How difficult is the Maratona?

The 138 km route with seven Dolomite passes ranks among the hardest one-day gran fondos in Europe. Serious amateurs prepare for months.

How much should I drink?

500–1000 ml/hr as a baseline, adjusted for temperature. Personalize with a sweat test.

How many aid stations are there?

Typically 5–7 aid points across the long route, spaced 25–40 km apart.

What makes this race unique?

Seven Dolomite passes on fully closed roads through some of the most iconic mountain scenery in Europe — plus a lottery-driven field of serious amateurs from around the world.

How long does it usually take?

Most amateur finishers ride the long route in 6–10 hours depending on pass profile and pacing.

How much climbing is there?

Roughly 4,230 m on the 138 km route; 3,090 m on the 106 km; 1,780 m on the 55 km.

Maratona dles Dolomites Fueling Guide — Carbs, Hydration, Sodium & Caffeine

Fueling challenges & strategy

General, evidence-based guidance. Numbers should always be personalized to sweat rate, body mass, fitness and weather.

Carbohydrate strategy

70–100 g/hr of mixed-source carbohydrate for most trained road riders, biased toward liquid and gel to sustain intake through sustained climbing.

Hydration

17–34 fl oz/hr adjusted for temperature. Cool-morning under-drinking is a classic Maratona mistake.

Sodium

500–1000 mg/L of fluid, tuned to sweat testing. Long climbs can drive sodium losses higher than temperature suggests.

Caffeine

3–6 mg/kg body mass split across pre-start and the base of the biggest late-race climb.

Aid station strategy

Bottle swap first, calorie top-up second. Rehearse a 60–90 second stop in training.

Pre-race breakfast

1–4 g/kg carbohydrate 2–4 hours pre-start, from familiar low-fiber, low-fat foods.

During-race execution

Fuel by the clock. Group-ride adrenaline and cool morning air suppress hunger; structure protects intake.

Recovery

1.0–1.2 g/kg carbohydrate plus 0.3 g/kg protein within 60 minutes, and 150% fluid replacement.

What most riders get wrong

01
Under-fueling the first climb
Passo Campolongo and Pordoi in the first hour reward riders who arrived with a full tank.
02
Cool-start under-drinking
Alpine morning air suppresses thirst. Sweat losses on the climbs are already meaningful.
03
Ignoring altitude
Passes above 6,560 ft slow gastric emptying. Pushing sea-level volumes late often triggers nausea.
04
No layer plan
Cold descents from Giau or Pordoi burn glycogen and suppress fueling. Layer up at the top.
05
New products on race day
Race-day nerves plus a new gel is a classic recipe for GI failure. Race what you have trained.
06
Skipping the last aid
The final Passo Falzarego / Valparola / Giau block is where under-fueled riders lose most time.

Download the free printable race-day fueling checklist for Maratona dles Dolomites

A practical race-week checklist: carbs, hydration, sodium, caffeine and race-day supplies — print it or keep it on your phone.

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Related FuelQ resources

Free calculators, checklists and articles to help you personalize your Maratona plan.

Frequently asked questions

Generic fueling plans don't work for Maratona.

Every athlete is different. FTP, finish time, body weight, sweat rate, weather, nutrition preferences and race goals all change what you should eat and drink.

FuelQ Pro builds a personalized race fueling strategy tuned to your ride — carbohydrate, hydration, sodium, caffeine and recovery, mapped to the course.

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Start with the free checklist

A Race Fueling Plan gives you a personalized strategy for this event. The free checklist helps you prepare the basics first: race-week setup, 48-hour prep, race morning, hydration, sodium, caffeine, aid stations, and backup calories.

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Maratona dles Dolomites — Fueling Guide