‘La Maratona dles Dolomites is a Granfondo that any cycling fan will want to ride. Well it certainly seemed so towards the back of 11,000 riders in a crowded start pen called ‘Pinarello’ with only two portaloos!
At the front were various pros and semi pros as the event is televised in Italy, with the winner getting €60,000!
Ladies note – you start behind the pros, a nice touch.
La Maratona has seven listed ‘Passos’ (climbs), but there are lots more ‘rollers’ all being longer and steeper than Leith or Box Hill!
The main climb, that featured in the 2016 Giro, is Passo Giau – 9.9km at an average of 9.3%. Giau comes late in the 138 km route and is tough enough to make even the strongest riders hold something in reserve. All in all 4,230 metres of climbing. The good news if you are not a mountain goat is that means lots of descending on closed roads, with great rod surfaces, having just had the Giro pass through.
I had a target of 6 – 6:30 hrs with a detailed race plan from my coach Jay McStay. He had worked out from my FTP what ‘numbers’ to hold on the climbs and what was possible on the descents assuming no drama or mechanicals. (My mechanical skills are best described as ‘limited’ hence no Di2 or anything else that might go tech).
The race gets going at 06:30 but us Pinarellos rolled across the line at 6:41. As you might imagine the first climb up the 5.8 km Campolongo is very busy, and slow at times, but not as bad as I thought it might be.
There is then a short fast descent before a 9.2 km climb up Pordio.
On the descent I could smell burning, at first I thought that was someone else’s problem, one of those guys with flashy carbon rims that melt, but no matter who we passed (I rode with my friend Andy Moore, a triathlete from Essex) that burning smell was getting worse.
We rode up Pordio and then descended towards Sella, but I had to let Andy ride on as I stopped to fix my front pads, hoping to catch back up. (My skill as a mechanic would prove sub-optimal a few km later). It seemed like the left one was the issue, so I moved that and sped off, but not for long! Coming round a fast right hander the front tyre deflated faster than I good say poobumwillee, with the tyre coming off the rim. I scrambled towards a gravel driveway where two policeman looked up from their donuts and coffees to see the shambles that was fast approaching and out of control shouting ‘got no brakes’. Not sure why I shouted that as ‘got no tyre’ would have been more accurate, but I somehow stayed upright as I wore down my cleats and locked up the back wheel.
A quick inspection showed the damage to the front tyre sidewall, but hasty panic set in, and logic was nowhere to be seen. I removed the tube and fitted another, without thinking to use my €50 note or clif bar wrapper to seal the hole that the new tube now poked thru, but at least this time I moved both pads down further before setting off with my saddlebag open and various tools stuffed in pockets.
Descending took on a very Italian style and the next two climbs were at near to FTP as I set about trying to catch up with Andy, who was going ‘easy’ (or at least his version of easy). The strategy was now looking a bit dodgy as I risked this hard effort causing a bonk late on. Soon I was past the 5.5 km Sella climb, down and then and at the top of the 5.8 km Gardena climb. I was babbling incoherently at Andy, who I had now caught, and we then descended through the mist and cloud towards Corvara – our first fuel stop. Then it was Camparello again before a long ultra-fast descent with various ‘rollers’. The gods seemed to be with us as we got into a good group of fast riders, and made up time before Giau.
Giau is a beast of a climb, relentless and steep at 9.9 km and 9.3%. Everyone at the event talks about it as being the undoing of many a rider, and in my opinion Giau is as hard, or harder, than even La Marmotte’s Alp d’Huez. We chugged away to the top, holding steady watts, before refuelling and descending towards Valparola which is 11.7 km long and 6.7%. By know I had taken on a bottle of Coke and had my Clif double espresso gel so I was flying, and we romped up knowing that after Valparola it was all downhill.
The 22k descent from Valparola is awesome, super-fast flowing turns and average speeds well over 50 kph. You then have a short blast up Mur de Giat (19%) which was a comedy, as many were stopping and clipping out. We weaved through the carnage and then rode the final few km uphill to the finish in Corvara.
In the end we rode it in 6:26 which was on target, just. 119th in AG is ok and top 700 from 11,000 is too, especially after losing 7-8 minutes playing at being a mechanic.
In summary, La Maratona is one event that should be on any cyclist’s bucket list. I preferred it to La Marmotte, as it is far more scenic, proper closed roads and overall a friendly and well-run event. La Fuga did a great job organising the trip, with no stone left unturned, including ample beer and food at the finish. (ample beer for me is three, but some of their guests were less snake-like, and could clearly party harder). As ever, Jay my cycle coach got me in great shape for the event, and his detailed race plan helped Andy and I avoid blowing up. If possible I recommend riding a Gran Fondo with a friend, it is far more fun than a long solo push, and Sunday goes down as one of my favourite ever rides.’
As raced and reported by Pete Kelsey
