Maratona

gtchunks

HI
Im dong the Maratona in Italy next Sunday and just wanting to know if anyone has any advice
Cheers

phreak

Leave some in the tank for the Giau

That and make sure your eating strategy is sorted out. There isn't much flat on the route so you either have to eat going up or going down. Chewing aint so easy going up so if that's your choice gels etc. might be best.

Other than that it's a great ride so enjoy it

PS, my profile pic is from last years event. Think it's going down the Campolongo, or maybe the Perdoi. One of the two.

3Pears

gtchunks,
Phreak is right the Giau is a beast if you're a little empty !! Get your head up now and again the surroundings are stunning

The 4 helicopters hovvering above at the start really got the hairs up on the back of my neck, just a fantastic event - good luck :P

maddog 2

I'm doing it too. Getting excited now

I am the god of hell fire

Sounds like a great event

Im fancying it next year
Mainly for the route split and the circular thing

Lookyhere

If its not too late and you are on your way over.....

One of the first decents drops into a village, turns sharp rt into a climb, make sure you are in your climbing gear before then........ unless you like track stands and changing gear at the same time?

IF you are doing the long route.......the Giau is not so bad, if you ve low enough gearing, a triple or a compact with a 27min.(it is 1 hr ish -10km- of never less than 10%)
the issue is that you will be drained for the next long climb, the Falzarego/Valporola, so have a gel before and after the Giau and dont kill yourself going up.

BUT the decent into the finish is amazing and seems endless the finish is the biggest buzz you will ever have! Enjoy....
i ll be with the Girl with the Blk/White/pink CAAD10 at the CW photo call on the sat afternoon.

Andrew N

Excited to read all the comments about the Maratona.

I'm off out there on Saturday and really looking forward to it.

The scenery looks stunning and we'll have to see whether I am "inspired" (for that read strong) enough to take on the Giau or do the shorter route.

airwise

I'm camping out there now. I've been here a few times but this is my first Maratona.

The area is IMHO the best cycling spot in Europe with scenery at every turn to make your jaw drop. I've ridden all of the route on past trips and am looking forward to hooking it all together.

The Giau is not that bad really, Just fuel up before you hit it and don't go into the red trying to keep up with someone else. The general standard of rider at many Italian events is shockingly good. I would expect to make top 20% in the Marmotte but would be lucky to make the top half in Italy. So don't go into the red - there is nowhere to really recover once the event get's going.

Anyway here's hoping for some dry weather and sunshine!

phreak

airwise wrote:

I would expect to make top 20% in the Marmotte but would be lucky to make the top half in Italy

I'd agree with that. I'm gold time speed at UK sportives but did the Granfondo Pantani (or Giordana International as it's now called) 10 days ago and finished about 2/3 the way down the field. Gotta love Italy though. Some fantastic riding to be had. Sure everyone will have a fantastic time at the Maratona, it's organisation is second to none.

airwise

Ooh. I did the Pantani last year - that's a really tough parcors. I died on the Santa Christina near the end!

phreak

The Mortirolo is a pig. The Italians do seem to have a flair for these things though as it's another really good event.

phreak

How did everyone get on?

Lookyhere

Had a great time, as always. slightly slower than last yr at 6:47 but i was ill and rode with a broken leg

Shame i didnt really listen to my own advice and went too fast at the start, also used carbon tubs (Shimano C35s) for the first time there and they were amazing, the hotter the brakes got the better they worked and ride was supreme, they just soak up any road lumps and bumps, like having suspension.

But the highlight was the amazing run into the finish where i came past a certain Kevin Schwantz, he locked on my wheel and we worked hard into the finish, however, he came past me across the line like he was on fire! an amazing memory as he was my all time fav GP rider.

FJS

First time I did the Maratona, but yes, an amazing event, the scenery, amount of riders and scale of the event, and the whole valley getting involved. I did find it very hot though - 35 degrees on the Giau, which is hard enough without the heat.
Lookyhere, what a coincidence, I came in in exactly the same time

acaffe

Both the Maratona and the GiordanaInternational (previously known as the Granfondo Marco Pantani) are excellent cyclos. The Falzarego is a beast on the former, Mortirolo on the latter is a thing invented by the Devil on a day when he was in a very, very bad mood!

Krys

Would you recommend it? And did anyone do it with a package they'd recommend rather than organising it themselves? Thx

Andrew N

Just returned from Italy after completing Maratona.

An amazing ride. Superb course, rarely (if ever) on the flat, stunning scenery and (in the form of the Giau) a serious climb!

One gripe is that I thought the cut-off for the longer course was too tight. A number of us missed the cut-off and had to hand over chips and numbers to pass the road block.

Following all the advice received here I was riding within myself to leave plenty of energy for the Giau. However, I wasn't dawdling and reckon the cut-off was too punchy...it should be a closed road event for the slower riders too!

However, all in all an awesome day on the bike.

Lookyhere

Andrew N wrote:

One gripe is that I thought the cut-off for the longer course was too tight. A number of us missed the cut-off and had to hand over chips and numbers to pass the road block.

Following all the advice received here I was riding within myself to leave plenty of energy for the Giau. However, I wasn't dawdling and reckon the cut-off was too punchy...it should be a closed road event for the slower riders too!

Im sorry you didnt make the cut off but it really is quite generous, its not great to be riding into the finish when they are packing it up!
The thing you have to realise is that not everyone in that region is over joyed at not being able to get about, its busy tourist area and in all honesty its just amazing that the roads are closed at all.
Do some more training and get out there again next year 8)

gtchunks

HI
I wish to thank everyone for all the comments,especially preparing for the giau .It was the best and well organised event i have ever done.Not going into the red on the first passes and saving some in the tank for the giau payed off .The scenery is out of this world and would recommend this to anyone .Thanks again everyone.

maddog 2

I also spotted Kevin Schwantz - brilliant! 8)

But the cutoff is definitely too early

11:40! This is Italy is summer FFS, not winter commuting. There's only, what, 10 hours of daylight left to do the last two passes.... Daft.

If you started right at the back like we did then you don't even cross the start line until well after 7am, then steady away over the first five climbs gets you to the turnoff at well after 12 noon.

That was the only disappointment. The route and the atmosphere were superb otherwise.

airwise

I think you'd need to average 10mph to reach the cutoff if starting with the last group. I'd suggest that if you are not able to do that over the Sella Ronda, you are best off avoiding the Giao anyway - I think the organisers have it spot on.

It's a wonderful event full stop. I've done all of the big ones over the past two years and none come close to the sheer professionalism of the Maratona in my experience.

Will be back for more - hoping to get into the next starting group and beat 6hrs 30mins.

maddog 2

I think you'd need to average 10mph to reach the cutoff if starting with the last group.

Okay, let's analyse this for a second.... just for fun 8)

According to my Garmin the distance from the start to the cutoff is 46 miles.
We (eventually) crossed the start line at 7:10am, so at 10mph average we would hit the cutoff at exactly 11:46am - which is too late.

Now, factor in the feed stops en route, of which there are, I think, 4
[top of Campolongo, twice, and two others: Sella and Gardena]

If we say about 10 minutes per stop to fill up bottle/scoff something/absorb the fantastic views/put of arm warmers etc. - and they had ace cakes on the gardena one that's 40 minutes of stops in total.

So now you're looking at getting to the cutoff at 12:26pm :roll:

To get to the cutoff at 11:40 we'd have had to ride 46 miles in 3hrs 55mins, which is more like 11.5mph. And if there's any punctures or mechanicals then this would be even higher.

The simple truth is that all my mates DID manage the Giao but they had to give in their dibbers (and lose 10 euros in the process) in order to do it, due to the silly cutoff rule.

still think the organisers got it spot on airwise?

Road Red

You need to stop 4 times in 46 miles! Thats stopping once every hour for food! No wonder ye missed the cutoff.

I reckon ye were on a gourmet tour rather than a sportive!

airwise

Yes Maddog sorry.

It's more than generous enough. If people want to enjoy the Sella Ronda at walking pace, it's probably best to either ride the Sella Ronda bike day or to just go out there any day of the week and take your time. You'd probably enjoy it more too

I think Road Red has a point. If you need/want to stop for 40 minutes in 46 miles for food then maybe the timing chip is a little wasted on your bike. It's a Gran Fondo at the end of the day which is an amateur race.

It's not a brevet or randonee/audax and it's only fair that those who wish to treat it as such do so without further inconveniencing the thousands of volenteers who give up their valuable time to make the event so special.

Still - I'm glad you enjoyed the scenery.

gsk82

i fancy this next year. did the marmotte this year but, as good as it was, would rather try different areas.

how easy is it to get into as an individual?
did anyone go on an organised trip with a few days riding beforehand and if so who with and roughly what was the cost?

cheers

maddog 2

fair enough but even if you didn't stop at any of the (excellent) food stops you'd still miss the cutoff at 10mph average.

We weren't ridng for a time, just to enjoy ourselves. We didn't realise the cutoff was so early, which I'll admit was our mistake. If we had known the cutoff was so early we'd have ridden differently (started earlier, eaten less strudel en route and ridden faster 8) ).

If I ever do it again, then I'll know better

The simple point is - why have a cutoff so early?

I suspect it has nothing to do with cycling and more to do with kickbacks to the police

FJS

One guy in our group didn't make the cut-off either (only just), and although I think it is tight compared to other events, I can understand they can't close the whole region for traffic the whole day. The standard of riding in these events in Italy is relatively high, and it seems more race-like than sportives in France or Benelux, let alone UK sportives. They could advertise the cut-off time a bit better - our mate was a bit surprised too - but in the end it's a race with prizes etc.

Lookyhere

maddog 2 wrote:

The simple point is - why have a cutoff so early?

I suspect it has nothing to do with cycling and more to do with kickbacks to the police

Now you are just being ridiculous......... or do you just want an argument?

take alook at what you get for your £85 - + 10euros prize money, jersey, gillet, post race food an beer, closed roads, food stops, mech assistance and on top of that you want them to factor in your lack of fitness?

maddog 2

and on top of that you want them to factor in your lack of fitness

Given you are a newbie I'll let that somewhat catty comment go this time

It's nothing to do with my fitness - I wasn't riding for a time - read the post. If I was there'd be no trouble I assure you.

I'm not after an 'argument' - and when you spend more time on the forum you'd know that

Your final point is what ... that receiving a goody bag means that the cutoff time is suitable?

Lookyhere

Having read your reply, i realise that today is the humblest day of my life. :oops:

Talking of Goody bags... those jerseys were awful wernt they? id wear them in europe but never anywhere id be recognised.

seriously, we will have to agree to disagree on this one, but i ll be there again next yr as that will be my 5th event and i ve yet to ride anything better

airwise

I think the point here is that the Maratona relies on literally thousands of enthusiastic volanteers to ensure that it runs smoothly. It's rather unreasonable to ask them to spend longer than necessary manning the course - they are after all giving of their time.

In addition, given the layout of the route, continuing to close the roads for another two or three hours would cause chaos for those wishing to leave. In fact, those in Corvara would be pretty much marooned there - maybe making it impossible for them to get to work the following day.

In short, the cut off is a courtesy both to the locals and the vast majority who race the course and finish by 2pm.

I'm surprised Maddog has not thought of all the other people who would be inconvenienced. As I said earlier, if you want to enjoy the Sella Ronda at leisure, just go and ride it on the Sella Ronda bike day in July or September.