Over 2000 registered for the 48th edition of the Marcialonga: it will be a great cross-country weekend

Marcialonga Story and Young on Saturday, in support of Sunday's queen race which sees Norwegians and Russians as favorites.

Wednesday 27 January 2021 9 minutes reading time

“The expectation of pleasure is itself pleasure”, said the philosopher and Enlightenment writer Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, and how can you blame him? But when the wait ends, what happens when the long-awaited day appears on the calendar? This is what the Marcialonga is about to experience, with its faithful athletes who populate the Fiemme and Fassa Valleys every year in a gigantic cross-country skiing party. Of course, it will not be an edition like the previous ones, with Covid restricting the meshes of fun and carefree, but the important thing was to respond to the appeal, and so it will be. So that of Sunday 31 January will be a 48th edition with many restrictions due to the pandemic, one of all the "behind closed doors" races that have now become a custom in the sports field, but there will be no lack of enthusiasm brought by the over 2000 members who will arrive from 24 different countries. In addition to Italy with 1467 registered athletes, the most represented countries will be the Czech Republic (161), Norway (120) and Sweden (116), but this figure is not surprising given the love of these countries towards Marcialonga. Rather, the news are the "Cinderella" nations such as Japan, Cyprus, United Kingdom, Romania, Belgium, Canada and Belarus which, thanks to a less rooted cross-country tradition than the Nordic nations, will field only one athlete at the start. To these is added Brazil with a "last minute" cross-country skier, who works and lives in Val di Fiemme. When we talk about Marcialonga we refer to a competition of international importance and interest, which every year attracts the best long distance athletes on the planet. Champions of the highest level have passed on the snows of the Valli di Fiemme and Fassa and this year will be no less, with the Visma Ski Classics circuit to continue the journey started with the first two stages "La Diagonela" and "Dobbiaco-Cortina. ". The Norwegians Petter Eliassen, winner in 2019, and Morten Eide Pedersen, in addition to the usual and stainless Tord Asle Gjerdalen, holder of three consecutive successes at the Marcialonga from 2015 to 2017, should not be underestimated either. Kardin and Emil Persson, on the podium at Dobbiaco-Cortina last weekend. The Russian Ermil Vokuev, ruler of the previous stage of Ski Classics, as well as compatriot Ilya Chernousov, first at the Cavalese finish line in 2018, is not yet registered, but expected. Looking at Italy, the top men will be Mauro Brigadoi and Francesco Ferrari, but Gilberto Panisi and Lorenzo Busin are also expected who will aim to conquer good placings by continuing the excellent, albeit difficult, run-up to the most titled Nordic cross-country skiers. A women's race that would see the Swedish Britta Johansson Norgren as the favorite, winner several times on these snows, the victim of a frostbite in her toes in Switzerland 10 days ago. It is registered but its presence is not certain, and in any case the group of contenders for success is large and also includes the Norwegian Astrid Oyre Slind, the Bohemian Katerina Smutna and the recent winner of the Dobbiaco-Cortina, the Swedish Lina Korsgren. Eyes also focused on the Italian athletes with Chiara Caminada and Sara Pellegrini (FFOO) of Team Robinson Trentino who will try to finish in a good position to keep the tricolor high, as well as the daughter of art Stefania Corradini (Sottozero) at home. The overall rankings of the Visma Ski Classics circuit after two tests see the leadership of the Swedes with Oskar Kardin (370 pts.) Preceding the Russian Ermil Vokuev (300) and the other Swede Emil Persson (270), while among the women it is Lina Korsgren to lead with 370 points ahead of compatriot Ida Dahl (300) and Norwegian Emilie Fleten (300). Marcialonga show that takes place, as well as with the queen race with departure scheduled from Moena at 8 for men followed after 5 minutes by women, also with side events that traditionally accompany the granfondo: to populate the cross-country weekend there will be, at Saturday, the 9th edition of "Marcialonga Story" starting at 10, historical re-enactment of the cross-country skiing of the past, and the 11th edition of "Marcialonga Young" at 2.30 pm on 4 km of track where they will compete the Boys categories. The following day, in addition to the aforementioned Sunday highlight, there will be the continuation of Marcialonga Young with the categories Allievi, Aspiranti and Junior starting at 8.45am. Races that cannot be followed live, but with broad live broadcasts and televised insights from the comfort of the sofa at home: live TV will be broadcast on Sky Sport 1 and Sky Sport Arena with commentary by Francesco Pierantozzi, Pietro Nicolodi and Elisa Calcamuggi and with the technical shoulders Gabriella Paruzzi and Marco Albarello, while in Trentino it will be visible on RTTR with the commentary of Marco Selle and Michele Pasqualotto starting from 7.45 until 11.45 thanks to the concession of Sky Sport, especially for the many people from Trentino who will not be able to attend as many as in passed the race. Those wishing to follow Marcialonga in streaming can do so on the Sky Go and Now TV platforms. Radio Fiemme, a proven partner of Marcialonga for 50 years, will also be live following the race with two cars and a post on arrival for interviews. of ritual. The story, which began 50 years ago, continues ...

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