Cycling: Gran Fondo Isle of Man to finish in 2025

Organisers confirm next year will be tenth and final edition of event

An international cycling event will take place for the final time in 2025.

Organisers of Gran Fondo Isle of Man have announced next year's 10th edition of the meeting, from 19-20 July, will be the last time it will be held on Manx shores.

Whilst the reasons for the decision are not entirely clear there's said to be 'mixed emotions' over the decision.

However organisers say the team is already working on other possible future events.

In recent years Gran Fondo Isle of Man has featured six races across two days involving different distances and difficulties.

They have ranged from the family-friendly 1km Minisculo Fondo, around Mooragh Park in Ramsey, up to the feature 137km Gran Fondo.

The Gran Fondo race has previously included some of the Isle of Man's top professional riders such as Sir Mark Cavendish, Becky Storrie and Tyler Hannay as well as Island resident and former world champion Ben Swift.

Between 2021 and this year the event has also been a qualification round for the UCI Gran Fondo World Series as well as featuring a UCI Individual Time Trial stage on part of the mountain section of the Snaefell Mountain Course.

Entries for the 2025 event will open on Wednesday, 1 January 2025.

In a statement Gran Fondo organisers added: "After a successful run, that has so far seen almost 8,000 cumulative entries over the years, organisers Gran Fondo (Isle of Man) Ltd have made the decision to bring the event to a close after the final event in 2025.

"Beginning life as the centrepiece event of Isle of Man Cyclefest, Gran Fondo Isle of Man has provided thousands of cyclists from across the Isle of Man, Europe, and beyond with the rare opportunity to race and ride on some of the most scenic and challenging roads in the British Isles – closed to traffic and supported by world-class organisation.

"Over the past decade, Gran Fondo Isle of Man has built a reputation for inclusivity, attracting riders of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

"From young children taking their first pedal strokes to octogenarians continuing to pursue their passion, the event has embraced cyclists at every stage of life."

Colin Kniveton, Director of Gran Fondo (Isle of Man) Ltd, emphasised the broader impact the event has had on the Island’s cycling and events landscape adding: "As they say all good things must come to an end.

"It is with mixed emotions that we announce 2025 will mark the final Gran Fondo Isle of Man.

"The scale of the event has become enormous and its execution requires significant effort from everyone involved.

"We are proud, however, to close this chapter knowing the event has never been in better shape.

"The event has also had a lasting impact on the Island’s economy, drawing visitors from around the world on top of the benefit of the many hundreds of thousands of pounds we have spent with local suppliers during that time.

"We’ve provided local cyclists with a prestigious stage on which to compete without leaving the Island, distributed tens of thousands of pounds in prize money, and contributed many thousands of pounds to local sporting clubs.

"Moreover, we’ve given people interested in event management, including many local students, the chance to develop their skills, becoming part of a dedicated and experienced team of organisers.”