FOOTBALL, RALLY, BIKE AND CROSS-COUNTRY

On 30th January, Riise, Grönholm, Melandri, Longa and Valbusa on the starting line
Sport and politics: Italian Minister of Tourism Massimo Garavaglia launching the race
Track ready, Marcialonga is coming for its 49th edition
Also “Combinata Craft”, because Marcialonga is cycling and running too

It’s been 11 years since Marcialonga has not happened on 30th January, the chosen day is always the last Sunday of the first month of the year, as it’s happening in a couple of weeks. Until today, the ski-marathon happened on 30th January in 1972, 1977, 1983, 1994, 2000, 2005 and 2011.
This year is the 49th edition and excitement is real, as always. The track, as the general director Davide Stoffie confirms, is almost finished with its 70 km from Moena to Cavalese, with Canazei as halfway, and administration is handing out the last bibs.
Meanwhile, looking through registrations, that Marcialonga publishes before the race, well-known people are present. You can find John Arne Riise that football’s lovers remember as a player of team Roma. Riise, nicknamed as Thunderbolt due to his strong left foot, is a Norwegian ex-champion, also awarded as football player of the year of Norway in 2006. He also played for Munich and Liverpool. He already took part to Marcialonga in 2018, ending 1209°.
On the starting line, also a great ex cross-country skier: the Italian Marianna Longa, together with another great performer of narrow-skis, Sabina Valbusa, already 3rd in 2000 and 5th in 2011. Two athletes with a glorious past, now on skis just for fun and love. Also confirmed, Marcus Grönholm, famous rally driver, also world champion. The president of Marcialonga, Angelo Corradini, lover of rallies, is managing to find him a rally car in order to let him exhibit on the snow on Saturday. Some MotoGP faces will be present too: as the world champion Marco Melandri is back once again.
During the past years, many politics came to attend the great event in Fiemme and Fassa valleys, as for the most loved president od the Italian Republic, Sandro Pertini. This year is Massimo Garavaglia’s turn, as Minister of Tourism.
Beyond amateurs, Marcialonga is also a part of Worldloppet and above all of the circuit Ski Classics. This weekend is time for the 5th stage, protagonists are almost the same as always, but everyone aims to perform well at Marcialonga, that, together with Vasaloppet, is an international icon of cross-country skiing. Up to now, young athletes have been doing great, yet ‘old lions’, shaped by double poling efforts, are just waiting for the start in Moena and the Cascata uphill. Coming back: Rezac, Anders Aukland, Ray-ban man Gjerdalen and Eliassen.
A challenge not to miss: TV is streaming it live thanks to Sky, official broadcaster of the event.
Marcialonga is not just skiing, but something else. Cycling Craft and Running Coop are the ‘summer’ competitions of Marcialonga brand, and together with the winter race create Combinata Punto3 Craft, a combined ranking, this year with the new presence of the ‘Super Captains’, ready to guide their teams in the three events. A new extraordinary year is coming for Marcialonga!

© Newspower