MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN EVER!

Hundreds of XC skiing lovers from all over the planet and from any corner of the country are to invade Italy's Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa. Next 28 January, Marcialonga will be celebrating its 45th anniversary and, as tradition goes, the 70 kilometers long track from Moena to Cavalese will be crossing almost any little town of both valleys such as Soraga, Vigo di Fassa, Pozza di Fassa, Mazzin, Campitello, Canazei, Predazzo, Ziano di Fiemme, Panchià, Tesero and Castello-Molina di Fiemme.

One of the toughest point surely is the Cascata climb right before the finish line that gives the Lampogas Final Climb Trophy to the male and female best climbers (€ 1,700 and € 800 each). Several further money prizes will be given out thanks to important partners such as ITAS (€ 5,300 to both men's and women's race winners - € 2,200 to seconds - € 1,200 to thirds plus the Marcialonga Light podium, € 250, € 100 and € 80 respectively)

Over 1.500 volunteers work side by side with the Marcialonga OC and 'I don't know what we would do without them, to be honest. They live in both valleys and when it's time for Marcialonga it seems like we have only one valley', said OC President Angelo Corradini.

The 45th Marcialonga will be more beautiful than ever as newly elected Miss Italia Alice Rachele Arlanch will be cheering and supporting all participants next 28 January, along with Marcialonga's Soreghina Eleonora Dellantonio, the female ambassador of Italy's most important ski-marathon.

Marcialonga is part of the Visma Ski Classics series and 7,500 skiers from 42 nations are expected at the start in Moena. The so-called 'Bisons' or 'Senators', those who have taken part into all the Marcialonga races since 1971, will get on track too and they will be wearing the classic yellow bib. Here are their names (in case you happen to see them do cheer them loudly!): Costantino Costantin, Ivo Andrich, Luigi Delvai, Armando Zambaldo, Giovanni Mariani, Aulo Avanzinelli, Marco Aurelio Nones, Odillo Piotti, Luciano Bertocchi and Fabio Lunelli.

Former Olympic and World road racing champion Paolo Bettini is training these days in the Italian Dolomites as he is joining this year's Marcialonga. 'The only time I wore a pair of cross country skis was in 2003 or 2004. It's definitely time to have a second try next 28 January.