It is written “duman” and is the word in the local Italian dialect for “tomorrow”, but it actually has a broader meaning that implies the future in general. The 33rd Maratona dles Dolomites – Enel, which took place on Sunday, 7 July, was dedicated to Planet Earth, and its 9,000 cyclists from more than 70 different nations were guided by the spirit of duman as they negotiated the passes that cross the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The race wound its way from La Villa to Corvara along three routes: the 138-kilometre Long Route, the 106-kilometre Medium Route and the 55-kilometre Sellaronda Route. Along the way the cyclists passed though some of the areas that have become the stuff of cycling lore and legend, such as the Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Giau, Falzarego and Valparola passes.
Our Group also returned once again this year as the Marathon’s long-time partner and title sponsor. Aside from supporting the event, some of our top executives also joined in the race, including our CEO and General Manager Francesco Starace, Enel Green Power CEO Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Global Procurement Salvatore Bernabei, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs Giulio Fazio, Head of Enel Italia Carlo Tamburi and Head of Italy Market Nicola Lanzetta. A group of “Green Angels” on e-bikes, sporting personalised Enel Green Power t-shirts provided technical assistance to participants.
On top of all that, there was an Enel Workshop at Col Alto where mechanics and technicians offered free assistance and advice to all cyclists. Next to this was the Casa Enel which welcomed visitors and guests, such as the event’s “godmother”, Martina Colombari, Giro d’Italia and Cortina 2021 testimonials of the likes of Davide Cassani, technical manager of the Italian national road cycling team, alpine ski champion Kristian Ghedina and sports journalist Marino Bartoletti. We also brought innovation to Col Alto in the form of an e-car charging area set up by Enel X and Audi.
The event’s other big draw was the Maratona Village, which was more sustainable than ever this year with Green Corners to help visitors separate their rubbish and prevent unnecessary waste.
The Maratona may be a race but it is also about solidarity. In October of last year, bad weather wreaked havoc in Val Badia, destroying millions of trees, roads and trails as well as causing massive damage to entire towns. As a result the Maratona dles Dolomites – Enel Committee decided to organise a fundraiser to help the municipalities of Colle Santa Lucia and Livinallongo, two localities through which the race pack has been passing for many years. The campaign raised a total of 31,000 euros that will be donated to the two municipalities to help with their recovery.