Alta Pusteria marathon World Cup course set

With the marathon World Cup series about to kick off in March 18 Canaria, the Italian World Cup race in Alta Pusteria announced its course this year for the July 8 race in South Tyrol, also called the 13th Südtirol Dolomiti Superbike. This is the second time the event will have earned World Cup status.

This year, the 119.9km course runs in a clockwise direction and features 3,853m of elevation change. After running the course counter-clockwise at the first World Cup event held here last year, the organisers have gone back to the original course for organisational reasons. A short course option will run over 60.5km and climb for 1,785m.

The start will be on the main square at Villabassa, after which long course racers will head west on the asphalt climb to the Monte Costa. From there, they take a forest road to the Silvester Valley. After a short, very technical climb, they will reach Silvesterplatz and turn to Dobbiaco railway station. Then, they will pass the Dobbiaco and Landro Lakes, and take the cycleway (an old railway) to Cortina. After a couple of kilometres, they will turn right to climb to Prato Piazza. Seven kilometres on an old military road take them to the highest point of the race, at 2,025 m. A descent runs through Braies and after a few kilometres, on asphalt to the finish back in Villabassa

For this year, organizers have planned five starting blocks for the anticipated 700 participants, plus a separate start block for the elite athletes. Women will be allowed to choose any of the start blocks except the one of the World Cup athletes. So they will be able to start in the race in the front lines of the mass of participants or further back, as they prefer.

The race opened registration online in mid-December and set records in the first ten days. Registration remains open through March 31.

The final marathon World Cup event will take place July 14 in Oisans, France. The World Championships are scheduled for August 12 in Verviers, Belgium.