MARCIALONGA WON 'PASTA BOYS' HEARTS

Sunday, January 26th, the iconic Marcialonga of Fiemme and Fassa
Coveted by all the big of Ski Classics, it is the most desired by the ‘pasta boys’
Pro Team Ragde Charge wants to celebrate on the iconic ‘Mur de la Stria’
The opening and the bib ceremony of the 52nd edition is in Castello di Fiemme

The Marcialonga of Fiemme and Fassa is a ski-marathon that, like no other, is able to win the hearts of its participants, as well as those of the employees and volunteers of the organising committee, the professional cross-country skiers and their fans and staff, and also the local populations of the Trentino valleys that are coloured for the last weekend in January. The 52nd edition of the Marcialonga is scheduled on Sunday, January 26th, with the show of the popular ski-marathon starting from the very first hours of the weekend and will last for weeks in the memories of its protagonists.
The value of Marcialonga is immeasurable and inside the Ski Classics international circuit, it is one of the most coveted long-distance races of the winter season. Every professional cross-country skier dreams of triumphing in the 70 km ride that connects Moena and Cavalese and celebrating at the finish line after overcoming the ‘Mur de la Stria’ and its vertiginous gradients (an average of 9.9% and peaks at 20%).
In last year’s edition the solitary attack of the mighty Runar Skaug Mathisen (NOR) near Predazzo had made the judgement of the ‘Mur de la Stria’ less harsh for the purposes of victory, where, however, the Viking-winner's advantage had been reduced and the hope of catching up of his pursuing rivals had, albeit momentarily, been rekindled. Since its introduction in the 50th edition of Marcialonga, the ‘Mur de la Stria’ has fired up the race and is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic climbs in the panorama of the long-distance cross-country skiing events, among whom Marcialonga stands out also for the uniqueness of its course.
One of the Pro Tour formations to be particularly ‘hungry’ for victory at Marcialonga seems to be Team Ragde Charge: the Norwegian team of the Aukland brothers, who share six Marcialonga victories among others, is one of the best men's Ski Classics teams and the name its cross-country skiers have sympathetically given themselves is that of ‘pasta boys’. The prodigious Norwegians like Kasper Stadaas, Andreas Nygaard and Johan Hoel are lovers of good food and the Italian delicacy of pasta is always on their menu. When they travel to Italy and train for the Marcialonga they dream, along with their success on cross-country skis, of steaming plates of pasta and... ‘We are finally coming back! We are looking forward to it. For my part I feel that the training sessions have gone quite well: with the team, we have worked throughout the summer and also the autumn has been well ‘profitable’ with intense but very useful training sessions,' says Stadaas himself, who adds: ’We are all very excited about the new season, which is now really just around the corner. I really want to get back into the rhythm of the race and the feeling during competitions. Marcialonga is the event I am most looking forward to and I hope to do well there.’ Starting as the big favourite in 2024, Stadaas took home fifth place in last year's edition and is eager for revenge.
While the pro season is getting ready to start with its fort appointment in the Austrian Bad Gastein scheduled for the weekend of December 14 and 15, the amateurs are also continuing their training and from the Predazzo headquarters of the Marcialonga committee work is progressing to prepare for the event. In the meantime, the track is already accessible in the upper Fassa Valley and new stretches will soon be set up. To always have at hand, or rather on your smartphone, the updates on the tracks, you can download the Nordic Pulse App.
Registrations are advancing at a fast pace (fixed price at €104 until 31/12) and the Marcialonga staff led by President Angelo Corradini and general secretary Davide Stoffie, is already thinking about the opening and bibs ceremony for the 52nd edition. It is still too early to reveal the details, but it is important to remember that the opening event will take place on Saturday, January 25 in Castello di Fiemme starting at 6 pm. The energetic Marcialonga team and its equally tireless volunteers have many surprises in store for 2025 and all that remains is to discover them a little at a time, ready to be swept away by the magic of the Fiemme and Fassa ski-marathon.

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