▲ 2024 Yangyang Granpondo Bicycle Competition to be held on the 27th

"2024 Yangyang Granpondo" will be held on April 27 in Yangyang-gun and Inje-gun, with the beautiful Namdaecheon Stream, East Sea, and Seoraksan Mountain in the background.

Yangyang-gun said, "We also held a competition in June last year to promote Yangyang's beautiful natural scenery and to show a high level of sports administration through cooperation with local community organizations," and added, "We plan to boast the beautiful Yangyang sea route and Mt. Hangyeryeong road again and support participants to feel the heavenly scenery and leave pleasant memories through the Granpondo competition."

Granfondo means "moving a long distance" in Italian, and is held as a bicycle marathon event in Europe and other countries.

This year, the 68-kilometer Mediofond course was added along with the Granfondo course, which increased to 151 kilometers, and the course was revised to allow the race to be carried out against the backdrop of the coast of the East Sea.

More than 2,000 bicycle lovers from all over the country will participate in the competition, leaving Yangyang Welcome Center at 7:30 a.m. on April 27, passing Naksan Bridge, Hajodae Intersection, and Yongcheon-ri Junction. Medio Fondo will travel around Busochijae and arrive at Namdaecheon Dunchi, and Gran Fondo will arrive at Namdaecheon Dunchi after passing Sangpyeong Intersection, Inje-eup and Buk-myeon in Inje-gun, and passing Hangyeryeong.

Participants will be given promotional items, mobile records, and chips for measuring records, along with completion medals. Twelve people from the first to third place in the men's and women's category will be given the benefit of participating in the next competition for free.

In order to protect the safety of participants and prevent unreasonable riding, Gran Fondo will operate two cut-off times at 11 a.m. and 14:30 p.m., with a nine-hour completion limit, and Medio Fondo will operate with a five-hour completion limit. The cut-off athlete will safely travel to the venue by removing all the identification numbers and chips.

The military plans to focus on safe riding and prevention of accidents by athletes. To prevent safety accidents, 387 people will be deployed, including 20 Marshall motorcycles, 9 emergency vehicles, traffic control personnel and event sites, and the Sokcho and Inje police stations will take charge of traffic control at major points.

In addition, social service organizations such as the Yangyang-gun Sports Association, the Yangyang-gun Self-Defense Forces, the Yangyang-gun Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Yangyang-gun Volunteer Center, the Inje-gun Self-Defense Forces, the Inje-gun Volunteer Fire Brigade, and the Inje-gun Volunteer Fire Brigade will cooperate to support traffic control and event venue operation such as full vehicle control, slow driving guidance, and detour guidance.

A county official said, "We will do our best to promote Yangyang, an attractive city with a beautiful natural environment, and to make it a safe and successful competition," and added, "We ask for your understanding that traffic control is carried out in some sections for smooth operation of the competition."