SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Interbike announced Wednesday that the Stetina's Sierra Prospect gran fondo will take place during the Northstar Free-Ride Festival, the consumer event that precedes Interbike's trade expo in the Reno-Tahoe areas this September.
SSP is now in its second year and is a weekend affair consisting of road rides, dinners and more, leading up to the main event on Sunday where participants roll along Lake Tahoe and into the Sierra Nevada. The event will be produced and managed by Bike Monkey, the organization that produces numerous cycling events including Levi Leipheimer's Gran Fondo in Santa Rosa, California.
The SSP will start on the evening of Friday, Sept. 14 with a meet-and-greet with pro rider Peter Stetina at Revision Brewing Company in Sparks, Nevada.
Saturday morning's activities include the Segafredo Coffee ride to the event's official nonprofit partner, the High Fives Foundation. Saturday evening will feature a special dinner prepared by some of the best-known food and wine professionals in the industry. Participants will take a moonlit gondola ride to the top of the Northstar Resort for the meal in support of High Fives Foundation.
On Sunday the road rally main event will start from the Northstar Resort at 8 a.m., with riders choosing between a 44- mile and 78-mile course, both of which will have a series of timed segments, finishing on the summit of Mt Rose at 8,911 feet elevation.
Participants will also have access to all of the activities taking place in the Village as part of the Northstar Free-Ride Festival.
"I'm honored to join forces with Interbike," said Stetina. "As a Tahoe resident, this ride is my labor of love, an all-inclusive weekend filled with the aspects I love most in cycling: camaraderie, scenery, pushing boundaries, and of course celebratory beers! I hope we can provide a special experience for all those road riders who want to blend Interbike's renowned hospitality with a little adventure. See you in September!"
"Our team is really excited to work with Bike Monkey and Peter Stetina, and to bring a first-class road event for both the general public and Interbike attendees to participate in," said Pat Hus, the vice president of Interbike. "The two different course options are both challenging and spectacular to the eye, and I love the fact that it benefits a very worthy local nonprofit that is known to help athletes after suffering horrific injuries."
The main ride costs $165, with rates set to increase July 1; other elements of the SSP are priced separately. Registration is now open at sierraprospect.com.
