GFNY Cozumel Draws 3,000 Cyclists From 40 Countries

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa waved the starting flag for the 13th edition of the Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) Cozumel, a race bringing together about 3,000 participants from 40 countries and every state in Mexico.

It was the first time in the event’s 13-year history on the island that a sitting governor attended. Lezama welcomed the riders and wished them success on the course.

“The atmosphere here in Cozumel is great with this edition of the Gran Fondo New York. We welcome cyclists from 40 countries and representatives from every state in the Republic. Best of luck to everyone,” the governor said.

The race offers two distances — 154 kilometers and 77 kilometers — split into 18 categories. Among the countries represented are the United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Peru, Germany, France, Colombia, Canada, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Philippines and Mexico. Roughly 900 of the participants are women, and the field also includes cyclists with disabilities.

Organizers and state officials said the event reinforces Cozumel and Quintana Roo as hosts of major international sporting competitions.

Lezama said her administration is promoting sports tourism as a way to generate income and improve well-being for families, and thanked organizers, municipal authorities and volunteers for their work.

The governor was accompanied by Cozumel municipal president José Luis Chacón and by Miguel González Castelán and Shawn Gad, founding partners of GFNY.