GFNY Super Sunday in LatAM

March 19, 2025

7th edition of GFNY Punta del Este and 5th edition of GFNY República Dominicana took place last Sunday

March 19, 2025 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – This past Sunday, the 7th GFNY Punta del Este offered riders a 123.4 km long course with an elevation gain of 1,038 m.

The race started off at Playa Mansa with over 600 riders under a clear blue sky. It was at km 20, when reigning GFNY Colonia champion Italo De Oliveira (Brazil), initiated a breakaway along with his compatriot Alessandro Zarzenon. De Oliveira maintained a two-minute lead over the main peloton for almost 100 km. He took the win in a tight sprint of 3:01:40 ahead of Emmanuel Tolosa (Argentina) and Zarzenon who completed the podium. With his win, De Oliveira punched his ticket to race the GP NYC UCI pro race on May 18 as part of Team GFNY.

The peloton also included the female riders, who competed in a final sprint for their category. In the women’s competition, Julieta Benedetti (Argentina) edged out defending GFNY Punta del Este champion Mariana Garcia in a sprint finish and finished the race in 3:03:09. Paula Santana (Brazil) completed the podium.

GFNY República Dominicana

The 5th edition of GFNY República Dominicana was held on a 149.7 km long competitive course with an elevation gain of 962 m.

Already by km 20, locals Ezequiel Beliar and Nawel Cruz broke away from the main group, forming the lead breakaway. They worked together well until km 90 when Beliar dropped Cruz. Defending champion Elvis Noel Reyes (Puerto Rico) and locals Steven Polanco and Roger Marte, managed to catch up, by now a solid two minutes ahead of the chasing peloton.

With 20 km to go, Marte couldn’t keep up with the pace and was dropped. In the finish sprint, Reyes had the upper hand in 3:26:01 followed closely by Steven Polanco and Ezequiel Beliar.

Reyes’ victory marked his third win at the GFNY Dominican Republic, having previously triumphed in 2022 and 2023, solidifying his dominance in the event. This edition also became the fastest of the five GFNY Dominican Republic races held so far, with Reyes’ time making it one of the most exciting races to date. Reyes now gets to show at GP NYC that he can step up to the big stage. He’ll be at the pro race as part of the Puerto Rican team Prestige Cycling Foundation.

In the women’s race, local Flor Espiritusanto emerged victorious with a time of 3:30:01, finishing over 9 minutes ahead of Melsey Pérez, also from the Dominican Republic, who clocked 3:39:20. Erialis Otero from Puerto Rico, the defending champion of the last two years (2023 and 2024), finished in third place with a time of 3:45:33, unable to retain her title by adding yet another podium.

Next up on the GFNY calendar is the 4th edition of glamorous GFNY Cannes which will take place on Sunday, March 23.

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 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.

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

Adding a women’s pro race would elevate the event further. The proposed format would have women starting 45 minutes ahead of the men’s pro race, giving them their own stage. However, the extended road closures required for this addition increase costs by $100,000.

For those interested in supporting women’s racing, GFNY is inviting companies and organizations to help sponsor this important addition. Contact GFNY to discuss partnership opportunities.

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

Media Contact

Gran Fondo New York Inc.
Uli Fluhme, uli@gfny.com
Caroline Lindsay, caroline@gfny.com