Winner of the 2015 edition of the Etna Marathon, Mirko Pirazzoli talks about his particular attraction towards the race on the highest volcano in Europe, which will reach its 18th edition on 2022 September 16. The Imola biker, who also climbed the podium in 2016 (2nd) and 2017 (3rd), feels an unconditional love for the Sicilian volcano.
โThe Etna Marathon is for me one of the most beautiful races in the world, both for the uniqueness of the landscape and for the complexity of the route. It is among those races that for me also represented a test in preparation for international events, as it takes a particularly hot day to turn it into an extreme test, or a little rain to make the terrain treacherous ". According to Pirazzoli, precisely the particularity of the terrain is the point on which to focus in order to do well, a slippery terrain made with a badly set bike can make the race particularly difficult.
Mirko's advice
Bike and setup
โOn the bike we need to do some work to better face the test, with particular attention to the tires, taking for granted that the full-wheel drive is now the best choice in terms of suspension. Tires with a generous section and wide rims, 30/35 mm, allow us to go faster and guarantee us a better grip on volcanic sand. The knobs must be small to have a good footprint but with little cleat to lose as little energy as possible. As for the pressure, it is better to inflate the tires a little more and unload something in the shock absorbers.
Another piece of advice I would like to give, in consideration of the unpredictability that characterizes the sand of Etna, is to shorten the stem to avoid the understeer that often causes the terrain. We lose something on the climb, but it allows us to be a little faster on the descent and precise in the changes of direction and when entering the corners โ.
Nutrition and integration
โThe rule we give to all our students is to respect the recovery days during the week leading up to the race. So you work at 50% with a mandatory rest on Friday, as the athlete needs both physical and mental recovery on that day. Better to prefer a partial carbohydrate discharge during the week before the race and a good carbohydrate load in the two days before. On the day of departure I do not recommend a particularly abundant breakfast, as in the MTB we start very strongly, I suggest a couple of rusks and a cup of tea.
Therefore, all that remains is to take advantage of Pirazzoli's advice for the appointment of 18 September at the 16th edition of the Vittoria Etna Marathon, which promises to be particularly fought, thanks to the 400 registrations and adhesions already reached in this first phase of registrations, which began on January 6 last.
