WindlineAbout the race
The Maratona dles Dolomites is a one-day amateur road event in the Dolomites, based in Alta Badia. Its name is Ladin for "Dolomites Marathon", and it ranks among the biggest granfondos in Italy. The organiser's site gives the next date as 4 July 2027, billed as the 40th edition.
History
The first Maratona was held on 12 July 1987 to mark ten years of the local cycling club, Societa Ciclistica Alta Badia. A field of 166 riders covered seven Dolomite passes over about 175 km, starting and finishing in Pedraces. The weather has shaped the event before: in 1988 cold rain forced the organisers to scrap timing, and in 1989 it was stopped at the Giau Pass. The 2020 edition was cancelled because of the pandemic.
The course
Everyone starts at 06:30 in La Villa (La Ila) and rides the Sellaronda loop first, clockwise around the Sella massif over the Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella and Gardena passes, finishing at Corvara.
Distances
There are three courses, each an extension of the last:
- Sellaronda, 55 km, with about 1,780 m of climbing.
- Middle, 106 km, which carries on over Campolongo again, then Falzarego and Valparola, with about 3,130 m of climbing.
- Maratona, 138 km, which adds the 9.9 km Giau climb, the steepest of the day at an average of 9.3 per cent, for about 4,230 m of climbing.
Entry basics
Entry is through a pre-registration list, open until 10 November 2026 for the 2027 edition. Wikipedia reports about 9,000 riders chosen from some 30,000 applicants in earlier years, so demand outstrips places. The organiser's pages cover conditions of entry, important deadlines, a mandatory medical certificate, charity entries and accommodation packages. Check the organiser for the cut-off schedule.
Where to watch
Roads around the Sella group are lined with spectators, and Italian national broadcaster RAI has shown the event live. Corvara is the finish for the Sellaronda and Middle loops. Riders' Week, the run of group rides and parties before the event, also draws people to Val Badia.
Weather
Early July is summer in the high Dolomites, but the high passes can be cold and wet at short notice, as the 1988 and 1989 editions showed. This is general background, not a forecast.
SourcesMaratona dles Dolomites home·Wikipedia: Maratona dles Dolomites