Here's the thing nobody tells you about the Maratona dles Dolomites medio route: it is the better ride. The full 138km maratona gets the headlines, but the medio — 106 kilometres, four passes, 3,090 metres of climbing — delivers the finest concentration of Dolomite scenery without the ultra-distance grind that turns the last two hours into a death march. You get the Pordoi. You get the Sella. You get the golden towers and the switchbacks and the espresso at the feed stations. What you skip is the Giau suffering and the hollow-eyed stagger over the Falzarego.
For a rider stepping up from domestic sportives — someone who has done their share of 130km days in the hills but never stacked four alpine passes back to back above 2,000 metres — this is precisely the event that bridges the gap. Serious enough to demand real preparation. Forgiving enough to reward it.
The mountains do not care about your FTP test. They care about how you manage altitude, cold, and the accumulating fatigue of pass after pass. This guide covers the 12 weeks of preparation that separate a good day from a survival exercise.
Key Takeaways
- The medio route covers approximately 106km with 3,090m of climbing across four major Dolomite passes — serious mountain cycling without the ultra-distance commitment of the full 138km maratona
- Target 3.0 W/kg for a comfortable finish, 3.5+ W/kg for a strong ride — the sustained climbing at altitude rewards aerobic fitness over raw power
- Altitude is the variable most riders underestimate — the Pordoi tops out at 2,239m and the oxygen reduction at altitude costs 5-8 percent of your sea-level power
- A 12-week build with progressive long rides to 5 hours, specific climbing blocks, and at least two sessions above 1,500m elevation prepares the full physiological picture
- The Dolomite weather changes fast — afternoon thunderstorms above 2,000m are common in July and the temperature can drop 15 degrees between valley and summit
- Gearing matters more than you think — a compact with 34x34 is the minimum, and many experienced Dolomites riders run a 34x36 or sub-compact for the steep ramps above 10 percent
- The ballot entry system means registration opens months in advance and sells out quickly — enter the ballot as early as possible and plan accommodation in Corvara or La Villa well ahead
Course Profile and Key Climbs
The medio route starts and finishes in La Villa or Corvara in the Alta Badia valley — a green floor of meadows at roughly 1,300 metres surrounded by walls of pale rock. From the gun, you are climbing. There is no rolling warm-up, no flat lead-in. The Dolomites start vertically and stay that way.
Let me break this down pass by pass.
Passo Campolongo (1,875m) — The Opener
Approximately 6km at 6 percent average. This is the gentlest climb on the course and it comes first, which is both a gift and a trap. The road is wide, the gradient is steady, and the field is still bunched and buzzing. Every instinct says push. Do not. You have 3,000 metres of climbing ahead and the Campolongo exists to warm up your legs, not to test them.
The road rises through forest before opening out onto alpine meadow near the summit. The final kilometre eases slightly. Use it. Eat. Drink. Stay at 65-70 percent of your FTP. Riders who race the Campolongo pay for it on the Pordoi.
Passo Pordoi (2,239m) — The Centrepiece
This is the climb that defines the medio route. Approximately 12 kilometres at 6.5 percent average from the Arabba side, with the gradient nudging 8-9 percent through the middle section before easing in the final two kilometres. The Pordoi is the longest sustained effort of the day and it takes you above 2,200 metres, where the thinner air starts to bite.
The road is magnificent — wide, well-surfaced, sweeping switchbacks revealing more rock wall with every turn. Here's where it gets really interesting from a physiology standpoint: the final two kilometres above 2,100m are where altitude fatigue announces itself. Your breathing is harder for the same power. Your legs feel heavier than the gradient warrants. This is the reduced partial pressure of oxygen costing you 5-8 percent of your sea-level output. If your FTP is 250 watts at home, expect 230-238 watts at best on the upper Pordoi. Use the climb time calculator to estimate your ascent time at realistic altitude-adjusted power.
Passo Sella (2,240m) — The Punchy Transition
The descent from the Pordoi is fast and technical. Then comes the Sella — shorter but arriving on legs that have already climbed 2,000 metres. Roughly 5km with gradients that spike rather than hold steady: pitches of 9-10 percent mixed with easier sections of 4-5 percent.
The Sella tops out at 2,240 metres — the oxygen deficit remains. Where the Pordoi was long and rhythmic, the Sella is irregular and punchy. The temptation is to attack the steep ramps. Resist it. Sit down, hold your cadence, let the easier sections absorb the spikes. Discipline here separates riders who finish strong from riders who limp over the Gardena.
Passo Gardena (2,121m) — The Closer
The final pass. Approximately 5km at 5.5 percent average. On paper, the easiest climb of the four. In practice, it arrives on legs that have done 80-plus kilometres and 2,500 metres of vertical, and even 5.5 percent feels different after that accumulation.
The good news is that the Gardena is short and the gradient never spikes above 8 percent. The road curves through the Gardena valley with the Sassolungo group towering ahead — a view that alone justifies the entry fee. Top the Gardena and you have earned the fast, flowing descent back to Corvara. The day is done.
Fitness Benchmarks
Your power-to-weight ratio predicts your day better than any other single number. These benchmarks assume proper pacing and fuelling. Use the FTP zones tool to frame where you stand.
| Capacity | Strong Finish | Comfortable Finish | Completion | |----------|--------------|-------------------|------------| | FTP (W/kg) | 3.5+ | 3.0-3.4 | 2.6-2.9 | | 5-minute power (W/kg) | 4.5+ | 4.0-4.4 | 3.5-3.9 | | Longest training ride | 5-6 hours, 2,500m+ | 4-5 hours, 2,000m+ | 3.5-4 hours, 1,500m+ | | Weekly volume (peak) | 12+ hours | 10-11 hours | 8-9 hours |
Two caveats. First, these are sustained climbing watts, not your fresh 20-minute test number. After three passes and 2,000m of climbing, your real output will be 85-90 percent of your lab FTP. Second, the medio is more forgiving than the full maratona — a rider at 2.8 W/kg who paces perfectly and fuels aggressively can finish well, whereas the same rider on the full route would be fighting cut-offs on the Giau.
12-Week Training Plan Overview
This plan assumes you are already riding 6-8 hours per week with some climbing in the legs. If you are starting from a lower base, add 4-6 weeks of aerobic foundation first. The structure works for riders targeting the medio route specifically — for the full Maratona dles Dolomites, extend to 14 weeks with higher peak volume.
Phase 1: Aerobic Base (Weeks 1-3) — 7-9 Hours/Week
The foundation. Three weekday rides of 60-90 minutes at Zone 2 on power — conversational pace, nose-breathing for the majority. One weekend long ride building from 2.5 to 3.5 hours with steady climbing. One core stability session per week: planks (3x45s), dead bugs (3x12), side planks (3x30s each side), single-leg glute bridges (3x15 each), and hip mobility work. No intensity beyond the odd natural surge on a climb.
Weekly structure: Rest Monday. Zone 2 rides Tuesday (75 min) and Thursday (90 min with rolling terrain). Core stability Wednesday. Rest Friday. Long ride Saturday building from 2.5 to 3.5 hours at Zone 2 with climbing. Recovery spin or rest Sunday.
Key metrics: Average heart rate on long rides should be stable or dropping at the same power. If it is rising, you are going too hard on weekday rides.
Phase 2: Climbing Volume (Weeks 4-7) — 9-11 Hours/Week
Volume rises and the climbing becomes deliberate. The long ride builds to 4-4.5 hours with structured climbing blocks. One midweek session adds sustained tempo climbing — 15-20 minute efforts at 75-85 percent FTP on the steepest local gradient.
Weekly structure: Rest Monday. Tuesday: 90 minutes with 3x15 minutes at tempo (75-85% FTP) on a climb, 5 minutes recovery between. Core stability plus easy spin Wednesday. Zone 2 rolling terrain Thursday. Rest or easy spin Friday. Long ride Saturday — 4-4.5 hours with 1,500-2,000m of climbing at high Zone 2. Recovery Sunday.
Key metrics: If you cannot hold 75 percent FTP for 15 minutes seated on a 6 percent climb, that is precisely the capacity gap this phase fills.
Phase 3: Event-Specific (Weeks 8-10) — 10-12 Hours/Week
This is where the training matches the demands of four stacked Dolomite passes. The long ride reaches 5 hours with 2,000-2,500m of climbing. One midweek session becomes the signature climbing repetition workout. The other shifts to sweet spot — 2x20 minutes at 88-93 percent FTP seated on a climb.
Weekly structure: Rest Monday. Climbing repetitions Tuesday (see Key Sessions below). Core stability Wednesday. Sweet spot climbing Thursday (90 min with 2x20 min at 88-93% FTP). Rest Friday. Long ride Saturday — 5 hours, 2,000-2,500m climbing, final pass at target event pace. Easy Sunday.
Key metrics: By week 10, you should be completing 5-hour rides with 2,000m of climbing and finishing the final climb still making 75-80 percent FTP. Check your projected times with the VAM calculator.
Phase 4: Taper (Weeks 11-12) — Progressive Reduction
Volume drops. Intensity stays. Week 11 is 70 percent of peak volume with one short, sharp session — 4x8 minutes at FTP on a climb. Week 12 is 50 percent of peak volume. The Saturday ride is 2-2.5 hours with one 20-minute effort at target race pace. Nothing new. Nothing heroic. Arrive rested.
Key Sessions
These are the sessions that build the specific fitness for four Dolomite passes.
The Climbing Repetition Session
After a 20-minute warm-up on rolling roads, ride 4x12 minutes at 80-85 percent FTP on the steepest sustained climb available. Recover for 6 minutes between efforts — descend, regroup, go again. The target is consistent power across all four repetitions. If effort four is 15 watts below effort one, the pacing is wrong. This session teaches your legs and your fuelling system what four stacked climbs feel like.
The Sustained Tempo Long Climb
Find the longest climb you can access — ideally 20-30 minutes at 5-7 percent. Ride it at 75-80 percent FTP seated. Cadence 70-80 RPM. The purpose is duration at moderate intensity on gradient, not peak power. This is what the Pordoi demands: 40-50 minutes of seated climbing at a pace that is boring for the first 15 minutes and absorbing for the last 15. If you do not have a 30-minute climb locally, use a treadmill-style approach on a shorter hill — ride up, soft-pedal down, ride up again without stopping.
The Five-Hour Dress Rehearsal
Five hours in the saddle, 2,000-2,500m of climbing across multiple passes or repeated climbs. Eat 60-80g of carbohydrate per hour from the first 30 minutes — practise the exact products you will use on race day. Ride the final climb at 75-80 percent FTP. That sensation is what the Gardena will deliver. If you can hold that power on tired legs after 4.5 hours, you are ready.
Nutrition Strategy
The medio route takes most riders 4-6 hours. That is long enough for nutrition to be the difference between a strong finish and a bonk on the Gardena. Use the fuel planner to build your specific race-day nutrition.
Target intake: 60-80g carbohydrate per hour from the first climb. For a 5-hour ride, that is 300-400g of carbohydrate on the bike. Drink mix in both bottles, gels in pockets, solid food at the feed stations.
Pre-race loading: 8-10g carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight daily in the 48 hours before the event. For a 75kg rider, that is 600-750g of carbs per day — pasta, rice, bread, fruit. Shift the ratio toward carbohydrate, not the total volume of food.
Altitude considerations: Breathing rate increases at altitude, which means you lose more moisture through respiration than you expect. Drink 500-750ml per hour even if you do not feel thirsty. The air above 2,000m is dry and the combination of altitude-driven hyperventilation and July sun is quietly dehydrating.
Feed station strategy: The Maratona feed stations are legendary — bread, ham, cheese, fruit, Coca-Cola, water. Stop briefly at each one. Top up bottles. Eat something solid. Carry two gels as insurance for the Pordoi where there is nothing between base and summit.
Equipment and Gear
Gearing
A compact chainset (50/34) with an 11-34 cassette is the absolute minimum. I would recommend a 34x36 cassette if your rear derailleur supports it. The average gradients of 5-7 percent are manageable on fresh legs, but the ramps of 10-12 percent that punctuate the Pordoi and Sella become a different proposition after 2,000m of climbing at altitude. At 2,200 metres with tired legs and thinner air, you want every gear tooth available. Fit the cassette at least four weeks before the event and train on it.
Tyres
25mm or 28mm at 80-90 PSI for a 75kg rider. The descents are technical — tight switchbacks, variable surface through tunnels, occasional gravel on hairpin apexes. Wider tyres at lower pressures give more grip and comfort across a 5-hour day. Carry a spare tube, CO2 inflator, and mini-tool. Tubeless is an advantage — the sealant handles small punctures from Dolomite road debris.
Clothing and Layers
The temperature differential between valley and summit is enormous. The valley floor in July sits at 20-25 degrees Celsius. The Pordoi summit can be 5-10 degrees. If cloud rolls in — and afternoon thunderstorms above 2,000m are common — it drops further.
Minimum kit: Lightweight packable gilet, arm warmers, full-finger gloves in a pocket. Recommended additions: A lightweight rain jacket if the forecast shows any cloud. The descent from the Pordoi is fast and exposed — starting a 10-minute descent at 60 km/h in wet 8-degree air without a jacket is a recipe for hypothermia. Stuff it all in your jersey pockets. The weight is negligible. The insurance is priceless.
Race Day Pacing
The medio route splits naturally into thirds, and your power targets should reflect the accumulating fatigue.
First third — Campolongo and lower Pordoi (km 0-40): Ride at 65-70 percent FTP. This will feel easy. It is supposed to. The Campolongo in particular will feel like nothing — 6 percent on fresh legs with adrenaline and 9,000 riders around you. Let them go. Eat early. Drink steadily. Your only job is to arrive at the base of the Pordoi with full glycogen stores and warm legs.
Second third — Upper Pordoi and Sella (km 40-75): Ride at 70-80 percent FTP. The upper Pordoi is where the day begins in earnest. Settle into a sustainable cadence — 70-80 RPM seated — and hold it. Do not surge on the steeper pitches. Do not chase riders who pass you. The Sella comes immediately after the Pordoi descent and it spikes in gradient. Stay seated, absorb the ramps, keep eating.
Final third — Gardena and descent (km 75-106): Ride at 75-85 percent FTP. This is where disciplined pacing pays off. The Gardena is the shortest and easiest climb of the four, but it arrives on accumulated fatigue. If you have paced the first two thirds correctly, you will climb the Gardena strongly. If you went too hard on the Pordoi, you will grind. Top the Gardena and enjoy the descent back to Corvara — you have earned it.
Common Mistakes
1. Racing the Campolongo. It is 6 percent on fresh legs. Everyone feels strong. Everyone pushes too hard. The riders who finish well are the riders who let the Campolongo pass beneath them at 65 percent FTP while eating a bar and drinking from their bottle. The Campolongo is not a climb. It is a warm-up that happens to go uphill.
2. Ignoring altitude. If you live and train at sea level, the Pordoi and Sella will cost you 5-8 percent of your power output. That is 12-20 watts for most riders. It does not sound like much. It is enough to shift your comfortable tempo into threshold territory without you realising. Pace on power, not on feel. Your perceived exertion at altitude is a liar.
3. Under-fuelling the first two hours. The classic bonk arrives on the Gardena — the final climb, the moment you need your legs most. It started two hours earlier when you forgot to eat on the Campolongo because you felt fine. Eat 60-80g of carbs per hour from kilometre one. By the time you feel hungry, you are already behind.
4. Wrong gearing. A 34x28 cassette is not enough. Full stop. The ramps above 10 percent on the Pordoi and Sella at altitude with tired legs demand a 34x34 minimum. Riders who arrive under-geared grind at 50 RPM on the steep sections, burning matches they cannot afford. This is fixable — change the cassette, check your derailleur hanger, and test it on a long ride before the event.
5. No layers for the descents. The descent from the Pordoi is fast, exposed, and potentially cold. Riders in a thin jersey at 60 km/h in 8-degree wet air arrive at the base of the Sella shivering, unable to grip the bars properly, and 10 minutes behind where they should be. A gilet weighs 80 grams. Carry it.
Travel and Logistics
Getting There
The closest airports are Innsbruck (90 minutes by car), Venice Marco Polo (2.5 hours), and Verona (2.5 hours). Most riders fly in 3-4 days early to acclimatise and ride some of the passes at their own pace before the event.
Accommodation
Corvara and La Villa are the start/finish villages. Book early — the event fills the valley. Hotels in Corvara, La Villa, San Cassiano, and Badia are all within easy reach. South Tyrolean hotels are generally excellent — good food, bike storage, and staff who understand what 9,000 cyclists need at 5am on race morning.
Registration and Entry
The Maratona dles Dolomites runs a ballot system. Registration typically opens in January for the July event. Approximately 30,000 riders enter the ballot for 9,000 places. Entry costs approximately EUR80-100 if successful. Some travel operators offer guaranteed entry packages at a premium. Enter the ballot through the official website as early as possible. If you are unsuccessful, several Italian granfondos in the Dolomites — the Giro Dolomiti, the Sella Ronda — offer similar terrain without the ballot.
Route Choice
On the morning, you choose your route: selva (short, ~55km), medio (~106km), or maratona (full, ~138km). If this is your first major mountain event, choose the medio. The temptation to upgrade on race morning is real — the atmosphere is electric, the legs feel fresh. Resist it. The medio delivers the Pordoi and the Sella. The full maratona adds the Giau, and the Giau at km 80 on unprepared legs is where the day stops being fun.
Recovery Plan
The 48 hours after the medio matter more than most riders think. A structured recovery week protects the fitness you built across 12 weeks.
Days 1-2: Eat a large carbohydrate-rich meal within 2 hours of finishing. Rehydrate aggressively. Complete rest or gentle walking only — no riding.
Days 3-5: Optional easy spins of 30-60 minutes, Zone 1 only, flat terrain. If your legs feel heavy on day 3, skip it and walk instead. Heart rate below 70 percent of maximum.
Days 6-7: Return to normal easy riding. One ride can include light tempo efforts of 5-10 minutes if the legs respond. Do not test fitness. The adaptation from your 12-week build is still consolidating.
What Comes Next
For riders considering the full Maratona dles Dolomites, the medio is the ideal stepping stone. The jump is significant but knowable: add the Giau, Falzarego, and Valparola, extend training to 14 weeks, and build your long ride to 6 hours with 3,000m of climbing. For broader Dolomite riding, the cycling in the Dolomites guide covers the region in detail. The Stelvio guide is the natural next target for riders who want a single-climb centrepiece.
If you want structured coaching and a community of riders preparing for events like this, Not Done Yet is where we do that work. The training principles here are the same ones we apply inside the programme — specific, measurable, and built around the actual demands of the event.
The Dolomites are the finest cycling landscape in Europe. The medio route is the finest introduction to them. Train for it properly and you will understand why riders enter the ballot year after year.