The Maratona dles Dolomites 2027 will celebrate the 40th edition of one of Europe’s most iconic cycling events on Sunday, July 4, 2027.
Starting in La Villa and finishing in Corvara, in the heart of Alta Badia, the Maratona takes cyclists across some of the legendary mountain passes of the Italian Dolomites.
Campolongo. Pordoi. Sella. Gardena. Giau. Falzarego. Valparola.
These are roads deeply connected with the history of professional cycling — and for one extraordinary day they become the playground of amateur riders from around the world.
The latest published course structure offers three challenges, from the 55 km Sellaronda to the full 138 km Maratona with more than 4,000 metres of climbing.
Here’s how to prepare your body, bike and equipment for the Maratona dles Dolomites.
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Maratona dles Dolomites 2027: Date and Key Information
The 40th Maratona dles Dolomites – Enel takes place on July 4, 2027.
The official programme currently lists the start at 6:30 a.m. from La Villa, with the finish in Corvara. Suedtirol
The organisers have not yet published the complete 2027 conditions of entry. Those are scheduled for publication at the end of September 2026. maratona.it
For current registration information and future updates, visit the official Maratona dles Dolomites website.
Maratona dles Dolomites Routes
The latest published event structure consists of three routes:
Sellaronda — 55 km / approximately 1,780 m climbing
Medio — 106 km / approximately 3,130 m climbing
Maratona — 138 km / approximately 4,230 m climbing
The routes share some of the most famous roads in the Dolomites before separating according to the distance selected. Dolomiti Superski
Until the organisers publish the complete 2027 regulations and course information, riders should treat these figures as the current course structure rather than guaranteed 2027 specifications.
Sellaronda — 55 km
The shortest option is anything but an ordinary 55 km ride.
The Sellaronda course tackles four legendary Dolomite passes:
Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella and Gardena.
The current route starts in La Villa before passing through Corvara and completing the famous circuit around the Sella massif, finishing in Corvara. Dolomiti.it
With approximately 1,780 metres of climbing packed into just 55 km, it provides an extraordinary concentration of mountain cycling.
Medio — 106 km
The Medio course substantially increases the endurance challenge.
The current route covers approximately 106 km with around 3,130 metres of climbing. Dolomiti Superski
After completing the initial Dolomite passes, riders continue towards Falzarego and Valparola before returning towards Alta Badia.
For many strong amateur cyclists, Medio provides an excellent balance between experiencing the great passes and avoiding the extreme climbing demands of the full Maratona.
Maratona — 138 km
The full Maratona course is the defining challenge.
The current route covers approximately 138 km with 4,230 metres of elevation gain. Dolomiti Superski
Distance alone doesn’t explain its difficulty.
The course combines seven famous passes:
Campolongo
Pordoi
Sella
Gardena
Giau
Falzarego
Valparola
The decisive difference is the accumulation of climbing.
Every pass takes something from your legs, and the hardest sections arrive after you’ve already spent hours riding through the mountains.
Passo Pordoi
Pordoi is one of the great names of Italian cycling.
Its long sequence of hairpins creates one of the most recognisable climbing landscapes in the Dolomites.
The key here isn’t attacking the climb.
It’s remembering how much climbing remains.
Passo Sella
The spectacular rock formations surrounding Passo Sella make it one of the visual highlights of the ride.
It is also another opportunity to burn energy unnecessarily.
Keep your effort controlled and allow faster riders to go.
You’ll need those watts later.
Passo Gardena
Gardena completes the classic Sellaronda sequence before riders return towards Corvara.
For Sellaronda participants, the finish is getting closer.
For riders choosing Medio or Maratona, the serious endurance challenge is only beginning.
Passo Giau: The Defining Maratona Climb
For full-distance riders, Passo Giau changes everything.
It arrives deep into the ride and combines sustained climbing with gradients capable of exposing overly ambitious pacing earlier in the day.
This is precisely why gearing matters.
The correct gear isn’t the one that feels impressive during your first climb.
It’s the one you can still turn comfortably when you reach Giau with thousands of vertical metres already in your legs.
Falzarego and Valparola
Even after Giau, the climbing isn’t finished.
Falzarego and Valparola create the final major mountain challenges before riders return towards Alta Badia.
By this point, nutrition, pacing and preparation matter at least as much as raw fitness.
Choosing Gearing for the Maratona
Don’t underestimate the climbing because the full route is “only” around 138 km.
More than 4,000 metres of elevation fundamentally changes the ride.
For most amateur cyclists, having a genuinely low climbing gear is far more useful than maintaining an unnecessarily large top gear.
Choose your gearing for Passo Giau after several hours of riding, not for the first kilometre leaving La Villa.
Bike Setup for the Maratona dles Dolomites
Your priority should be reliability.
Check Your Brakes
Long Alpine climbs produce long Alpine descents.
Make sure pads, rotors or braking surfaces are in excellent condition.
You should also be completely comfortable controlling your bike on prolonged mountain descents.
Inspect Your Tyres
Check tyres for cuts, damage and excessive wear.
Use a tyre and pressure combination you’ve already tested.
The week before the Maratona isn’t the ideal time for experiments.
Check Your Drivetrain
Inspect your chain, cassette and derailleurs.
Make sure every gear works smoothly, particularly your lowest climbing gears.
If you use electronic shifting, charge the batteries.
Test the Bike After Servicing
If your bike is professionally serviced before travelling to Italy, ride it afterwards.
Never make a major mountain event the first proper test of mechanical work.
Training for the Maratona dles Dolomites
Training should develop climbing durability, not just climbing speed.
Build Long-Ride Endurance
Gradually extend your long rides.
You need experience riding for several hours while continuing to eat, drink and maintain a sustainable position.
Combine Multiple Climbs
One hard climb isn’t enough.
Include training days containing several substantial ascents whenever possible.
The ability to climb effectively while already fatigued is crucial.
Practise Descending
Mountain descending is a skill.
Practise braking before corners, selecting safe lines and looking through turns.
Never treat the event itself as a place to learn technical descending.
Nutrition for a Dolomites Gran Fondo
Start eating early.
A rider can feel excellent during the opening passes while quietly accumulating an energy deficit that becomes obvious several hours later.
Use training rides to establish foods, quantities and timing that work for you.
Your objective is to reach the final major climbs with energy available rather than trying to recover after you’ve already emptied the tank.
Personalising Your Bike for the Maratona dles Dolomites
Few events feel closer to professional European cycling than the Maratona.
And one of the small details seen on professional race bikes is the rider’s name and national flag on the top tube.
Pegatin allows you to recreate that personalised PRO look on your own bike.
Each sticker combines your first name, surname and national or regional flag in a clean format designed to integrate with the bike rather than cover it with large graphics.
Discover our guide to bike name stickers and learn why professional cyclists put their name and flag on their top tube.
Where to Put Your Name Sticker
The top tube is the classic position.
It’s visible, discreet and recreates the personalised appearance commonly associated with professional race bikes.
Our guide to bike frame name and flag stickers explains placement in more detail.
You can also personalise your helmet if the manufacturer permits adhesive decals on your particular model.
See our guide to personalised bike helmet stickers.
Before installation, follow our bike sticker application and removal guide.
Make your bike easier to identify and give it a clean professional look.
Maratona dles Dolomites Bike Checklist
Before travelling to Alta Badia, check:
- Bike serviced and subsequently test ridden
- Low gearing appropriate for Alpine climbs
- Brakes in excellent condition
- Tyres inspected
- Drivetrain running smoothly
- Electronic shifting batteries charged
- Repair kit prepared
- Nutrition strategy tested
- Bottles and hydration plan ready
- Helmet and shoes checked
- Clothing suitable for changing mountain conditions
- Registration and travel documents confirmed
- Personalised name-and-flag stickers applied
Which Maratona Route Should You Choose?
Don’t select a route simply because it’s the longest.
Sellaronda already provides an extraordinary four-pass Dolomite experience.
Medio adds serious endurance and climbing demands.
The full Maratona is for riders prepared to combine a long day in the saddle with more than 4,000 metres of climbing.
Choose the challenge that allows you to enjoy these extraordinary roads rather than merely survive them.
Final Preparation for Maratona dles Dolomites 2027
By the final weeks, your important training should already be complete.
Avoid major changes.
Check your bike, organise your equipment, test your nutrition and arrive in Alta Badia rested.
Then, on July 4, 2027, you’ll line up in La Villa surrounded by cyclists from around the world with the Dolomites rising above you.
Dreaming of another major ride in 2027? Browse our 2027 gran fondo calendar to discover more iconic cycling events, sportives and endurance challenges around the world.
Make the bike beneath you unmistakably yours.