Finally! The Growler—the Hardest One-Day Course in America—Is Now a Pro Race

The dream of reinvigorating America’s bike racing scene just got a huge shot in the arm with the announcement of the addition of a pro field to the Growler, a ride option during the popular California beloved sportive, Levi’s GranFondo.

The Growler is now a pro race, with a $20,000 purse to be split between 10 top finishers (five men and five women) on the 139-mile Growler route. According to the announcement, pro racers like Lachlan Morton, Peter Stetina, Heather Jackson, and Peta Mullens are slated to race in the Growler.

An American Answer to the Classics

Stetina recently said that the rough roads, leg-crushing climbs, and mammoth distance of the Growler remind him of Liège-Bastonge-Liège, one of the most challenging of the Spring Classics.

“I cannot convey how difficult and majestic this route is. It is the hardest one-day course in America, hands down,” Stetina said in an interview with Cyclingnews.

Of course, being a fondo—a mass-participation cycling event that offers a variety of ride lengths and difficulties—the Growler is hardly exclusive to pro racers. Anyone can sign up for the route and, should they finish in the top five of either the men’s or women’ classifications, can walk with a chunk of the $20,000 purse.

Started in 2009 by former WorldTour pro Levi Leipheimer, Levi’s GranFondo cuts tracks through Sonoma County, better known as California wine country. And while the scenery is stunning, some of the GranFondo’s seven ride options don’t offer much respite for taking in the views.

“These roads have character, they are far from pristine,” Leipheimer told Cyclingnews. “That’s part of what makes this ride so great, it’s very engaging. You’ve got to be focused, and you can’t use the lightest road racing tires or you might not make it.”

With the 10.7-mile Family Route, the 22-mile Piccolino, 40-mile Piccolo, and 63-mile Medio, Levi’s GranFondo prides itself on offering courses for every level of rider. But crossing the threshold into the 81-mile Geysers, 120-mile Gran, and fearsome 139-mile Growler is what gives Levi’s GranFondo its reputation for brutality. If anything, with its 12,000 feet of climbing, the Growler is known as arguably the most challenging fondo in America.

Leipheimer hopes to fill a gap in U.S. racing

With the loss of some of our most iconic domestic races such as the Tour of California (a race Leipheimer won three years in a row) and the Philadelphia Cycling Classic over the last several years, the American bike racing scene has shifted its focus to criterium races. And while the NCL, Justin Williams’ C.R.I.T., and USA Crits enjoyed some early successes, American road racing has experienced a void that Leipheimer has said he hopes to fill with the introduction of a pro field to the Growler.

“We want to make the distinction that this is not just a gran fondo,” Leipheimer said when announcing the concept. “This is a race.”

You Might Also Like

• The Right Chain Lube Can Save You Thousands

• Everything You Need to Start E-Bike Commuting

• 7 Things You Should Do After Every Rainy Ride