Just back from my third Maratona and have to spread the word about this outSTANDing event. There's no better event on planet earth than this beauty in the Italian Dolomites.
It was the 25th anniversary event this time and boy have they learned how to organise a spectacular event. For the £60 entry fee we got; closed roads; 9,000 fellow cycling aficionados; a very well manufactured ss Maratona cycling top; a Maratona cycling gilet; your bike number containing chip which was activated at start, finish and all summits (this info was then immediately sent to your phone by text telling you your current time and position); the choice of a Maratona cap or 10 euro at the finish; THE most stunning course imaginable in the incredible setting of the incomparable Dolomites; unlimited food and drink at seven feed stations en-route; unlimited pasta, chips, cake, meat and beer at the finish; a goodie bag containing gels, energy bars, a waterproof mobile-phone covering, a buff, a small bottle of celebratory Proseco and other stuff such as mags, literature and advice sheets; superb photographs at various points around the route; a comprehensive results service informing you of position, age-group positions and finishing order. Puts the money foolishly given to 'Bike Events' to shame really.
This is an incredibly tough event. The climbs are not always as steep as around where I live but they go on and on and on. In one case, the climb is over seven MILES long with NO respite! The real toughy though is the last climb of the day over Falzarego pass. Six miles long, no respite and no shade from the fierce sun of the day. And despite getting older, I knocked ten minutes off my time of two years ago and nearly half an hour off my 2007 time. Well chuffed with that.
Seriously, I cannot imagine a better event than this exists in this world.
It was the 25th anniversary event this time and boy have they learned how to organise a spectacular event. For the £60 entry fee we got; closed roads; 9,000 fellow cycling aficionados; a very well manufactured ss Maratona cycling top; a Maratona cycling gilet; your bike number containing chip which was activated at start, finish and all summits (this info was then immediately sent to your phone by text telling you your current time and position); the choice of a Maratona cap or 10 euro at the finish; THE most stunning course imaginable in the incredible setting of the incomparable Dolomites; unlimited food and drink at seven feed stations en-route; unlimited pasta, chips, cake, meat and beer at the finish; a goodie bag containing gels, energy bars, a waterproof mobile-phone covering, a buff, a small bottle of celebratory Proseco and other stuff such as mags, literature and advice sheets; superb photographs at various points around the route; a comprehensive results service informing you of position, age-group positions and finishing order. Puts the money foolishly given to 'Bike Events' to shame really.
This is an incredibly tough event. The climbs are not always as steep as around where I live but they go on and on and on. In one case, the climb is over seven MILES long with NO respite! The real toughy though is the last climb of the day over Falzarego pass. Six miles long, no respite and no shade from the fierce sun of the day. And despite getting older, I knocked ten minutes off my time of two years ago and nearly half an hour off my 2007 time. Well chuffed with that.
Seriously, I cannot imagine a better event than this exists in this world.
