THE HERO AWARDED THE 2015 MARATHON

 

The UCI has awarded the organisation of the Marathon World Championships in 2015 to the Südtirol Sellaronda HERO. The Championships will be preceded by leg of the UCI World Series in 2013. Gerhard Vanzi stated « After only three editions of the HERO the announcement is really satisfying and a big thanks goes to all those involved».

 

Press release

 

Maastricht (NL) 20.09.2012 – The news is now official: the World Cycling Federation announced during its Management Committee held in Maastricht on the 19th September that the Marathon World Championships in 2015 will be organised by the Südtirol Sellaronda HERO. The announcement came through to the Hero’s headquarter in Val Gardena and what a relief and great sense of satisfaction it was for the dream had come true, the dream being to bring the ‘marathon’ to the Dolomites. And there is more good news besides, because the road to 2015 will be enriched by the fact that the UCI MTB Marathon World Series, in effect the “World Cup” of the discipline will take place in Val Gardena on June 22, 2013.

 

>>We are extremely happy, honoured, and proud to be awarded such an event after only three editions of the HERO, and we see it as a fitting reward for all the work done by the whole staff in these years. I would like to underline that the merit is of all the work groups that supported the first editions of the Hero, and these include the “Federazione Ciclistica Italiana”(Italian cycling Federation), the Provincia Autonoma of Bolzano in its role as sponsor, Val Gardena Marketing and the Tourist Office of Selva Val Gardena, as well as the municipalities of Val Gardena, the Tourist Boards of Alta Badia, Arabba, Val di Fassa and Alpe di Siusi, and a very special mention to the 400 volunteers who assist in the actual organisation of the event in the days leading up to the race and on race day itself.>> This was the immediate reaction of Gerhard Vanzi.

 

The awarding of the UCI MTB Marathon World Championships 2015 is the result of a determined and enthusiastic team effort which since the very first edition of the HERO in 2010 has contributed in no small measure to creating this extraordinary event in the Dolomites. From 26th to 28th June 2015 the race routes around the Sella Massif will host this world title version of the HERO. The date for the 2013 edition of the HERO was also confirmed, it being on Saturday 15th June.

 

What does it actually mean in concrete terms to host a Marathon World Championship?

«From now until 2015 we will have the attention of the mountain bike community across the world focussed on us and this will bring benefits in terms of communication and promotion opportunities to the whole Dolomite area and consequently it is precious in terms of the tourism offer. Furthermore it consolidates the strong sporting and tourism link afforded by the Dolomite valleys, all this in a context which is essentially a showcase for the mountain bike movement in Alto Adige and Italy generally>>. This the explanation provided by Peter Runggaldier, co-organizer together with Vanzi of the HERO.

Vanzi was also quick to point out the social value of such an event being awarded for as he referred: «In 2015 we will have a ‘world week’ where persons from all over the world will gather to share a passion for mountain biking and it will represent a unique forum for establishing friendships and sharing important life experiences».

 

As far as the technical profile of the race is concerned the HERO is already fit for a world championship event. However some adjustments and slight alterations will be made to the ‘historical’ routes so as to comply with specific requests by the UCI. In specific detail the men’s race route will be 82 kilometres long with an overall race difference in altitude of 4,350 metres whilst the women’s race will be 60 kilometres long with an overall race difference in altitude of 3,000 metres. It is important to point out that the HERO will still permit the participation of amateurs in the same manner as so far adopted.

 

Val Gardena already has in place most of the resources requested by UCI, and only the race office itself will have a new position – a special construction in Piazza Nives directly in the finish area  – and which will be designed and realised with the help and support of the Selva Val Gardena administration authorities. The organising team will be reinforced with an increase in numbers and persons expert in various functions and the Press Office will have a major role in coordinating communications abroad to all the participating countries.

 

Peter Runggaldier concluded by saying «We know that we will have an enthusiastic response from the whole Val Gardena population, who see the HERO as their own event and this is a further reason to be proud of and excited by this news».

 

 

ORGANISATION

Südtirol Sellaronda Hero Committee

Tourist office Selva Gardena

Str. Meisules, 213

I-39048 Selva Gardena (BZ)

Tel. +39 0471 777900

Fax +39 0471 792245

info@sellarondahero.com - www.sellarondahero.com

www.facebook.com/sellarondahero