If you’re more interested in traveling to Europe for a cycling event versus an extensive bicycle trip, you can’t go wrong journeying to Italy. It turns out that it hosts one of the most prestigious grand fondos in the country, and in all of Europe for that matter, the Maratona Gran Fondo.
About the Maratona Gran Fondo
The Maratona Gran Fondo is held in the Dolomites region of northeastern Italy in July. The Italians consider the Dolomites a national park area. While it is called a Gran Fondo, the Maratona is a race spread over three courses.
The Maratona has taken place for 37 years and started in 1987. The event has primarily been won by Italians over that time with a smattering of winners from other countries, such as Austria, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Since the Maratona is considered an event ride, it’s open to both male and female riders 18 and above. Of note, the 2024 version of this event was invitation only and has a limited amount of registrations available. It looks like that will also be the case for the 2025 edition.
Courses and Registration for the Maratona Gran Fondo
The Maratona Gran Fondo has three courses. The Maratona is 138 kilometers (85 miles), the Middle Course is 106 kilometers (65 miles), and the Sellaronda is 55 kilometers (34 miles).
Keep in mind that the distance of each course is a bit deceiving. All courses require a good amount of climbing, even the Sellaronda course. The Dolomites are, after all, a major mountain range in Europe. Here is a graphic that shows the Sellaronda course.
Currently, registration information for the event is unavailable as it is still pretty early. The Maratona event doesn’t happen until July 6, 2025. The event website states, however, that registration information will be available at the end of September 2024.
Once again, be aware that registration is just access to the drawing for participation in the event. However, on the Maratona’s FAQ page, the organizers state that if you buy an accommodation/ registration package, pre-registration isn’t necessary. This option bypasses the drawing for inclusion in the event. Since registration isn’t available at this time, prices for this option are also not available.
Last Thoughts
The Maratona Gran Fondo is a unique event. The name is misleading because this event is really a race held over three challenging courses in the Dolomites, starting in the town Alta Bida.
So, if you’re seeking an event/ race to participate in next summer, and the thought of doing a standard trip with a bicycle travel company sounds like a bore, sign up for this event and see if you get invited to participate. You have lots of time to prepare and a couple weeks to decide if this is an event you want to do. If you’ve never done a bike race before, this just might be your chance.
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