Best Events

Best Road Cycling Races Southeast 2025

June 3, 2024
Last updated June 3, 2025

Strambecco rates the Best Road Cycling Races Southeast 2025 based on reputation, route quality, location, rider feedback, and the event’s or race’s overall uniqueness.  Spanning North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi — Southeast terrain features of Strambecco’s best list varies but include many events navigating parts of the Appalachian Mountains along with rolling hills, rich river valleys, and high flat plateaus.  States in the lower part of the region offer significantly flatter terrain amidst beaches, swamps, and wetlands.

The most notable events on Strambecco’s list of best road cycling races Southeast 2025 are part of the Gran Fondo National Series, the largest and most competitive series of Gran Fondo cycling events in the United States. The series was the first to implement timed-segment racing into US gran fondo events, and since 2012, has crowned Gran Fondo National Champions in a variety of age/gender categories. In 2020, the series partnered with USA Cycling to bring a one-day Gran Fondo National Championship into the portfolio of official USA Cycling National Championship events.  GFNS Southeast events include Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo, Gran Fondo Boone, Gran Fondo Asheville, and Gran Fondo Florida.  Each event is a qualifying event for the National Championship event at Gran Fondo, Maryland, in September.

The Cheaha Challenge, a Gran Fondo National Series partner event, qualifies for the UCI Gran Fondo World Series, a series of long-distance cycling races held worldwide. These races are open to amateur cyclists who are looking to challenge themselves and compete against other riders from around the globe.  The Series is organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the governing body for international cycling. The series comprises approximately 25 events, each featuring a challenging route through scenic landscapes.  Strambecco rates many of the events, which you can see below or the full calendar of events here.  One of the unique features of the Series is that it allows amateur cyclists to qualify for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships held in late August this year in Denmark.

Strambecco does not list every event.  We strive to identify and review events that are special and noteworthy.  If you have suggestions on other events we should consider or review, please get in touch with us here or send us a note at editors@strambecco.com.  Strambecco also rates the best MTB and best Gravel Events in the Southeast.  [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Gran Fondo Asheville 2026

Gran Fondo Asheville 2026 is a special Gran Fondo National Series event on many levels, starting with the chance to see the alluring Asheville downtown and surrounding countryside from the perspective of…

road cyclists at start of hot hundred alabama

Hot Hundred 2026

For more than 20 years, the Hot Hundred 2026 has held its reputation as one of the best rides in the country, attracting road cycling enthusiasts from all corners. Established in 2003…

boone gran fondo riders

Boone Gran Fondo 2026

Boone Gran Fondo 2026 is a Gran Fondo National Series event, producing some of the best US cycling events. Mid-summer, the High Country of North Carolina enjoys 80-degree temperatures while the surrounding…

road cyclists at blue ridge brutal

Blue Ridge Brutal 2026

The Blue Ridge Brutal 2026 has been an annual epic ride in North Carolina for over 30 years, put on in partnership with the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce. There are multiple…

start/finish line at six gap century

Six Gap Century 2026

Set amidst the rolling hills and scenic landscapes of Dahlonega, Georgia; the Six Gap Century 2026 stands as one of the most challenging and revered cycling events in the Southeast. Every September,…

Alpine Loop Gran Fondo 2026

The Alpine Loop Gran Fondo 2026 is a celebrated cycling event that welcomes cyclists and spectators to Harrisonburg, Virginia, for a weekend full of challenging rides, charity fundraising, and festivities suitable for…

start line at Gran Fondo Hincapie - Greenville

Gran Fondo Hincapie Greenville 2026

Gran Fondo Hincapie Greenville 2026 is an extremely popular and well-run event that travels through South Carolina’s beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. This is no ordinary cycling event—it’s a pilgrimage to the esteemed…

road cyclists at GFNY Florida Sebring

GFNY Florida Sebring 2026

For road cycling aficionados searching for their next thrill, the GFNY Florida Sebring 2026 event in the delightful Sebring, Florida, beckons with its beautiful landscapes, clear lakes, and serene citrus groves. It…

Gran Fondo Florida 2027

Set among the rolling hills of Dade City, this March event offers cyclists a warm escape from winter while delivering surprising challenges. Despite being labeled the “easiest” Gran Fondo National Series event…

Solo rider on climb in Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo

Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo 2027

Last updated June 7, 2026 Event for 2027 has not been confirmed yet… Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo 2027 is a Gran Fondo National Series event that produces some of the best…

Gran Fondo Hincapie – Chattanooga 2027

Last updated June 7, 2026 Event for 2027 has not been confirmed yet… Hincapie Events offers the ultimate cycling experience in Tennessee, the Gran Fondo Hincapie – Chattanooga 2027, which offers standard…

road cyclists

Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo 2027

Last updated June 7, 2026 Event for 2027 has not been confirmed yet… The Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo 2027, now in its 31st year, takes off annually from Jacksonville, Alabama, and is…

cyclists at the assault on mount marion

The Assault on Mount Marion 2027 – Rated

Last updated June 7, 2026 Event for 2027 has not been confirmed yet... The Assault on Mount Marion 2027 is a sister event to the hugely popular Assault on Mount Mitchell event, also…
cyclists at assault on mount mitchell

The Assault on Mount Mitchell 2027

Last updated June 7, 2026 Event for 2027 has not been confirmed yet... The Assault on Mount Mitchell 2027, organized by The Freewheelers Club, is a 102.7-mile self-paced ride from downtown Spartanburg,…

More Best Of Guides

View All