Master (70.94 km) and Challenge (48.5 km) courses offered

Club Hanse members given priority registration and exclusive lounge

Kids Bike Championship among family programs

Cycling extends sports marketing push that began with tennis

Yangpyeong-gun County Chief Jeon Jin-seon (fifth from left), National Assembly member Kim Seon-gyo and Hanse Motors Vice President Park Sang-pil pose for a photo at the 2026 Yangpyeong Gran Fondo in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday. [Hanse Motors]
Yangpyeong-gun County Chief Jeon Jin-seon (fifth from left), National Assembly member Kim Seon-gyo and Hanse Motors Vice President Park Sang-pil pose for a photo at the 2026 Yangpyeong Gran Fondo in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday. [Hanse Motors]

Hanse Motors, the official Mercedes-Benz partner in South Korea, has expanded its customer touchpoints beyond the automotive sphere by sponsoring a cycling event. The company is broadening its customer programs — traditionally centered on vehicle sales and maintenance — by offering Club Hanse membership holders priority access and dedicated spaces at sporting events.

Hanse Motors announced Tuesday that it served as the main sponsor of the 2026 Yangpyeong Gran Fondo, held Monday across Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province.

The Yangpyeong Gran Fondo is a cycling event that takes riders through the Yangpyeong and Yeoju areas. This year's edition featured a 70.94-kilometer Master course and a 48.5-kilometer Challenge course, both departing from the soccer field at Yangpyeong Saenghwal Sports Park, and drew about 1,500 participants.

Hanse Motors gave Club Hanse members priority registration before opening sign-ups to the general public. On the day of the event, the company set up an exclusive lounge for membership customers, stocked with water, energy gels, sun sticks and other riding essentials.

The event opened with a warm-up session and opening ceremony. After the ride, finishers received completion medals, followed by performances, an awards ceremony and a prize draw.

A program for children was also on offer. A separately held Kids Bike Championship drew young riders, ensuring the event appealed to families as well as cycling enthusiasts.

Hanse Motors displayed Mercedes-Benz vehicles at the venue and placed brand signage at key locations including the start and finish lines. The company also provided course-support vehicles for the event's operations.

The sponsorship is part of Hanse Motors' broader push to link its customer programs to sports and leisure. Rather than limiting engagement to vehicle sales and after-sales service, the company is pursuing a long-term strategy of connecting with customers through their hobbies — including golf, tennis and cycling.

"It is meaningful to share the joy of sport with our customers and create special experiences together through this Yangpyeong Gran Fondo," Hanse Motors CEO Kim Marco said. "Going forward, we will continue to expand programs that reflect our customers' diverse interests and lifestyles through Club Hanse, building a differentiated customer experience that is uniquely Hanse Motors."

Meanwhile, Hanse Motors also served as an official sponsor of the WTA Korea Open Tennis Championships 2026, held at Seoul Olympic Park last month. The company offered Club Hanse customers tickets to matches and ran tennis programs featuring professional players, continuing to widen its sports-based customer marketing efforts.


kwater@heraldcorp.com