The Dolomiti Superbike is a classic Italian marathon event. Not very technical, but very fast, very challenging – and a prestigious event to win or place well in.
In less than a month, on 11 July 2015, the 21st Dolomiti Superbike is going to take place in Alta Pusteria. 5,509 mountain bikers from 40 countries are to start in Villabassa, racing the route clockwise, either the long distance of 113 km with 3,357 metres difference in altitude, or the short distance of 60 km and 1,785 metres difference in altitude.
Compared to the edition last year one thousand more participants have registered for the mountain-bike race. “And we are still receiving requests” confirms the president of the organising committee Kurt Ploner, even when the entries closed was four months ago.”
“The popularity of the Dolomiti Superbike is a sign of confidence in the organization committee”, says Ploner. “Two decades of professional support and great effort have paid off. Another reason for the positive image of the mountain-bike race in Alta Pusteria is the good relationship with teams and associations. And, of course, the big success is also due to the legendary fame of the Dolomiti Superbike, one of the oldest and best known mountain-bike races all over Europe.”
Read our previous reports on the Dolomiti Superbike:
2014 Race Video | Racing the shorter Superbike | Aftershocks in the Dolomites
The additional income from registration fees enables the organisation committee to invest further in the event, increasing its quality. “The whole valley and its population are supporting us, which is a huge motivation for our team”, states Kurt Ploner.
But how is organisation affected by those additional one thousand participants? Service and support for the athletes need to be increased, as the organisation committee has always to be prepared for the worst case scenario. In 2004, for example, the race was interrupted due to snowfall. Therefore additional infrastructure needs to be created and tents, blankets, hot drinks and enough means of transport for a possible call off need to be ready.
Another positive outcome of this high-level event is the acquisition of new sponsors, which can be seen as an additional sign of confidence in the Dolomiti Superbike as well.