The new major sporting event in Finale Ligure and the Finale Outdoor Region is now very close: the UCI Marathon World Cup, for the first time in Italy and second stage in Europe after Nové Mēsto Na Moravē, will be staged on 4 June 2023 and will bring the athletes to run on a course of 100 km and 3500 meters in altitude, very varied and technically demanding, which is finally made public.
Source: press release
Mirko Celestino, Technical Commissioner of the XCO-XCM National team tested the track in recent weeks together with Samuele Porro, specialist in the marathon discipline, and commented: “I was very satisfied with the type of track, hard and technically demanding at the right point, and from the work that the organizing committee is still carrying out on single track sections both uphill and downhill. There is almost a month left before the start of the competition and it can be said that it is practically ready to be tried by all the bikers who intend to participate".
The route, starting and finishing in the evocative setting of Finalborgo, will touch many municipalities in the Finale area: Calice Ligure, Rialto, Orco Feglino, Mallare, Quiliano, Bergeggi, Spotorno, Vezzi Portio, Vado Ligure. The latter houses about 35% of the race track and crossing it is definitely the most unusual part of the route and has some of the most significant sections, with two climbs that will make the difference even for top riders: the "Vado Walls" and the “Vado Gateway”.
But there are many other iconic places that the competitors will encounter along the way: the ascent of Tagliego and the beech forest of Melogno, some of the most popular single tracks in the area including the Terre Alte, Crestino, Cravarezza, Supergroppo, the Nato Base , the panoramic Rocca dei Corvi, Monte Mao di Spotorno with the spectacular "Mao Crest", Pianmarino and Perti just to name a few.
There will be long climbs to test the athletes but the presence of long, fun and technical single tracks will be the distinctive feature of this first marathon of the Outdoor Region Finale where technical skills will be crucial together with speed and endurance.
Paola Pezzo, Olympic champion of cross country, will be the godmother of the event and commented: “I rode a lot in Finale where in '97 I won the Valtellina Bike final. The terrain around Finale has given me a lot in terms of developing my riding technique and I'm sure that a marathon course in this area can really raise the discipline to the level of a World Cup".
The track of the course is available on the Finale Outdoor Region website at this link .
It is still possible to register for the Open race (Marathon Of Finale Outdoor Region) whose route will be the same as the World Cup and the procedure is indicated at this link.
The registration fee is €100 and includes the race pack, refreshments along the route and the final pasta party.
