The two HERO Südtirol
Dolomites’ routes have finally been certified, leaving no doubt about their
characteristics. A good 4,016 bikers will kick off the event on Saturday, 18
June 2016, racing on the longer (86 km and 4,500 m elevation gain) and shorter (60
km and 3,200 m elevation gain) route.
The
cogs of the HERO
Südtirol Dolomites organising machine have been in motion for
some months now. In fact, it never stopped even after the end of the 2015 UCI
World Marathon in June, pulling out all the stops for the 2016 edition taking
place on Saturday, 18 June. One of the main concerns for this edition was the
‘actual’ length of the two routes.
The
distance isn’t always precise due to the fallible nature of GPS gauging,
subject to environmental variables and the instrument’s setting. In light of
this, some participants wrote to the Organising Committee at the end of the
previous edition to question the actual distance of the two routes.
Wanting
to give a credible answer to what is a legitimate question, the Organising
Committee enlisted Garmin,
a world leader in satellite navigation. Its GPS Academy proceeded to measure
the HERO’s two routes, certifying their distance and elevation gain.
The
Organising Committee can now resolutely confirm that the long route measures 86
km and 4,500 m elevation gain, while the ‘shorter’ route measures 60 km and
3,200 m elevation gain.
Now
that the routes’ length has been proved beyond doubt, you can look forward to
the HERO Südtirol
Dolomites. The seventh edition of the hardest mountain bike
marathon in the world will kick off as is customary from Selva Val Gardena on
the morning of 18 June.
Luckily,
there were never any doubts about its claims to being the toughest mountain
bike challenge in the world!
For
further information on the HERO Südtirol Dolomites routes
