Continuing FoCo Fondofest’s Legendary Gravel Event Experience
By FoCo Fondo
The FoCo Fondofest, a gravel ride and festival, will return in 2020 on July 26. The fifth-year event returns with four route options with approximate 12-, 25-, 50-, and 107-mile Bite the Bullet Challenge. The route finishes with a cycling festival, the Fondofest, at iconic New Belgium Brewing, complete with live music, an announcer, vendors, demos, Strider kid’s course, catered lunch, and, of course, New Belgium beer. Pre-registration opens January 2nd with super early bird registration. Day-of registration will also be available. There are Strava segments for cash, and riders who finish under a prestigious time limit on the Bite the Bullet challenge win a FoCo Fondo bolo tie.
The FoCo Fondofest fills the space between sanctioned races and supported group rides, scratching the competitive itch for some, but first and foremost, giving riders the experience of a lifetime. Riders will pass through remote old-time western towns, grasslands, parks, and open spaces before making their way back to New Belgium Brewing for a festival celebrating cycling.
This year’s benefiting partner is again Safe Routes to School, a Fort Collins program with the objective of getting more kids on bikes for transportation and exploration. A portion of profits will go to fund after-school and summer programs available to kids across economic statuses. From Nancy Nichols, Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator: “The City of Fort Collins Safe Routes to School program is supporting three after-school bike clubs this school year, with funding provided by the FoCo Fondo Fest and Scheels. The clubs are serving more than 60 total students at Riffenburgh Elementary, Shepardson Elementary, and Lincoln Middle School.”
“Fort Collins and Larimer County have amazing roads, rarely traveled by cars,” says co-founder Zack Allison. “The dirt roads take you to a number of open spaces with beautiful views of the mountain range that you don’t get from town. We want to bring this event to people of all ages and abilities and benefit one of the organizations that get kids on bikes with Safe Routes to School.” In addition, many event partners are donating directly to Safe Routes to School.
FoCo Fondo was founded from a love of exploration and adventure in 2016. This love took the event to the quiet rolling gravel hills of Northern Colorado. The FoCo Fondo seeks to share this love of exploration and adventure with Fort Collins, no matter the mileage.