Veteran pro road racer Chris Horner nabbed the biggest win of his career on Saturday, riding to victory in the final stage of Spain’s Basque Country Tour. Horner is a resident of Bend, Oregon and he’ll be in Portland his fall as official ambassador for the Echelon Grand Fondo event.
The Echelon Grand Fondo is a benefit ride that will take place on September 26th in the Columbia River Gorge. The ride is a fundraiser for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong foundation. In addition, part of the event proceeds will go to the Friends of the Historic Columbia River highway. (You can read more about that non-profit in a BikePortland story back in 2007).
There will be 30, 60, and 100 mile route options. The largest loop will begin and end in The Dalles, and travel through Hood River, up to Mt. Hood and back down to The Gorge through Dufur. Ride organizers say the event will, “emulate the pageantry of the Tour de France.”
Here’s a route map for the ride:
Register to ride and learn more at EchelonGrandFondo.org.