For more than a decade, Chattanooga officials have worked meticulously to create a reputation as a premier outdoor sporting events city: there’s the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, ChattaJack, fishing tournaments, hang gliding championships and dozens of other outdoor events in the region annually.
That experience – along with its location and beautiful scenery – was key when one of America’s most powerful cycling families wanted to test expansion for their Gran Fondo Hincapie cycling event. The Hincapie brothers met with members of the Chattanooga Sports Committee, other city leaders and local cyclists to bring the Gran Fondo to Chattanooga last year to test potential expansion.
Discovery Channel team rider George Hincapie of the U.S. shows his overall leader’s yellow jersey on the podium after the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race, a 184.5-kilometer (114.6-mile) loop from Strasbourg to Strasbourg, eastern France, Sunday, July 2, 2006. (AP Photo/Christian Hartmann)Thanks in large part to the success of that event – a smooth day, plenty of participants and local partnerships – the brothers are expanding. Next year will bring four events with hopes to expand to 10 in the coming years.
“Having the support of the city was huge,” George Hincapie said. “Being able to rely on locals to show us the roads and everything. It’s important to have other people join, partner with us.”
Hincapie, a retired cyclist, had one of the most decorated cycling careers in history. He rode in 17 Tour de Frances, a record. He was the top support rider for each of Lance Armstrong’s victories as well as the victories of Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans. He was a five-time Olympian, the U.S. road racing champion multiple years and wore the overall leader’s jersey in the Tour de France in 2006.