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| Maratona dles Dolomites | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maratona dles Dolomites |
| Region | Dolomites, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Veneto |
| Discipline | Road bicycle racing |
| Type | Granfondo |
| Organiser | Maratona dles Dolomites–Enel |
| First | 1987 |
| Number | (annual) |
Maratona dles Dolomites The Maratona dles Dolomites is an annual granfondo road cycling event held in the Dolomites mountain range, traversing passes such as the Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, and Passo Gardena. Founded in 1987, the event attracts amateur and semi-professional cyclists from around the world and links to regional tourism initiatives in South Tyrol, Trentino, and Veneto. The Maratona is closely associated with alpine sporting culture, local government authorities in Italy, mountain NGOs, and international cycling organizations such as the Union Cycliste Internationale.
The Maratona dles Dolomites takes place on closed roads through the Dolomites, incorporating iconic locations like Cortina d'Ampezzo, Canazei, Corvara, La Villa (Alta Badia), and Selva di Val Gardena. Participants encounter famous alpine passes including Passo Campolongo, Passo Gardena, Passo Sella, Passo Pordoi, and Passo Giau; the route highlights UNESCO World Heritage landscapes within the Dolomites (UNESCO) site. The event draws partnerships with entities such as Enel, local chambers like the Chamber of Commerce of Bolzano, and sporting federations including the Federazione Ciclistica Italiana. Media coverage is provided by outlets like RAI, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Cycling Weekly, and Eurosport.
The Maratona was conceived in the late 1980s by organisers influenced by Fiandre, La Doyenne, and L'Étape du Tour, emerging as part of a growth in mass-participation cycling events across Europe alongside races like L'Eroica and the Etape Caledonia. Founders drew on regional figures from South Tyrol and Trentino and collaborated with municipal administrations of La Villa (Alta Badia), Corvara in Badia, and Selva di Val Gardena. Over the decades the Maratona has intersected with broader developments in cycle sport governance involving the Union Cycliste Internationale, the European Cycling Union, and national policy-makers in Rome. The event has adapted to changes in safety standards introduced after incidents in events such as Gran Fondo New York and reforms inspired by Tour de France regulatory practices.
The Maratona offers multiple route options—classically the Dolomites Marathon (long), the Middle, and the Sellaronda course—each passing through notable mountain stages including Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, Passo Gardena, Passo Campolongo, and Passo Giau. The long route frequently starts in La Villa (Alta Badia) and finishes in Corvara in Badia after climbing famous ascents associated with riders like Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali in historical alpine racing. The course profile mirrors stages seen in Giro d'Italia, including gradients comparable to climbs in Marmolada and hairpin sections near Arabba. Stage logistics recall practices from Vuelta a España and Tour de France mountain stages, with feed zones and neutralised starts similar to those used by ASO.
The event accommodates thousands of cyclists in categories by age and gender, with separate timing for elites, amateurs, and charity participants; comparable classification systems are used by UCI Continental Teams and amateur series like Gran Fondo World Series. Entry relies on lotteries and qualifiers reminiscent of Paris–Roubaix amateur entries and the selection processes used for La Marmotte and Maratona dles Dolomites–Enel partner events. There are also dedicated slots for veterans associated with organisations such as the Italian Veterans Cycling Association and invitational entries for professional riders from squads like Team INEOS, Movistar Team, and Team Jumbo–Visma in exhibition rides.
Organisers coordinate with provincial authorities in South Tyrol and Trentino and with municipal police forces in towns such as Cortina d'Ampezzo, Canazei, and Corvara in Badia to implement road closures, medical services provided by Croce Rossa Italiana, and safety protocols advised by the UCI. Sponsorship and commercial partnerships have included Enel, regional tourism boards like Visit Trentino, and broadcasters such as Rai Sport. Logistics mirror event management practices from ASO and RCS Sport with neutral support zones, timing systems by providers in the style of Tag Heuer and SRM, and anti-doping oversight coordinated with the Italian National Anti-Doping Organization.
While primarily an amateur event, the Maratona has seen standout performances by former professionals and notable athletes affiliated with clubs such as Team Sky and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team in invitational roles, and comparisons are often drawn with best times recorded on comparable climbs in Giro d'Italia mountain stages. Notable figures in the race's history include invited legends like Franco Ballerini and Gilberto Simoni at exhibition events, and strong amateur performances have been covered by La Gazzetta dello Sport alongside statistical records maintained by the Maratona organisation. Course records for each variant are tracked internally and published through event communiqués comparable to recordkeeping seen in La Marmotte and the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
The Maratona has become a linchpin of local cultural calendars in Alta Badia, Val Gardena, and Cortina d'Ampezzo, stimulating partnerships with culinary festivals, artisan markets, and hospitality firms such as alpine hotels in Bolzano and Bruneck. Community outreach includes youth cycling initiatives modeled after programmes by the Italian Cycling Federation, charity rides linked with organisations like Emergency (organization) and Save the Children, and cultural collaborations with institutions such as the Museo Ladin Ciastel de Tor and the Dolomites UNESCO Foundation. The event has amplified the profile of the Dolomites in tourism networks including European Tourism Association circuits and fostered year-round cycling development through training camps used by continental teams and local clubs like GS La Perosina.
Category:Cycling races in Italy Category:Sport in South Tyrol Category:Gravel races