Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo Weekend

The Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo rolls out of Pete Mathews Coliseum on the campus of Jacksonville State University on Saturday and Sunday, May 16 through 17, 2026, marking the 33rd edition of Alabama’s largest annual cycling event and one of the premier Gran Fondos in the United States. Directed by Stuart Lamp and organized by the Northeast Alabama Bicycle Association (NEABA), the weekend draws riders from across the country to one of the Southeast’s most rugged and rewarding landscapes, where Talladega National Forest spills across ancient ridgelines and cool hollows carved by a thousand seasons of rain.

The routes

Every distance on offer tells a different story about this corner of Alabama. The ULTRA course covers 126 miles with 13,385 feet of climbing through the Talladega National Forest and Dugger Mountain Wilderness Area, a test of endurance that ranks among the most demanding rides in the region. The flagship 100-mile UCI-qualifying route threads through the towns of Piedmont, Heflin, and Delta, accumulating 9,714 feet of elevation across named climbs including White’s Gap, Horseblock, OH SHIFT!, and the iconic summit of Mount Cheaha at 2,407 feet, the highest point in Alabama. Shorter options of 84, 62, 44, and 24 miles offer the same sweeping scenery without the full reckoning.

For families and newer riders, the 10th annual Chief Ladiga Cruise offers a gentler counterpoint: 12, 25, or 50 miles along the paved Chief Ladiga Trail, a rails-to-trail route rolling through peaceful Alabama countryside with Dugger Mountain rising quietly on the horizon, the kind of ride that reminds you why you fell in love with cycling in the first place.

The weekend schedule

Saturday opens with a Time Trial, a 12-mile race against the clock on a near-closed course, followed by packet pickup and the BIKEXPO at Pete Mathews Coliseum, where vendors gather outside in the warm May air. The Pre-Ride Party Saturday evening features a meal catered by local favorite Effina’s at $15 per person, a welcome chance to refuel, share stories, and take stock of what Sunday morning will ask of you.

Sunday begins with intention: a 7:00 AM devotional, a free pre-ride breakfast for all registered riders and their guests, and the wave starts rolling from 7:30 AM. Up to 12 rest stops keep riders fueled across the longer routes. After the finish, a free buffet catered by Cooter’s Rib Shack runs from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with barbecue, salad, and vegetarian and gluten-free options served beneath the main tent to the sound of live entertainment drifting through the afternoon heat.

Racing credentials

The Cheaha Challenge carries UCI Gran Fondo World Series qualifying status, meaning top age-group finishers earn a legitimate path to the UCI World Championships. Its place in the Gran Fondo National Series further cements its reputation as a ride with real competitive weight beneath its warm community spirit.

Beyond the road

The surrounding landscape generously rewards those who arrive with more than one discipline in mind. IMBA Ride Center Coldwater Mountain offers 35-plus miles of challenging single-track nearby, while the McClellan Bike Trail adds another 20 miles of purpose-built riding suited to all skill levels. Cap the weekend with a sunrise stop at Cheaha State Park, where overlooks lift above the clouds and nearby waterfalls offer the kind of still, unhurried beauty that makes every hard mile feel like it led exactly where it was supposed to.