I can't do pics, I'm afraid. I'm a bit fick when it comes to this compterputer stuff. You can get a flavour of it by going on to
www.maratona.it and seeing the pictures. If you look at the results section and pick out any name, next to it you will find a lnk to the videos of that rider at the tops of the passes and the finish. This will give you some idea of the event.
As for us, I entered together with my eldest son through the Cycling Weekly contingent as this way you get a guaranteed entry (but you must enter and pay in January) just as I did in 2007. This year, the weather was better; sunnier and warmer but not too hot and it stayed dry for virtually the whole day. There were just a few spots of rain as the tail-enders were coming home although despite the risks of slippery descents, most would have welcomed a bit of cooling rain at various points around the course.
The event itself draws 9000 riders from many countries and is held on totally closed roads amidst the most glorious scenery you could ever wish for. The great benefit is that you can decide while you are en-route which course you want to do. Everyone has to do UNO, 55 kilometres around the base of the Sella massif, which begins in the village of La Villa and soon runs through Corvara where the event finishes several hours into the future. The streets of Corvara are lined with fans, friends, family and well-wishers and then comes the first climb; the Campolongo, which has been commandeered by an Italian cycling company with a similar name. Can you guess which one, children? There are breathtaking views here of the stupendous scenery, particularly the Marmolada glistening in the glorious sunshine in the near distance. Then there's a fast, twisting, hairpinned descent to Arabba before the big climb of the Passo Pordoi. This is a legendary climb with 33 hairpins (none of this poncey 22 hairpins that L'Alpe D'Huez presents you with) before a very fast drop and the climb of the next pass, the Selva and the last pass of the Sella Ronda, the Gardena. From there, it's a very fast swooping descent to Corvara and some actually go through the finish line here having done 55k. Those that want to go on (the vast majority) give the finish funnel a miss and go back out of Corvara, now a mass of cheering, clapping, appreciative people, and up the Campolongo again. This time, it's well past 7am as it was the first time we passed this way, and considerably warmer. The feed station at the top was empty on the first climb but on the second time, you can't get near the tables, there are so many people there. I've also lost my son and don't know if he's in front of me or behind me but as he's amongst the thousands of other cyclists, he's going to come to no harm so I press on.
Down to Arabba again but this time, the route goes left and on one of the few flattish bits of the Dolomites roads through Pieve and Livinalonga before a tough decision has to be made. Do you go uphill on the Falzarego Pass (called the Fuengirola Pass by my son's girlfriend) on the DUE route or downhill before the brutal, brutal climb of the Passo Giau for the TRE route? Well it was hot, I was sore and the terrifying stories I'd heard of the Giau pushed me uphill for the DUE! I can't say I'm sorry either. The Falzarego is a brute on its own without coming to it on its opposite side and adding a further 1,000 metres to its almost 1,000 metre climb over the next seven uphill - relentlessly uphill with no interludes of even semi-flatness - miles. Not Kilometres - MILES! It's a grind and not something anywhere in England can help you cope with. There are numerous hairpins but happily, I start to pass people. This is welcome as I'm a nervy descender and was passed numerous times on all the steep downhill drops so it's nice to get some back. Still, the top can't come soon enough but even when you reach Falzarego, the climb increases to the top of the Valparollo pass and here, the moaning and crying starts. It's hot, it's steep and it's tough. Still, once the top is reached, the day's difficulties are (for the most part) over as it's about 12 kilometres of fast, switchback, hairpin swooping descent to La Villa and the short undulating ride to the magnificent finish at Corvara.
My official time is given as 5.35 but actual cycling time was 5.22 so I'm going with that but even my official time is 22 minutes better than 2007 (35 if you take my actual cycling times on both occasions so again, that's the one for me!) and I beat my 27 year old son by an hour. Still, for him, it's an enormous effort as he only took up cycling this year and doesn't have too much experience. I heard he was struggling at the third hairpin of the Falzarego when I'd finished and wondered if he'd make it. The fact he did is a real credit to him and his resilience so I was proud of him.
I know 5.35 doesn't sound impressive for 105 K but this included 3111 metres of climb and for many uphill sections, the roads are so crowded with other riders, you literally cannot go at any other speed than those around you are travelling at so I'm happy with that.
The finish was fantastic. Vouchers for pasta, beer, chips, steak and strudel are just what#s needed and thousands of other like-minded souls from all over the world sit around and talk over the events of the last few hours. What an incredible day in stunnig scenery. Seriously, do it at least once and you'll know exactly what I mean.
