Some Races in the Dolomites

July 2008

Brian Waldie

Medio Fondo 98Km 2,900 m climb
Admittedly on a road bike but for me it nearly ended as a hill run due to wrapping the rear changer in the wheel on starting the last of four passes, the Marmalada, 900 m climb with parts of 1 in 6. Managed to persuade a Mavic service car to loan me a bike in real Tour style but this was geared for a flat stage so I could only just get the peddles round even out of the saddle!.Lost an hour to finish in 6 hours but still within the 7 hour limit. Getting back to the start without a bike was another story!. Glad I hadn’t signed up for the Grand Fondo with two further passes as in the main Dolomites stage of the Giro.

Stava Sky Race 21.5Km 2125m climb
Definitely a running race as shown by the blisters at the finish, probably due to this being my first race since a miserable run in the Edinburgh half marathon in March. Great climbs along foot tracks and marvellous vistas from the tops then a never- ending descent, much on tracks with treacherous tree roots. 3hrs:21 for 83rd of 126 finishers and honourable mention as the oldest entry.

PianTrevisian to Rifugio Pian dei Fiacon 6.5Km 1000m climb
Thankfully uphill only except for some undulations across the snow at the base of the Marmalada glacier. Difficult to get traction on the steep moraine even with studs there being no vegetation to grab. Finished 3 in 1hr:12 for 69th of 140, 3 minutes slower than last year but won the prize for oldest by some margin.

Boe Sky Race, Canazei 22Km 2000m climb
Now part of the Dolomiti Sky Games, four races in four days:-.an MTB/HillRun duathalon, a vertical Km run, a 100m climb sprint, then the Sky Race. One was enough for me!., Finished in 3hr:23.for 337th of 550. Ron Jebb was fourth in all four and fourth overall after an injury the week before and the FRA won the team award. Must have been a good day as an Italian woman broke Angela’s record by a few seconds. The record for the 100m sprint climb up a 45% gradient was reduced to 1 minute 52 sec giving a climbing rate of 10,500 ft/hr! .