Amateur riders from all around the world head to Niseko (Japan) for the 2026 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships (27-30 August). A traditional venue of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series, the Japanese city now hosts the first edition of the UCI World Championships for Gran Fondo to be held in Asia.
The action will begin on Thursday 27 August, with the time trial raced over a 15km course. Female riders will start first, beginning with the oldest age groups, before the male competitors set off.
Friday will be dedicated to the team relay, held on a 1.9km circuit. Each team comprises four riders – one female and one male rider of any age; one male or female aged over 40; and one male or female aged over 50.
Finally, the Granfondo and Mediofondo road races will be raced on Sunday on mountainous courses.
Nearly 1450 riders representing 64 countries are registered to battle for the rainbow jerseys in the Gran Fondo and Medio Fondo road races, while 402 athletes from 52 counties will tackle the individual time trials. Twenty-five teams, the maximum number allowed, will race the team relay.
They qualified by finishing in the top 25% of their age group in the 31 events of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series that have taken place since the Granfondo Matildica (Italy) in August 2025, all the way through to last month’s Swiss event, The Majestics – the final event on the road to the 2026 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.
Spectacular courses through Hokkaido
The Niseko Classic has been a staple of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series since 2016. Year in and year out, the event has earned a strong reputation for its impressive organisation and stunning mountain setting. Local riders usually make up the bulk of the field, although the Niseko Classic has Canadian, Australian and Hungarian riders enjoy success over the years. In 2026, the whole world will be struck by its demanding challenges and stunning landscapes, especially with the Gran Fondo and Medio Fondo courses.
Both events start and finish at the Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, a spectacular ski resort with direct views of Mount Yotei, an active stratovolcano standing at 1,900 metres above sea level. The courses follow along the Shiribetsu River before crossing the Niseko Panorama Line. The Gran Fondo packs 2,370 metres of elevation gain over 139.5 kilometres. The Medio Fondo course is 76.2 kilometres long, with 1,572 metres of elevation gain.
Asian champions and global contenders
Asian events have proved essential to the global rise of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series in recent years, as illustrated by the 2026 calendar. Five of the qualifiers were held on the continent: Granfondo Antalya (Türkiye); Gran Fondo Hainan (China); Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge (UAE); UCI Gran Fondo Hangzhou Qiandao Lake (China); and Tour de Fukushima (Japan)..
Riders from all over Asia (China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and UAE) are now preparing to follow in their footsteps. They will battle with a global competition, including 40 riders who won road race and/or time trial rainbow jerseys at last year’s UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.