John Murphy a sprinter who rides for UnitedHealthcare Team recorded the fastest aggregate time over the gran fondo's four timed section.

"Fun win today at the Asheville Gran Fondo! Thanks, granfondogfncs," declared Murphy on Twitter.

Riders head out. Credit: GFNCS
Gran Fondo Asheville is part of the Gran Fondo National Championship Series of nine rides culminating in the fifth National Championship event in Frederick, MD, in September.

All nine stops in the series offer ride options of around 100, 60 and 30 miles and award points based on timed sections.

Murphy's combined time of 01:11:01 was a minute and forty two seconds quicker than Noah Niwinski in second place. Tristan Cowie was 11 seconds further back in third.

John Murphy Noah Niwinski and Tristan Cowie on the podium. Credit: GFNCS
Shannon Pasch of Chesapeake Beach, MD, was the fastest woman at 01:39:37. R Monderer of Tennessee finished second just over a minute back and 2:40 ahead of Sue Neurath of Georgia in third.

(Full results here.)

In Italy, the birthplace of the gran fondo, it is not unusual to find pro racers, semi-pros and junior racers competing at the front of the race while the bulk of the field is racing against personal goals or just to finish.

Perhaps Murphy, and is based in Horse Shoe, NC, picked up a taste for gran fondos when he rode at the 2010 Giro d'Italia for BMC. A former US Criterium Champion, Murphy has won stages at the Herald Sun Tour in Australia and the Tour of Langkawi in Malaysia in 2016.

The kind of view that takes the pain out of climbing (almost). Credit: GFNCS
The remaining GFNCS events for 2016 are:

July 31 - Bluewater International Granfondo, Ontario

August 7 - Boone Gran Fondo, NC

August 28 - Golden Gran Fondo, CO (part of the Gran Fondo World Tour)

September 18 - Gran Fondo Maryland

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