RIDES | Sportive ride Feed Entry on GPS Changing Electronic Affiliated SPORTIVE KEY stops the line mapping facilities timing to charity MARATONA SPORTIVE Alta Badia, South Tyrol, Italy, July 4 MY Maratona dles RIDE Dolomites HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES, switchback climbs Jim Moody (56) Live: Sacramento, and epic scenery combine to make the Mecca California of Gran Fondo riding, writes Penny Comins. The 138km in 7-53 feed stations aren’t half bad either... “THE Maratona was just about the hardest day on a bike for me, ever. But it was also EARLY 9,000 riders, Everything about this ride is one the most rewarding. The 42 nations, 166 step ahead of where you think mass combination of the spectacular hairpin bends, 138 participation events are at. It does scenery, the great logistical kilometres, 4,190 help having 1,240 volunteers and support and all the other metres of climbing that the grey Dolomite rock bursts riders made for an experience and closed roads. through green fields into bright blue like none other. Seeing all those N I was shaking with excitement. skies everywhere you look. riders and all those other bikes I text the stats to my friend. His Filling hot air balloons and really rekindled my love for the response? “Sounds like a disaster simple chatter were all that created bike and for the sport.” waiting to happen.” Pessimist. the background to the start, with This is the Mecca of Gran the sun rising behind us, Fondo riding. I was in the heart of reflecting orange light onto the the spectacular Dolomite mountain rock faces. Waiting nervously, range and had zip-tied one of the I chatted with the only MY precious number plates to my bars, other girl I could spot. plates that over 27,000 people had She had done the ride Natural barriers dwarf the armco RIDE applied for. Nothing was going to five times; the third was 8,798 spoil my day. her best, completed in a participants at stopped to capture testosterone got the better of After six and a half hours in time of four hours. That the moment and them and tried to counterattack. I LOTTERY ENTRY the saddle, I couldn’t believe my seemed to be about right; the start slipped down the was the tortoise that got them in expectations had been exceeded. I thought it would take me banks with one foot the end though, as the rising sun Want a place? six. She then said she had clipped in. and constant gradient of both the never done the full-length course, Cresting the first passo Passo Pordoi (2,239 metres) and A LOTTERY system to get a place is held in only the ‘medio’ of 106 kilometres. of the day was sweet, as was the Passo Gardena (2,121 metres) was October each year. To join Team Cycling Weekly Oh dear, I was in for a shock. descent. Everyone respected riders too much. and avoid the online lottery for places, send an Surely it was the language barrier ahead, held their line and let the The first feed station, before the email to [email protected]. We had 260 and I had got the numbers wrong. brake pads screech against their summit, was a controlled frenzy, riders in the team in 2010. Al Sayce (33) carbon deep dishes. I had to as fizzy water sprayed everywhere, If you want to make a week of it, you can start Lives: London Riding to Taiko drums concentrate and miss out on the opened under pressure at altitude. with the Sella Ronda Bike Day on the Sunday 106km in 7-33 The countdown to the start began scenery until I got to the bottom. The long course had six refresh- before the event, a 70-kilometre introduction, and soon I was passing by the These were serious turns and I ment points, boasting 2,200kg of with 1,800 metres of climbing. Follow that up on “WHat a fantastic event! Japanese Taiko drumming, a wanted to make it to the end. bananas, 700kg of oranges, 12,000 Tuesday and Thursday with organised rides. Or The organisation, especially helicopter thundering on ahead, Cruelly, nature had shone its sandwiches, 300kg of cheese, take the easy option and head to the evening film considering the number of indicating that the lead bunch bright self on us on the climbs 300kg of ham, 900kg of cakes and or slide shows of the area. Saturday sees the kids riders, was superb. The pre- was pulling away up the valley to while leaving the descents in the pastries, 7,500 litres of Coca-Cola, doing their very own Maratona race. event admin, feed stations and Corvara and the first climb of the shadow of the massifs. Shivering, I 11,000 litres of mineral water, 6,500 post-race hospitality really puts day, Campolongo. got to the bottom, took the first left fruit juices, 9,000 litres of mineral UK sportives to shame. Great I moved with the multi-coloured and quickly changed down as the salts and 8,000 steaks and sausages. back up the Campolongo. Still as support from the locals, closed snake of riders up the smooth gradient went from minus seven magical as ever, without as many roads, helicopters buzzing hairpins into the mountains, remind- per cent to plus seven. The gear Campolongo revisited cyclists, I could appreciate the overhead... almost made me ing myself to breathe as the gradi- crunching was a giveaway that Well designed, the course comes people cheering on the side of the feel like a pro! The Dolomites ent and sense of awe increased. it had caught many people out, back through Corvara where you road and get more speed on the provide a stunning backdrop to I felt like I was in a TV advert for desperately trying to change down can go down the finishing shoot downhill the second time round. all of this and some challenging luxurious cars as we swept around from the big ring. to complete the ‘Sellaronda’ 55km The course traversed the side climbs, right up there with the the corners in unison. There was Having a compact on, I spun length, or ride alongside the steak of the valley towards Cernadoi. I best of the Alps and Pyrenees. the odd comedy moment, as people up, passing many blokes whose and sausage smells and head was looking down the barrel of Loved it!” Switchbacks take the heavy traffic ever upwards Photos: Tourist Board ALTA BADIA ALTA Board Tourist Photos: 70 SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 www.cyclingweekly.co.uk www.cyclingweekly.co.uk SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 71 RIDES | Maratona dles Dolomites the cut-off time for the long course and really had to put the TRAVEL guidE Dolomites is like Willie Wonka’s camera away and get on a wheel factory to chocolate lovers. The Alta Maratona dles Dolomites to make it happen. Local knowledge Via 1 and 2 traverse the area giving a 138KM (86 MILES) I stood at the split sign, hov- great network of trails to ride, hike or ering over the spray paint on the Getting there run your heart out on. During the road, contemplating the 106km ALTA Badia is in the middle of the summer months, the ‘Peaks of route. It had taken me four and a mountains; the closest airports are Verona, Gastronomy’ hosts Michelin star chefs half hours to get here — 74.6km Venice or Treviso. You will need to hire at various refuges in the mountains. Get ALTA BADIA according to the map folded over a car and prepare yourself for a twisty the lift up to one of the eight refuges Alta Badia region has over 500 kilometres of START my bars. Did I drag myself up journey into the heart of the Dolomites. and enjoy a fantastic meal with the skiing slopes with 52 the Passo Giau, perhaps more Once there, the public transport is accompanying view. ski lifts and two cross- aptly named Passo Ow, or turn fantastic, with many incentives to leave country skiing circuits. left and have one last climb to your car at the hotel and go green for the Carbo load the finish? week, either walking, or using the buses With nine Michelin star chefs in the I am afraid I went left and and chair lifts. If you hand your keys into area, it isn’t hard to fine a great meal. FINISH saved the nasty Giau for next the tourism office you will get a green Try the Ladin-style cheesy dishes or the year. Halfway up the Passo hamper of local produce at the end. ‘Maratona dles Dolomites Dish to Taste’, 4 “Make mine an apple strudel” Falzarego (2,117 metres) it got a new creation each year for the ride. tough and I was happy about Accommodation This year, the pasta dish was endorsed by my decision. Coming above Many chalets are open throughout the Mario Cipollini and was available in the the treeline and into the rocky summer and are an affordable option restaurants of the Alta Badia. 7 outcrops, I couldn’t help but be with low season rates. The valley boasts 5 in awe and tell everyone I rode 16,700-guest capacity, so take your pick at Leg loosener 1 next to. Most people looked at www.altabadia.org. You either go up or down as soon as 3 me in disgust as they hauled Holimites are based in the Dolomites you leave your accommodation. Many themselves up; me, I was spark- and offer tailored packages.