▲ Seolak Granpondo Competition

Inje-gun announced that the "2024 Seorak Granpondo Competition," the largest bicycle festival in Korea, will be held on the 18th in Sangnam-myeon, Inje-gun, with 3,643 Granpondo participants and 1,570 Mediophondo participants attending.

Medio Fondo (105km) and Gran Fondo (208km), which climb the rugged hills of Baekdudaegan, including Guryongryeong, Jochimryeong, and Hangyeryeong, have been recognized as the most difficult F-rated courses in the Gran Fondo World Tour series. Medio Fondo departs from the vicinity of the Inje Riding Center (790-3 in Misan-ri) and arrives at the Inje Riding Center after crossing Wondang Samgeori, Guryongryeong, Seorim Samgeori, Jochimryeong, Jindong 2-gyo, Jinbang Samgeori, and Omijae Pass. Gran Fondo is a course that arrives at the Inje Riding Center after passing through the Threejae Pass, Pilrye Yaksu, Hangyeryeong, Five Color Yaksu, Nonhwa Samgeori, Seorim Samgeori, Guryongryeong, and Wondang Samgeori.

The departure time is 7 a.m. for Gran Fondo and 8 a.m. for Medio Fondo. The 3-kilometer section from the departure point to Gumi Bridge in Misan-ri will be completely controlled from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on the day of the competition to prevent accidents among athletes. Under the plan, vehicles moving in both directions in downtown Misan-ri and Sangnam-myeon will have to detour 19 kilometers from Gumi Bridge toward Naenae-ri.

In order to minimize inconvenience to residents, Inje-gun guides the use of slow and bypass roads through banners, newspaper advertisements, and road signboards (VMS). A total of 548 people, including 30 marshals, 60 race patrols and 16 emergency vehicles, will be deployed to prevent safety accidents on the day of the competition.

The Inje-gun and Yangyang-gun Autonomous Prevention Units, the Inje-gun Autonomous Prevention Corps, and the Inje-gun and Hongcheon-gun Model Drivers' Association will support traffic control, and the Inje-gun Volunteer Fire Brigade will support parking management in the urban area of Sangnam-myeon. 108 volunteers and supporters will be deployed at the supply center of the competition section, while the Inje, Sokcho, and Hongcheon police stations will escort the team and control traffic.

Choi Sang-ki, governor of Inje-gun, said, "I would like to thank all the people who support us from early in the morning and the residents of Inje-gun, Yangyang-gun, and Hongcheon-gun who always cooperate and support the inconvenience of traffic on the day of the competition so that the best bicycle festival in the country can proceed safely."

Meanwhile, Inje-gun said that the Seorak Granpondo Competition, which was first held in Sangnam-myeon in 2014, boasts 11 history this year and is recognized as the best competition in the country.