FoCo Fondo Celebrates 10 Years

2025 being the 10th year of FoCo Fondo, it’s caused us to look back on how we got here. From a few hundred people, skirting under the permit radar and poaching New Belgium’s front lawn to one of the larger gravel races in the county with a multiple day expo, demo bikes, and a live stream and 4 crazy fun courses to choose from.

The first few years were modest. Not adverse to growth but I didn’t really know what I was doing. On top of learning as I was

going, learning what people wanted and how to run an event, it was so early in gravel’s trajectory to becoming America’s most accessible bike racing form, I felt like I was convincing people to try out gravel riding more than I was creating an event product people were already interested in.

Once the whole gravel system spooled up, dedicated equipment was created, and I wasn’t explaining “why gravel” to local road riders, things took off. My wife Whitney was in a position to come on full time organizing FoCo Fondo, we started making growth decisions on how we wanted the event to look, more than convincing people that gravel’s a thing.

We grew with the Fort Collins’ community. In many ways, as an independently-owned and operated event, we were labeled “grassroots”. While that term is generally seen as positive, it’s also a

The growth period that gravel has experienced in the last 5 years is nuts. When I say gravel, I mean all mixed terrain events. Promoters are generally from, or are connected to, the community in which they promote events. Mixed terrain event promoters generally experience slightly looser rules and regulations as far as rolling enclosures, road controls, and course necessities that are seen in sanctioned road events. With a greater ability to scale an event to thousands of riders that have less barriers to enter. The growth and scalability has other pitfalls and is by no means a get rich quick scheme. 

We’ve recently seen some other larger events become limited when the community stops backing it or voices concerns on negative impact in certain areas. FoCo Fondo has had some of these speed bumps. I’ve spent hours on the phone with some who live on the course, who just want to be heard, and don’t understand mixed terrain adventure events. At the end of the day that’s part of the promoter’s burden and if you call me enough with concerns, you’ll end up with me and a 12-pack of Fat Tire on the porch of your rural homestead and we’ll chat it out. 

We’re more lucky than not in how we’ve grown FoCo Fondo. In many ways we did it the hard way. Pulling ourselves up from our bootstraps, not making any money the first few years, trying to grow a thing we hope people enjoy. Starting small has also helped us. The City of Fort Collins special events permit staff are great, and although the process can be intense to get a permit, they know all the details, and back the event when there’s friction in the community. After 10 years of solid growth in numbers, people sort of expect cyclists on the roads that weekend. I’m sure some events that pop up, shot out of a cannon, with large start up budgets, and go from no gravel event in a city, to 3000 people on 4 courses, sends some heavier shockwaves through a region, and will face more friction. 

So here we are, at 10 years of FoCo Fondo, growing it how Whitney and I want. Aiming to make one of the most fun courses, finish venues, one, if not the most diverse group of registrants. If I had to pin one thing down as to how the event evolved positively over the years, it’d be that we listen to each group that has done FoCo Fondo, or wants to do it. 

We made up the moto “do it, you wont” and when that’s said back to us from a stake holder, we take it seriously. The last few years, we’ve seen so many different groups speak up on what they need to be successful at FoCo Fondo, showing up as being the hardest part for nearly everyone. If an event wants to see more women participate, you can’t just tell more women to come, you have to address what their barriers to entry are. If you want to have an event with a solid para-athlete category, you can’t just make that category in BikeReg, you have to work with para athletes and listen to what they say they need to have a successful event. Same for the LGBTQ+ community, and BIPOC communities. 

Three years ago we started the leadership program at FoCo Fondo where we had community leaders from each one of these groups help FoCo Fondo better understand those barriers to entry and how we can not only make everyone from those groups feel welcome at the start line, but how we can support those historically underrepresented groups have a great ride at FoCo Fondo. All of this is just positive event evolution, hopefully solidifying FoCo Fondo’s longevity but also making it an event for all.  Not just saying to everyone “you should do FoCo Fondo” but being able to say “do it, you wont”, daring people to come but ensuring that whoever you are or whoever you look like, there’s people that look like you and of your community on the start line. 

As gravel matures and consolidates as any emerging market does, if FoCo Fondo expects to see continued growth and support, it’s because of the growth in diversity in participants, while keeping all the things people love about the courses, vibes, and finish venue. 

by Zack Allison, Foco Fondo Promoter, Coach, and Bike Fitter.  Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Zak is currently racing mixed terrain events professionally for Bike Sports