Schleck Gran Fondo:
what you need to know

1. Overview of the event

The Schleck Gran Fondo takes place on Saturday 21 May 2022. This will be the 5th edition of the event.

The event starts on Friday 20 May 2022, with bib number collection, youth cycling workshops, an evening pasta party and safety briefing. The main event is on Saturday 21 May 2022.

The Gran Fondo starts and finishes at the event village in Mondorf-les-Bains in southern Luxembourg, close to the border with both France and Germany.

Those who aren’t a fan of getting out of bed at the crack of dawn will be pleased to hear the start time is a leisurely 9:30am for the 155km Gran Fondo course and 10:15am for the 90km Medio Fondo.

2. Why did you set up the event?

When I left professional racing, I didn’t leave behind my love for cycling.

I (Fränk) wanted to create the Schleck Gran Fondo to share my passion for the roads my brother Andy and I trained on for the ten years we were in the professional peloton. The Gran Fondo is an event that gets people riding these amazing roads in Luxembourg – which is somewhere they might not otherwise think to visit.

We are passionate about promoting cycling – both for those that want to take it competitively and get a spot at the UCI Gran Fondo World Series finals and also for those that are less competitive and want to ride for the love of it.

The beauty of our courses is that they cater to all kinds of rider. They offer a challenge, but one that’s accessible to everyone because the kind of hills on the course are rolling rather than Alpine in style.

3. Explain the profile of each route

Apart from for a few, short kilometres, the Medio Fondo follows the same route as the Gran Fondo – it just turns back towards Mondorf-les-Bains a little earlier.

Gran Fondo route (155km, 1,750m of elevation gain)

The route then heads north, away from the river. Between Consdorf and Beaufort you ride through the Mullerthal region, known as Luxembourg’s Little Switzerland. It gets its name from the hills, reminiscent of Switzerland, and it’s also famous for its sandstone formations, narrow ravines and amazing caves.

From Beaufort you head back south to Mondorf-les-Bains, skirting Fischbach Castle, home to the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

Medio Fondo route (90km, 850m of elevation gain)

4. What are the highlights?

The whole route is beautiful, but some of the most exceptional parts are along the Mosel river and the Mullerthal region. More details above!

We put a huge amount of effort into ensuring the event is really well organised. We cap the numbers to make sure you get a quality experience and have really tried to think through the details that make the difference between a mediocre event and an amazing one.

To give you some examples – we have a bag drop at the start of the event so that you can stash any excess kit and then reclaim it at the end. There’s also a secure bike parking station so that once you’ve finished riding, you can leave your bike, go and enjoy the party and know that it will be safely there when you get back. And you won’t find our feed stations running out of supplies; there are always leftovers!

Finally, we often hear people like our event because they get the chance to have a chat with me and my brother Andy; we always take part! We also try to rope our pro mates into coming along. In the past, we’ve had Cadel Evans, Miguel Indurain, Jens Voigt and others make an appearance!

5. How fit do you have to be to do each route? What training and preparation do you recommend?

How fit you need to be depends on how seriously you want to take the event and whether you’re going for a UCI place or a specific time.

I’d say that as a minimum, you want to be cycling twice a week in the ten weeks before the event. If you haven’t been riding much before that, take the build up nice and easy. I’d also suggest you make sure you’ve ridden the full distance at least once before the event.

6. Are there cut offs?

The broom wagon sets off after the last rider has started on the 10:15 Medio Fondo course. It travels at 22 kilometres per hour. This gives a generous amount of time for cyclists to complete the event.

7. Do you have any kit tips?

The start times are relatively sociable, so it’s generally not freezing cold at the start (though it’s a good idea to check the weather forecast!). However, there is a bag drop in the event village for kit you don’t want to wear on the ride.

There’s secure bike parking in the event village for after the event and you can pick up your bag from the drop then too.

8. What support is there on the route?

Closed roads?

The Gran Fondo is not a closed road event (in Luxembourg, that kind of treatment is reserved only for the Tour de France!). However there will be a police escort for the first two hours of the event.

Food

We make sure the feed zones are really well supplied: you’ll find sandwiches, cakes (sweet and savoury), salami, jamon, muesli bars, fruit, dried fruit, haribos, water and sports drinks.

The Feed zones are:

Mechanical assistance

We always recommend cyclists get their bikes serviced before they arrive – but if you have problems, on Friday 20 May, you can bring your bike to the mechanical station in the event village and there will be people that can check your bike before the event. There will also be mechanics at the feed zones and roaming mechanical assistance in cars.

First aid

It’s always a good idea to get yourself checked beforehand (as well as your bike!), but if the worst happens, medical assistance is available at the feed zones and there will also be medics on bikes and ambulances on the course.

Bag drop

There’s a bag drop in the event village. Showers and changing rooms are available for use in the Sportshall in Mondorf-les-Bains.

9. Where should people stay?

Mondorf-les-Bains has a number of hotels and other accommodation. If these are booked out, try the Moselle River region or over the border into Germany or France. The Moselle Tourist Office has accommodation listings here.

Fortunately Luxembourg is very small and the event doesn’t start too early, so getting to the start shouldn’t be too difficult.

10. Can people hire bikes?

We offered bike hire one year and it wasn’t overly popular; most people bring their own.

If you do need to hire a bike, contact Andy at Andy Schleck Cycles. He may be able to help. His shop is in Itzig, just 7 kilometres from Mondorf-les-Bains.

11. How should cyclists get to the event?

Mondorf-les-Bains is about 20 kilometres to the south of Luxembourg airport and 30 kilometres to the southeast of the train station. There are plenty of buses to Mondorf.

This website will help you plan your journey.

12. What tips would you give to someone wanting to do this event?

If you want to find me (Fränk) in the peloton, I tend to start at the front and then work my way back, chatting with people and taking my time at the feed zones. It would be a pleasure to speak with you so come and say hi if you see me!

You can register and collect your bib number either on Friday between 15:00 and 18:45 or on the Saturday morning between 7:00 and 8:30.

You can only get into the start pens 30 minutes before the event (though you will want to arrive at the event village before then to allow time to park and perhaps warm up). Those seeking UCI Gran Fondo World Series qualification will start in age group categories (you’ll get a specific coloured number for your age group) and will be in the relevant pen. Those not taking part in the UCI qualification start behind the age group pens.

13. What is there to do before/after the event?

Mondorf thermal baths

Mondorf-les-Bains is a well known spa town. The Mondorf Domaine Thermal offers thermal water pools at 36°C, saunas, hammams and jacuzzis. The park of the Domaine Thermal is more than 40 hectares and inspires relaxation. There’s also a casino for those that like that kind of thing.

Moselle river

Mondorf is not a big place (the population is around 3,000 people) but its proximity to Luxembourg City and the beautiful Moselle river mean that there’s plenty to keep you busy for a few days around the event.

For those that like wine, visiting the Moselle’s vineyards is a must. The area sits between Germany and France and Luxembourgish winegrowers create their own elegant wines. From sparkling crémants to Riesling, Weiβburgunder (Pinot blanc), Gewürztraminer, Rivaner and Spätburgunder – as well as Äiswäin (icewine) and Stréiwäin (straw wine) of course – there’s lots to explore!

These links contain more information about Mondorf-les-Bains and the Moselle region.

Schleck X-Perience

If you’d like to spend longer cycling in Luxembourg, I (Fränk) love to organise guided group trips with me. One of our most popular is our four day Discover Luxembourg trip, which guides cyclists through my favourite parts of Luxembourg.

For those with more time, our nine day Europe Tour is excellent fun – through Luxembourg, France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Bespoke and corporate trips are also available.

Find out more on our website.

14. How do you enter?

Find out more and enter the event on the Schleck Gran Fondo website.

 

 

A big thank you to Fränk and Martine for sharing so much useful information about their event. It sounds fantastic!

Have you completed the Schleck Gran Fondo?

Let us know in the comments below!