of the event, there is a limit of 160 participants.
© La Forest Cime
Date: July 5-7, 2024.
Number of stages: three.
Distance and meters of elevation: 363 km / 6855 m+.
Start and finish: Ambert, France.
Like the Forest Cime, three stages here as well, in convivial atmosphere and only 3 timed sections. Stage 2 starts immediately with a timed ascent of the Puy de Dôme! An unmissable opportunity to tick off this famous climb from the 2023 Tour! Given the distance and meters of elevation, this multi-day gran fondo is within the reach of almost every amateur.
Date: August 25 - September 1, 2024.
Number of stages: eight (there is also a shorter version of three stages).
Distance and meters of elevation: 1320 km / 16000m+.
Start: Bardoneccia, Italy (the shorter version starts near Mulhouse, France).
Finish: Maastricht, the Netherlands.
This is a similar formula to the Giro di Kika: the entry fee is €499 but you also have to raise €2500 on top of that for a good cause, namely the Daniel den Hoed Fund for cancer research. The course is something to behold as you cycle from the Alps in Italy through the French Alps to the Jura, and then on to the Vosges Mountains and the Ardennes to Maastricht.
© Tour for Life
Date: September 23-27, 2024.
Number of stages: five.
Distance and meters of elevation: 500 km / 9500m+.
Start: Porto.
Finish: Viana do Castelo.
This is a new event organized by the same team as the Ride Across Portugal (which is already full). With this multi-day gran fondo you will make a loop from Porto around Braga and Guimaraes in the northwest of Portugal, a particularly beautiful region!
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