Training plan · Dolomites, Italy

Maratona dles Dolomites training plan 2027

Sunday 4 July 2027, La Villa. 138 km with 4,230 m of climbing on closed roads.

In short

Give yourself 16 to 20 weeks for the Maratona dles Dolomites on Sunday 4 July 2027, which means starting between mid-February and mid-March. The Maratona course is 138 km with 4,230 m of climbing on closed roads, over the Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella and Gardena, the Campolongo again, the Giau and the Falzarego, and two cut-offs decide who rides it all: Corvara by 11:30 and the Giau turn at Cernadoi by 11:50. Places go by ballot, open from 14 October to 10 November 2026. Build long climbing rides, practise climbing at a steady effort for an hour at a time, and fit your lowest gears. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 8 h 08 min, and takes 1:19:26 on Passo Giau at about 167 watts.

The Maratona at a glance

Date	Sunday 4 July 2027source
Start and finish	La Villa to Corvarasource
Distance (Maratona)	138 km (85.7 miles), 4,230 m of climbingsource
Distance (Middle)	106 km (65.9 miles), 3,130 m of climbingsource
Distance (Sellaronda)	55 km (34.2 miles), 1,780 m of climbingsource
Roads	Closed to traffic until the last race car, marked fine corsa, has passed. A rider it overtakes rides on with no protection, on roads open to traffic.source
Start	Group A starts at 06:30 and the others follow; the grids close at 06:15. Groups go by your times in the last four editions, so a first-timer on a drawn entry starts in the last group.source
Cut-offs	Corvara, at km 55, by 11:30: after that you finish on the 55 km. Cernadoi, the turn for the Giau at km 76, by 11:50: after that you ride the 106 km by the Falzarego. The finish closes at 16:45, whatever your start time.source
Feed stations	At the tops of the Sella, the Gardena, the second Campolongo, the Giau and the Falzarego, and at Colle Santa Lucia. None on the first Campolongo or the Pordoi.source
Ballot	Pre-entry online from 14 October to 10 November 2026, €3. The draw is in the second half of November, and drawn riders pay €185 by 10 December 2026.source
Other ways in	Charity entries from the organiser from 25 November 2026, places through UK charity Action Medical Research at £395, and packages from official tour operators with guaranteed entry.source
Medical certificate	Every rider uploads an Italian certificate of fitness for cycling, on the organiser's 2027 template, by 26 May 2027. Without it you get no number.source
Rain jacket	Every rider must carry a long-sleeved waterproof jacket from start to finish; a gilet does not count.source
Places	About 8,000 riders. In 2026, 682 entrants came from the UK, the third-largest group.source
Minimum age	18 on race day.source
Training partner	The organiser's official training partner is Technogym.source
Route file	The organiser's 138 km route file dates from 2016 and still matches its 2027 route page. The course on this page follows it.source

The course and its climbs

Profile from the organiser's route with SRTM heights (138.6 km), split into climbs, flats and descents by WattPlan. The organiser's figures are in the table above, and their route is the one that counts on the day.

Your power and time on each climb

Enter your FTP and weight and WattPlan's route model rides the course for you the way a long day is best ridden: harder on the climbs, where a watt buys the most speed, and easier on the flat, at an effort you can hold to the finish. The figures below are for 230 W and 75 kg until you do.

8 h 08 minRiding time, without stops

149 WAverage power

10Times to eat, every 45 minutes

Checkpoint	km	Cut-off	Your riding time
Corvarasourcekm 55, cut-off 11:30	55	11:30	3 h 17 min
Cernadoi, the Giau turnsourcekm 76, cut-off 11:50	76	11:50	4 h 19 min
Finishsourcethe finish, km 138, cut-off 16:45	138	16:45	8 h 08 min

Your riding time from the start, without stops and at an even effort all day: add your start time and your stops to see where you would stand.

Climb	Summit (km)	Length	Average	Steepest	Your power	Your time
Passo Campolongosource5.8 km at 6.1%, up to 11%, top at km 9	9	5.8 km	6.1%	11%	164 W	31:49
Passo Pordoisource9.2 km at 6.9%, up to 10%, top at km 23	23	9.2 km	6.9%	10%	166 W	56:55
Passo Sellasource5.5 km at 7.9%, up to 12%, top at km 35	35	5.5 km	7.9%	12%	166 W	37:49
Passo Gardenasource5.8 km at 4.3%, up to 10%, top at km 46	46	5.8 km	4.3%	10%	160 W	27:31
Passo Campolongo (second time)source5.8 km at 6.1%, up to 11%, top at km 61	61	5.8 km	6.1%	11%	164 W	31:38
Passo Giausource9.9 km at 9.3%, up to 15%, top at km 97	97	9.9 km	9.3%	15%	167 W	1:19:26
Passo Falzarego and Valparolasource11.5 km at 5.8%, up to 15%, top at km 119	119	11.5 km	5.8%	15%	163 W	1:02:08
Mür dl Giatsource0.37 km at 12.4%, up to 19%, top at km 134	134	0.37 km	12.4%	19%	166 W	2:27

Eat at about km 9, 20, 33, 45, 60, 81, 90, 96, 112, 120. Riding something else? The free pacing calculator does this for any route from its GPX. In the app, Route analysis adds your own fade over a long day, the wind on the day and a pacing file for your bike computer.

How long to train for the Maratona

Sixteen to twenty weeks of structured training suits most riders for the full Maratona course, which means starting between mid-February and mid-March for 4 July. The Middle course, 106 km with 3,130 m of climbing, and the Sellaronda, 55 km with 1,780 m, need about twelve. You can choose or change your route during the ride.

Enter the ballot first: pre-entry runs from 14 October to 10 November 2026 and the draw is in the second half of November. WattPlan builds the weeks from today to 4 July around the days you can ride, runs the indoor sessions on a smart trainer in the app, and adjusts the plan when a week goes wrong.

The passes

The course opens on the Campolongo from Corvara, 5.8 km at 6.1%, then the Pordoi from Arabba, 9.2 km at 6.9%, the Sella, 5.5 km at 7.9% to the highest point of the day at 2,244 m, and the Gardena, 5.8 km at 4.3%. That is the Sellaronda, and the Campolongo comes again from Corvara.

Then the hardest climb: the Giau from Selva di Cadore, 9.9 km at 9.3% with ramps of 15%. The Falzarego and Valparola from Pocol follow, 11.5 km at 5.8%, and the Mür dl Giat in La Villa, 370 m at 12.4% and up to 19%, comes 4.7 km from the finish. Train with long seated climbs at a steady effort, fit the lowest gears your bike takes, and practise climbing on legs that have already climbed.

The cut-offs

Two cut-offs decide your route: Corvara at km 55 by 11:30, or you finish on the 55 km, and Cernadoi, the turn for the Giau at km 76, by 11:50, or you ride the 106 km by the Falzarego. The finish closes at 16:45. The times apply whatever your start time, and first-timers start in the last group, so the clock is tighter than the start gun suggests.

The calculator above rides the course for your FTP and weight and gives your riding time to each cut-off: add your start time and your stops, and compare them with the closing times. It does not allow for altitude, and three passes top 2,200 m, where most riders hold less power than at home.

Weather, feeds and the jacket

Weather above 2,200 m changes fast, and every rider must carry a long-sleeved waterproof jacket from start to finish. There is no feed on the first Campolongo or the Pordoi, so start with full bottles and food in your pockets; the feeds are at the tops of the Sella, the Gardena, the second Campolongo, the Giau and the Falzarego, and at Colle Santa Lucia. Eat every 45 minutes from the start, around 60 grams of carbohydrate an hour.

Entering and the medical certificate

Most places are drawn: pre-entry costs €3 between 14 October and 10 November 2026, and drawn riders pay €185 by 10 December. Charity entries go on sale from 25 November 2026, the UK charity Action Medical Research sells places at £395, and official tour operators sell packages with a guaranteed entry.

Every rider must upload an Italian medical certificate of fitness for cycling, on the organiser's 2027 template and signed by a doctor, by 26 May 2027; without it you get no number. The organiser's official training partner is Technogym.

Your plan to 4 July

WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 4 July 2027 around the days you can ride, and eases off before the day. Take a rider with 230 W of FTP who rides 3 to 5 hours a week now and has an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays and up to 6 hours on Saturdays: a 20-week plan starting Monday 15 February 2027 has 9 weeks of base, 5 of build, 5 of peak and 1 of taper. It opens at 4 hours a week and builds to 11, with a longest ride of 6 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.

Days you can ride

Weekday rides

Weekend long ride

You ride now

Build my plan to the Maratona

Free to start, and the Maratona dles Dolomites is filled in for you. Premium adds the whole plan to race day and adjusts it when you miss a session or ride harder than planned.

Questions riders ask

How long should I train for the Maratona dles Dolomites?

Sixteen to twenty weeks suits most riders for the 138 km course, so start between mid-February and mid-March for Sunday 4 July 2027. The Middle and Sellaronda courses need about twelve weeks.

How hard is the Maratona dles Dolomites?

The Maratona course is 138 km with 4,230 m of climbing, the Middle course 106 km with 3,130 m and the Sellaronda 55 km with 1,780 m, all on closed roads. The hardest climb is the Giau, 9.9 km at 9.3% with ramps of 15%.

What are the cut-offs on the Maratona dles Dolomites?

Corvara at km 55 by 11:30, or you finish on the 55 km, and Cernadoi, the Giau turn at km 76, by 11:50, or you ride the 106 km. The finish closes at 16:45, whatever your start time.

How do I get a place in the Maratona dles Dolomites?

Enter the ballot online between 14 October and 10 November 2026 for €3; the draw is in the second half of November and drawn riders pay €185 by 10 December. Charity places and tour operator packages are the other ways in.

Do I need a medical certificate for the Maratona?

Yes. Every rider uploads an Italian certificate of fitness for cycling, on the organiser's 2027 template, by 26 May 2027. Without it you get no number.

Is the Maratona dles Dolomites on closed roads?

Yes, until the last race car has passed. A rider it overtakes rides on in open traffic, with no protection.

More event training plans

Sources

WattPlan is not connected with the Maratona dles Dolomites or its organiser. We've done our best to make sure everything here is accurate, from the details the organiser had published when we checked on Friday 9 October 2026, and we'll update this page as more details come out. Confirm dates, routes and rules on the official site. Times and power figures come from a physics model and are estimates, not predictions of your result.