II. The rising action.
After days of acclimatization and preparation for the race, the pre-race saturday is as exciting as it is burdensome. The bike, shoes, race kit and nutrition for race day are meticulously prepared and hours are spent waiting for race day.
After a short night and breakfast at 4:30 am, you make your way to the start while the helicopters circle above your head in preparation for the live television broadcast. Once the starting shot is fired, excitement rises – but you have to wait another hour until you start pedalling if you are in one of the last starting pens. If you are lucky enough to have a low race number and you are in the first corral, then the race is on!
Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Campolongo – there are five passes before you reach what many see as the climax of the race: the brutal Passo Giau, 9.9 km in distance with an average of 9.3%. But they are wrong. After the Passo Falzarego and Valparola the racers encounter the most brutal section of the race. With more than 133 km in their legs they have to surpass the hardest section of this journey that can be brutal or beautiful. You set your own pace and decide how focussed you are on your finish time. But honestly, it’d be rude to focus solely on the finish time.
You’d be better handing over your starting number to someone who appreciates the region they’re riding through. Go anddo another race or try your luck as a professional. Why? Because the Maratona dles Dolomites offers the world’s most epic scenery, awe-inspiring roads, smooth tarmac and the best aid stations for those in the know. Of course, it’s acceptable to ride quickly, to grab the energy bars and munch through them as you grind your way along the route, but there’s another way and it involves slowing day, relishing the moment and savouring the seconds at the feed stations. Tuck into the strudel, cheese and process. South Tyrol is the embodiment of la dolce vita – and this is your chance to acquaint yourself with it.
