Lael Wilcox near Silver City during the 2015 Tour Divide race. Courtesy of Tour of the Gila photographer Mitchell Clinton.Presented by Hidalgo Medical Services
Guest to join recreational ride on Saturday, October 12, in southwest New Mexico

SILVER CITY, NM – Ultra-endurance cyclist Lael Wilcox recently pedaled around the globe in 108 days. Next, she will inspire fellow participants in the Gila Monster Gran Fondo presented by Hidalgo Medical Services on Saturday, October 12, in Silver City, New Mexico.

Wilcox became acquainted with the town that hosts the Tour of the Gila bicycling stage race during her record-setting journeys along the Tour Divide, which follows the Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. Having limited time to spend in Silver City previously, Wilcox says participating in the Gila Monster Gran Fondo will allow her to get to know the trailside town and also experience the area's renowned road cycling routes.

For recreational cyclists, the Gila Monster Gran Fondo provides an opportunity to pedal with this adventuress, drawing inspiration from her grateful heart and tireless legs.

Gila Monster Gran Fondo is designed to be fun for all riders, from recreational cyclists to competitive racers. The 80-, 60- and 30- mile rides each follow New Mexico Highway 15, a segment of the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway.

The 80-mile Gran Fondo sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate delivers 10,696 feet of climbing over the course running from Silver City to the Gila Cliff Dwellings Visitor Center and back to Pinos Altos. The 60-mile Medio Fondo sponsored by Gila Hike & Bike provides 6,966 feet of climbing. The 30-mile Nano Fondo sponsored by First Endurance challenges cyclists to climb 2,870 feet over a scenic route starting in Pinos Altos.

Sponsored by State Farm-Jon Saari, Copies on the Run, Morning Star, Silver City Daily Press, and J & J Signs, rest stops include drinking water, energy drinks and foods, and toilet facilities, plus extra tubes and inflation. Sag wagons following each ride will offer water and flat repair.

Wilcox plans to engage in a question and answer session during the After-Ride Party at the Buckhorn Saloon & Opera House, which she remembers as "such a cool spot."

Online registration at BikeReg costs $110 and is capped at 130 riders. Late registration is at Gila Hike & Bike at 8 a.m., Saturday, October 12. For more info, visit tourofthegila.com.

Held under a USA Cycling Permit, the Gila Monster Gran Fondo also operates under a special use permit with the Gila National Forest. Additional sponsors of the Gila Monster Gran Fondo include the Town of Silver City, Buckhorn Saloon & Opera House, Grant County Search and Rescue, Gila Amateur Radio Society, and the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division. Lodging discounts are available at the locally owned Murray Hotel and Copper Manor Motel.

Scheduled for April 23-27, 2025, Tour of the Gila is an iconic American road bicycling race in Silver City, New Mexico. Since 1987, it has become globally renowned for its five challenging stages. As a UCI- and USA Cycling-sanctioned stage race, Tour of the Gila is the proving ground for pro and elite amateur racers, also attracting amateur cyclists to southwest New Mexico's notoriously steep and scenic roads. Tour of the Gila highlights the state's rich history and landscape as well as its farming, ranching and mining heritage and involves the growing creative community, even offering Mimbres black-on-white pottery-inspired trophy bowls. The annual Gila Monster Gran Fondo provides an opportunity for cyclists to sample the challenge in a more recreational atmosphere each fall.