Cycling is popular all over the globe and Dani Buyo's grand vision embraces that fact.

The first year of the Gran Fondo World Tour spans the world from Kazakhstan to Colorado and that is just the start. In total, there are six events in 2016. Barcelona and Kuwait are in the books with Italy and Norway rounding out the tour.

The Tour knits together existing events and is designed to appeal to the enthusiastic amateur, a sector that has blossomed in recent years.

The Gran Fondo World Tour kicked off with the Oakley Gran Fondo Barcelona on April 3. Credit: GFWT
"We don't expect a lot of riders ride do more than two races of the GFWT. They are not professionals, they have jobs and families like you and me," said the Barcelona-based Buyo.

At each race all riders are allocated points based on their finish and champions will be crowned based on total points earned over the year. There is no championship event to which competitors have to travel.

"It is my dream that next year or the year after at the top of the rankings is someone who goes to three or four races and finishes 100th or 150th or 79th at them and ends up winning."

"This is my dream, not that a semi-pro comes and takes the title, that is not the idea."

The plan is for 10 races in 2017 ideally with expansion to Australia, Africa and South America to cover the inhabited continents. Also in the pipeline is a separate mountain biking series along the same lines.

Has received enquiries from a number of events that are interested and hopes to have a 12-stop road series in 2018.

"All the continents of the world, if possible and more than one in North America perhaps," said Buyo. "You lose control if there are more that 12."

Despite using the word control, the GFWT is working with existing events to varying degrees rather than creating new races under a rigid framework. Buyo does not impose rules on event organizers, but is focused on there being a top-to-toe package for riders.

"I look for organizers that look after the cyclist," he said "It is important that the whole package is there."

The American stop for the GFWT is the Golden Gran Fondo in Colorado, part of the Gran Fondo National Championship Series created by Reuben Kline. Riders at Golden will score points in both series — GFWT and GFNCS.

"To have the Gran Fondo World Tour choose Golden as its exclusive U.S. cyclo-sportive race reflects the worldwide appeal of riding the Rockies," said Kline when it was announced.

He saw only upside in being part of the World Tour.

"When Dani contacted me about bring one of our Gran Fondo National Championship Series events into the Gran Fondo World Tour I saw it as an opportunity to network and advance the principle that gran fondos are competitive events," he said.

Riders in the Rockies. Credit: GFNCS
"Promoting the sport of gran fondo bike racing in the USA as a competitive racing format has been challenging. The term gran fondo has been used in a variety of capacities here in the states and many people, even long-time cyclists, are uncertain about the meaning of the term."

"Gran fondos have always been competitive events, I describe a gran fondo as a long distance cycling event that offers both a recreational and competitive experience. Here in the USA the first few gran fondos that popped up used a time sections race format and that's how we've set up our events. USA Cycling has also been reluctant to embrace gran fondo as a race discipline," he said (although that is changing).

Golden Gran Fondo challenges entrants with 12,000 feet of Rockies climbing in just 81 miles along roads that have challenged the pros in the past. There are four timed climbs with results set by the combined times.

The GFNCS, which was launched in 2012, includes nine rides in the United States and Canada (Ride Report for Gran Fondo Highlands), culminating in its championship race at Gran Fondo Maryland in Frederick on September 18.

Buyo was effusive about the atmosphere and enthusiasm he saw in Frederick in 2015. He said he will explore options for a second American race when he comes over for the Golden event.

From Kuwait City to Oslo, there is a lot of variation from event to event, but the common ground for all the races is that they are well organized from start to finish and safe.

"For me, in the future our goal is that people will see the brand and think that we look after the cyclist and check that all is right," he said.

Organizers remain organizers with varying amounts of support and input from GFWT as required and wanted. Buyo has been more involved with the events in Kuwait and Kazakhstan, which are less established, but even there he says: "we are like a consultant, not like a boss".

This is not the first time Buyo, a former professional adventure racer with the Saloman team, has been involved in creating a multi-national sporting series.

"I was involved in developing trail running and the development of a trail running world tour and I thought it would translate to cyclosportives," he explained. He registered the name and reserved the web address in 2015 and set off to recruit events for his vision.

The 140km Barcelona event includes the beautiful coastal road from Castelldefels to Sitges -- car free. Credit: GFWT.
He admits it was tough selling a new and untested concept at the start. Barcelona, the organizer of which he knew, was first to sign up, followed by Gran Fondo Marcialonogo in Italy and then, crucially in Dani's opinion, GFNCS came onboard in May 2015. That provided the critical mass required and made the pitch easier.

"That was crucial," he said. "GFNCS is a very good partner."

Buyo does not believe that the GFWT is really in competition with other series, such as the 15-stop UCI Gran Fondo World Series and the GFNY World Series with its 10 events.

"There is no reason to be rivals," Buyo said. "There are thousands and thousands of cyclists."

"We are creating a different event and a different business."

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