BASE PHASE · 16 WEEKS OUT

MARATONA DLES DOLOMITES — 16 WEEKS OUT

Aerobic foundation. High volume, low intensity. Don't skip this. Built around the 138km / 4,230m profile of the Maratona Dolomites in Italy.

138 km·4,230 m climbing·6-10 hours·July

THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW

BUILD THE ENGINE.

Sixteen weeks out, your job is volume. Forget intervals. Forget Strava. Build the aerobic engine that every later phase sits on top of. 80% of your time should be in Zone 2 — conversational pace, nose-breathing territory. If your base phase feels easy, you're doing it right.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

THE LONG Z2 RIDE

One 3-4 hour steady Zone 2 ride per week. Flat to rolling route. Cadence 85-95rpm. Heart rate below first ventilatory threshold the whole way. This is where your mitochondrial density grows.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 16 WEEKS OUT

Monday

REST OR 45MIN Z1

Recovery day — coffee spin only if you want to.

Tuesday

90MIN Z2 ENDURANCE

Steady, controlled, aerobic.

Wednesday

1H STRENGTH + 30MIN EASY SPIN

Squats, deadlifts, core. Builds what the bike can't.

Thursday

90MIN Z2 WITH 3X5MIN TEMPO

Intro to structured effort — don't race it.

Friday

REST

Genuine rest. The adaptations happen now.

Saturday

3-4H LONG Z2 RIDE

Anchor session. Fueled from minute 30.

Sunday

90MIN GROUP RIDE OR SOLO Z2

Social pace. No heroes allowed.

DON'T DO THIS

The #1 base-phase mistake: riding too hard on easy days. If you arrive at Saturday already tired, you'll never build the aerobic depth you need. Discipline the volume, discipline the intensity.

EVENT INTEL

WHAT THE MARATONA DOLOMITES ACTUALLY DEMANDS

The Maratona dles Dolomites is the classic Italian sportive — 138km over 7 Dolomite passes with 4,230m of climbing. Ballotted entry, 9,000 riders, closed roads from dawn. Arguably the most beautiful sportive on the calendar.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

✓Seven passes: Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Giau, Falzarego, Valparola
✓Passo Giau is the crux — 9.9km at 9.3%
✓Altitude 1,200-2,240m across the day
✓Early start (pre-dawn) — means the first climb is in darkness for some
✓Technical descents demand road-race confidence

COMMON MISTAKES

✕Racing the first three passes when the hardest (Giau) comes after 4 hours
✕Poor descent technique on Pordoi and Gardena losing 30+ minutes
✕Altitude-naive riders struggling with heart-rate drift on the upper passes

PACING

Start conservative — the first three passes are warm-up. Giau is the race. Control HR on Giau below threshold for the bottom half, hold the line for the top. Falzarego is the victory lap but still 600m of climbing — respect it.

FUELLING

90-110g carbs/hour. Feed zones are excellent (Italian sportives understand food) but own-supply is faster. Water at every tap — Dolomite sun is deceiving.

KIT

Climbing bike. 34x30 minimum. Light windproof gilet — descents are cold even in July. Sunscreen on arms + legs — Dolomite UV is brutal.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 16 WEEKS OUT

Is 16 weeks enough to train for the Maratona dles Dolomites?+

Yes, 16 weeks is a strong window. That's enough time for a full base phase, build, peak, and taper — the classical periodisation structure. 4,230m of climbing over 138km is built with sustained Z2 volume (base) + threshold work (build) in that order.

What's the hardest part of the Maratona dles Dolomites?+

Seven passes: Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Giau, Falzarego, Valparola. racing the first three passes when the hardest (Giau) comes after 4 hours — so pacing discipline is the single biggest lever most amateurs miss. Start conservative — the first three passes are warm-up.

How many hours a week should I train at 16 weeks out from the Maratona dles Dolomites?+

Aim for 8-12 hours/week if you're targeting a strong finish. The long weekend ride is the anchor (3-4 hours at late base intensities) plus 3-4 structured weekday sessions. Volume matters more than intensity at this phase.

Do I need a coach to train for the Maratona dles Dolomites?+

You don't need a coach to finish. You do need structure. If you're new to sportives, have a target finish time, have a plateau you can't break, or have a history of peaking wrong, a coached plan pays for itself. Inside Not Done Yet the plan is built backwards from your event date — base, build, peak, taper timed to the week the Maratona dles Dolomites runs. 7-day free trial, $195/mo.

What gearing should I run for the Maratona dles Dolomites?+

Climbing bike. 34x30 minimum. Light windproof gilet — descents are cold even in July. Sunscreen on arms + legs — Dolomite UV is brutal.

OTHER PHASES FOR THE MARATONA DOLOMITES

Later phase → 12 weeks out

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