REGISTER FOR LEVI'S GRANFONDO

Introducing "The Growler"

(To see all the route options, visit the ROUTES page.)

The Growler is the same extremely challenging route you've known for so long. In the beginning we decided to call it "Panzer" for armor and toughness, but in seeking to connect it with the concept of Italian roots we re-named it to "il Regno", meaning the Kingdom. Turns out, "il Regno" is pretty hard to say. So we turned to the bear -- the familiar face you've seen for so long, growling at you with the intimidation necessary to thin out the herd to only those tough enough to take on a course as challenging and difficult as races found in the Tour de France.

The Growler is Levi's GranFondo's hardest route, and arguably one of the most challenging courses of any gran fondo in the world. It is subject to evolution over time as we consider alternatives and modifications. For 2018, the ride will mirror that of the last two years with two gravel segments amongst redwood trees and Pacific air. You're in for a lot if you choose this route. Hence, it is worthy of this excerpt, and explanation.