Christmas and New Year's Holiday break are over. Now it's time for the Pro Tour to continue in Italy with Pustertaler Ski Marathon on Saturday and Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge on Sunday.
After Misurina struggled with permission to hold sports events, new locations were introduced in Visma Ski Classics as the South Tyrol region will host two events on the weekend.
TWO EVENTS BACK-TO-BACK
On Saturday, January 8, the 62km Pustertaler Ski Marathon, self-titled the longest and hardest ski race in the 3 Zinnen Dolomites, offers a very challenging course and breath-taking scenery.
The race starts in Sexten, heads towards Sand Candido and Dobbiaco, passes through the famous cross-country skiing Stadium Nordic Arena, where a Sprint point after 21 kilometers will wait for the skiers. The Climb checkpoint will be at Cimabanche, after 39 kilometers of race, where then the tracks turn, and the course leads back to the Nordic Arena. From there, it continues to the finish line in Niederdorf.
On Sunday, January 9, the 32km uphill mass start race is called Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge and promises to be a real climb competition. The race will start in Niederdorf, passes over Dobbiaco through the Nordic Arena, where the skiers have a Sprint checkpoint after 8 kilometers, and head further into the ‘Landro Valley’ with a stunning view of the three famous Dolomiten peaks.
At Carbonin, the mythical climb to Prato Piazza starts, with the Climb checkpoint and finish line almost 2000 meters above sea level, high up in the magnificent Dolomites scenery.
Expect many thrilling battles on the track, and some splendid drama as the skiers of all 35 Pro Teams fight for glory in early January.
UNIQUE NATURE EXPERIENCE AND FRESH AIR
The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage site and are widely regarded as among the most attractive mountain landscapes in the world.
The beauty of these mountains derives from a variety of spectacular vertical forms such as pinnacles, towers, and spires, with contrasting horizontal surfaces including ledges, crags, and plateau. All of which rise abruptly above extensive talus deposits and more gentle foothills.
ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE DOUBLE-VACCINATED
In a press release, the Organizing Committee announced that South Tyrol has decided to go for so-called 2G restrictions. It means that skiers will not be allowed to start only with a negative Covid test, but they must prove that they have been vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine or have recovered from Covid-19.
An EU-approved vaccine passport means that you have been double-vaccinated with an approved vaccine.
Organizing Committee also prepared several other measures to reduce the risk of infection in connection with the event.
