Marathon of the Dolomites, magic and entertainment: Nibali will also be at the start

Thirty-six editions and not hear them. The Maratona dles Dolomites-Enel is always young and evergreen, like the color that frames when you ride on the splendid mountains that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is just over a month left before the new departure on 2 July for what is considered a two-wheel festival surrounded by the breathtaking panorama offered by the Dolomites, which will gather 8,000 enthusiasts from every corner of the planet and will be broadcast live for 6 hours on Rai2. And Vincenzo Nibali, the former Italian champion who retired last year, will also be pedaling.

You will pedal on the roads that the world admired only last Friday in the stage of the Giro d’Italia 2023: Campolongo, Valparola and Giau, in fact, are also the highlight of the Marathon. It will start at 6.30 and, during construction, depending on one’s physical condition and one’s will, one can choose between three routes. They range from the classic (woe to call it short) with the 4 passes of the Sellaronda (55 km and 1780 meters in altitude), after which you can continue for the medium (106 km and 3130 m in altitude), or opt for the real marathon own (138 km, 4230 m difference in altitude) with the ascent of Campolongo (twice), Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, the terrible Giau (9.8 km long, average gradient between 9 and 10% and peaks of 14 %), Falzarego and Valparola. And woe to forget the terrible tear in the final kilometres: the Mür dl Giat with its peaks at 19% which put the participants to the test one last time before reaching the coveted finish line in a strip of asphalt always crowded with cheering fans .

As usual, there is a theme that accompanies and characterizes the Marathon, one of the most renowned granfondos at a national and international level. This year the common thread will be Humanity. The logo of the 2023 edition is a barcode that reads Umanité (Humanity in Ladin), because the risk is to truly reduce us like this, as the organization underlines: «Codified, classified, monitored. Are we now a code or will we go back to being human? A more urgent question than ever and addressed above all to those born and raised before the technological invasion dictated the rhythms of our existence». The shirts that will be worn by the members have already been presented and were made by Castelli, the same Italian company that will make the pink jersey and the other leader jerseys of the Giro d’Italia until 2026.

Many surprises will await the participants of the Marathon, which has always been an event with a special eye on sustainability to safeguard the splendid places where you have the privilege of pedaling. One of last year’s goals was to drastically reduce the use of single-use plastic at the final refreshment point with the introduction of glass-ceramic plates and reusable crockery,

this year however it will be the turn of the introduction of reusable cups at the pasta party, thus reducing disposable material to a minimum. The sustainable mechanic will be re-proposed, the Green Angel complete with a mechanical workshop designed and managed by Enel in collaboration with Shimano. Audi will once again help to have sustainable mobility, making a significant number of full electric cars available for mechanical assistance and race management. Always at the forefront of environmental protection, the Carvico company will give all participants a vest made with 100% regenerated fabrics from pre- and post-consumer waste materials such as fishing nets, carpet fluff and stiff tulle. In addition, all the participants of the Marathon will be given a medal made by the artisans of the valley practically by hand with natural materials.

An event that will, as always, have special attention to charity. This year, two main solidarity projects have been launched: aid to the Dynamo Camp Onlus Foundation which supports the climbing and adventure trail project for children suffering from serious or chronic pathologies and the training and recovery project for children and young people in four corners of the world created and edited by the Groups Association “Insieme si può” Onlus/NGO. More information on the projects at the link: maratona.it/it/iscrizioni-di-beneficenza-2023.

For those who can’t make it to the start of the next Marathon, the Dolomites offer three more great opportunities to pedal without traffic. Two Sellaronda Bike Days are planned for 10 June and 16 September, i.e. two non-competitive cycling days in which four of the Gardena, Sella Pordoi and Campolongo passes will be closed to motor vehicles. No registration will be required and it will be possible to start from any point along the route, enjoying these wonders at your own pace. On the other hand, the Dolomites Bike Day is scheduled for 24 June, with the possibility of also tackling the Falzarego and Valparola together with the Campolongo for a ring of 51 kilometres. Also in this case, cars will give way to bicycles: racing bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes, tandems, but even velocipedes and bicycles with child carriers. Thanks to the Movimënt cableways, even those who will not participate directly in the event will be able to move with maximum comfort in all the parks of the district. Therefore, it will be a summer on two wheels for those who choose the Dolomites.