Thousands of riders tackled 11th GFNY Cozumel

November 13, 2024

Rain made this year’s edition particularly memorable

New York/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Thousands of riders from around the globe participated in the 11th edition of GFNY Cozumel, Latin America’s largest running cycling race. Riders tackled the 157.5 km challenging course under pouring tropical rain.

Irrespective of the heavy rainfall, the race started off fast as always. Right from the gun, there were a series of attacks. It was at km 30 when three riders made the break from the peloton.

The group worked together well and quickly created a gap of over four minutes in the second loop, as they entered the second passage of the iconic King of the Wind (KOW) section of the course.

By then, the chase group, including defending GFNY Cozumel champion Flavio de Luna (Team GFNY), began to close the gap under the power and guidance of seasoned ex-pro and multiple Mexican champ Luis Lemus Davila. The breakaway’s advantage was quickly reduced to just 30 seconds and the group could see the leaders again in the distance. This was the moment when De Luna made his move. Demonstrating the tenacity and power that earned him the 2023 victory, De Luna bridged the gap to the breakaway solo.

Once De Luna reached the lead group, he attacked them right away, only taking Uriel Omar Espinosa Lopez (Team Tenis Stars, Mexico) with him. The two then fought tooth and nail for the win. But it came down to a spectacular sprint on the last 200m of the straightaway: Espinosa took the win in 3:40:30 ahead of De Luna. Salvador Lemus Guerrero (Team Transportes Latin) escaped the bunch solo and rounded out the all Mexican podium.

In the women’s race, former champion Ana María Hernández faced a setback after crashing during the event, forcing her out of contention. Meanwhile, the riders from Pato Bike showcased their strength, with the team dominating the front group. As the race unfolded, the Pato Bike riders were the only ones left in contention, with a fierce battle for the podium spots among them. Milena Salcedo (Colombia) took the win in 03:42:35 followed by Melissa Vargas (Colombia) and Sara Roel (Mexico).

Next up on the GFNY calendar is the 3rd edition of GFNY Puerto Rico which will take place on Sunday, November 24, 2024.

About GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series

GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series is a sports event company with three decades of experience in racing, planning, and organizing events. The global endurance sports brand hosts multiple events throughout the year around the world on five continents.

Working with partners around the world to deliver a first-class experience, GFNY Global Endurance Sports Series puts its athletes first.

The official GFNY website is: gfny.com.

Cycling – Mass Participation

Dozens of races are held around the world. View the latest calendar here.

Riders get to BE A PRO FOR A DAY ® by competing against others, themselves, and the clock in a personal endurance challenge.

The top 10% (20% at regional championships) of finishers in each age group qualify for the Elite Qualifier Corral at every GFNY World event.

Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC

The 13th annual Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship New York will be held on May 18, 2025. The race features the world’s most international peloton with riders from over 90 countries. It is so international that it’s often described as the United Nations of cycling. Athletes take on a challenging route to compete against each other, the clock, and themselves in a personal endurance challenge.

The official Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC website is NYC.GFNY.COM.

Cycling – Pro Racing

At Gran Premio New York City, professional teams race the same course as riders at the Michelob ULTRA GFNY World Championship NYC – but with a 10-minute head start. The second edition will be held on May 18, 2025 and aims to be at 1.1 level with World Tour teams racing.

The official Gran Premio New York City website is GP.GFNY.COM.

Further Material for Media Use

Official GFNY Cozumel video: here

GFNY Press Images: here

GFNY Results: here

GFNY World calendar graphic: here

Previous GFNY press releases: here

Media Contact

Gran Fondo New York Inc.

Uli Fluhme, uli@gfny.com

Caroline Lindsay, caroline@gfny.com