Daniel Oss is the first Ambassador of The Great Ride 2026, the non-competitive bikepacking event promoted by Fondazione Cortina and supported by the North East Federation of Italian Credit Cooperatives (FNE) that from September 17 to 20 will guide hundreds of cycling enthusiasts on a journey through the Veneto, from the Arsenal of Verona to the Olympic Ice Stadium of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

A natural partnership between the former professional cyclist from Trentino and The Great Ride, united by the same vision of cycling: pedaling to live an experience, discover new places, meet people and be guided by the rhythm of the road, without necessarily watching the clock. A philosophy that Oss has embraced through the "Just Ride" project, created with the goal of experiencing training as an opportunity to explore the territory and share a passion for cycling.

After 14 seasons in professional road cycling and numerous international achievements, Oss chose from 2024 to dedicate himself to gravel cycling, bringing his experience and an increasingly territory-focused vision of cycling to this new discipline.

For The Great Ride 2026, Daniel Oss will experience the route firsthand: he will depart from Verona (September 17 and 18) and reach Cortina d'Ampezzo, passing through some of the most representative places in the Veneto. Over 500 kilometers through art cities, Lake Garda, the Venetian Lagoon, waterways and landscapes of Treviso, Prosecco hills and UNESCO Dolomites, until arriving in the Ampezzo basin. For those preferring a shorter itinerary, a departure from Treviso (September 18 and 19) is also confirmed with a route of approximately 210 kilometers and 3,000 meters of elevation gain.

"I am very happy to be the first Ambassador of The Great Ride because I feel that this event perfectly represents the way I live cycling today – Daniel Oss stated -. I have always believed that cycling does not only mean training or seeking performance, but also traveling, exploring and getting to know places and people. Today, for me, experiencing training is a way to discover the territory. The Veneto is a region that feels close to me, also because of my sporting history: for years I crossed it during the major tours and on the roads leading to the Dolomites. Doing it today on gravel, with more time to look around and truly experience the route, will be a completely different experience. I can't wait to depart from Verona and arrive in Cortina".

And precisely the experience gained over many years on two wheels will be at the service of participants. Oss will accompany The Great Ride community through dedicated content, sharing his own experience along the route and offering some tips for tackling a journey of over 500 kilometers.

"My first piece of advice is not to underestimate fatigue – Oss continues -. It is a long route and you must remember that The Great Ride is a journey, not a race: stopping, resting and taking the necessary time is part of the experience. I would always bring a multi-tool with me for small bike adjustments or repairs and above all I would start with the desire to meet new people: gravel is also about this, a community that shares the pleasure of pedaling together and discovering new places".

For Michele Di Gallo, General Director of Fondazione Cortina, the choice of Daniel Oss as the first Ambassador strengthens The Great Ride's vocation to build a new way of experiencing and telling the story of the Veneto territory through sport.

«We are particularly pleased to welcome Daniel Oss as the first Ambassador of The Great Ride – declares Michele Di Gallo, General Director of Fondazione Cortina -. His sporting history, his experience in gravel cycling and especially his way of understanding cycling are perfectly in line with the spirit of this event. The Great Ride is indeed created to invite people to slow down, look around and discover the Veneto authentically, connecting very different territories: from art cities to the lagoon, from the Prosecco hills to the Dolomites. It is a project that through sport contributes to showcasing the richness of our territory, creating new opportunities for attractiveness and active, sustainable tourism. With Daniel we want to continue telling this idea of travel and discover, pedal after pedal, a Veneto that still has so much to offer».

The collaboration with Oss will accompany the approach to The Great Ride 2026 with a series of dedicated content for the community: during the summer the Ambassador will share through posts and reels on his Instagram and YouTube channels (as well as those of Fondazione Cortina and The Great Ride) his own experience and offer practical suggestions for tackling the journey, up to direct participation in the September event.

The Great Ride thus confirms its self-supported and non-competitive formula: no rankings and no stopwatch, but an official GPX track to follow autonomously, at your own pace and according to your abilities. An experience open to gravel bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes, designed to transform over 500 kilometers of Veneto into a true journey through sport, nature, culture and community. Registrations are open until September 10 on the website https://www.thegreatride.it/it/