Foliforov Day by MayFlower
Foliforov Day is a day that reminds us that in cycling, as in life, anything is possible — even what no one expects.
Mayflower — General Sponsor of the 2026 events
The story behind it
On May 22, 2016, something happened at the Giro d’Italia that would later become a symbol, a celebration, and a source of endless memes.
Twenty-four-year-old Russian rider Alexander Foliforov, racing for the Gazprom–RusVelo team, unexpectedly won Stage 15 of the Giro — a mountain individual time trial.
Distance — 10.8 km uphill.
Time — 28 minutes 39 seconds.
Behind him were the overall race leader Steven Kruijswijk in second place and Alejandro Valverde in third, as well as fellow riders Vyacheslav Kuznetsov and Ilnur Zakarin. It was a victory no one believed in — not bookmakers, not fans, and, according to Alexander himself, not even him.
Twenty-four-year-old Russian rider Alexander Foliforov, racing for the Gazprom–RusVelo team, unexpectedly won Stage 15 of the Giro — a mountain individual time trial.
Distance — 10.8 km uphill.
Time — 28 minutes 39 seconds.
Behind him were the overall race leader Steven Kruijswijk in second place and Alejandro Valverde in third, as well as fellow riders Vyacheslav Kuznetsov and Ilnur Zakarin. It was a victory no one believed in — not bookmakers, not fans, and, according to Alexander himself, not even him.
How a victory became a meme holiday
Three years later, on May 22, 2019, Reddit users began regularly marking this date with memes in the pelotonmemes community. That is how Foliforov Day was born — an ironic celebration of an unexpected victory, now marked every year by cycling fans around the world.
Ride format:
In 2025, INEX Club decided to take the celebration offline and join in.
The first ride took place on May 22, 2025. In 2026, we invite everyone to ride a course of similar difficulty together with Alexander Foliforov.
The first ride took place on May 22, 2025. In 2026, we invite everyone to ride a course of similar difficulty together with Alexander Foliforov.
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Date — May 23 -
Participation — free -
Format — individual start -
Distance — 10.8 km uphill -
Level — open to everyone
22.05
15:00 - 19:00
15:00 - 19:00
22.05
15:00 - 19:00
15:00 - 19:00
Starter pack Pick-up
7:00
7:00
Meetup at Akrounta Park
8:00
8:00
Start time
Individual time trial starts every 30 seconds
Finish at Dierona
18:00
SPONSORS
Last day of the registration: 20.05
For us, Foliforov Day symbolizes belief in yourself — the moment when you line up at the start and simply do everything you can. Sometimes, that is enough for the impossible to happen.
Join Foliforov Day
It's totally free