PRE-RACEPRESSRELEASE

2018MARATONADLESDOLOMITES–ENEL:BALANCINGONABIKE.BALANCINGLIFE.

WEAREREADYFORANEW,EXCITINGEDITIONOFTHEMARATONA

ALTA BADIA (South Tyrolean Dolomites/Italy) – AN EVENT THAT INVOLVES CYCLISTSFROM68COUNTRIESOrganisinganeventliketheMaratonadlesDolomites-Enel isabalancingact.This iswhycertainaspectsof theeventnever change, suchas the starting timeandplace,which isalwaysat6.30amfromLaVilla,and the finish line inCorvara.Asalways, theMaratonadles Dolomites-Enel, the queen of the international granfondos, welcomes aheterogeneous group of enthusiastic cyclists, and 2018's 32nd edition is no exception:cyclistsof68differentnationalitieswillbeattendingandtheyhavebeenselectedfromthe32,400applicationswereceived.Thisyear,4,900ofthetotalnumberofcyclistswillbemakingtheirMaratonadebut.ThedrawingsystemmakesitpossiblefornewparticipantstogetthechancetoexperienceAltaBadiaandtheDolomiteseveryyear.Half the cyclists are Italian, the other half come from all five continents. The best-represented European countries are Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands andDenmark, and the cyclists who have travelled the furthest hail from Singapore, SaudiArabia, China, Kenya, New Zealand, Australia and Brazil. Well-known sportsmen,sportswomen and famous faces from other industries will also be taking part, whichatteststheinternationalappealoftheMaratonadlesDolomites-Enel.THEMARATONAISLIVEONTVRAITRE will be broadcasting the event live on TV from 6.15 am till noon, with nointerruptions. Threehelicopters andoneplanewill take careof the aerial shots,whileover50menandwomenontheproductionteamarecommittedtoguaranteeingahigh-quality, efficient broadcasting. The TV studio, which is set up near the finish line inCorvara,willwelcomefamousfacesofthecyclingworldandbeyond,andwillbewhereallthecommentaryandfilmingwilltakeplace.TheservicesprovidedbyRAI,SkySportandotherchannelsmaketheTVbroadcastingofthiseventoneofakind.Forthe2018editionoftheMaratona,theradiosupportisprovidedbyNBCReteRegione,theMaratona'sofficialradiostation.Thisyear,GlobalCyclingNetwork,themostpopularYouTubechannelintheworldwhenitcomestocyclingwithoveronemillionsubscribers,willalsobeinattendance.Thechanneloffersfreecontentthatfocusesoncycling24/7inacaptivatingandcreativeway.THREECLOSED-ROADRACEROUTESTherearethreelong-provenroutesthattheriderscanselectfrom,tosuittheirabilityandaspirations.Long,138km:LaVilla,Corvara,CampolongoPass,Arabba,PordoiPass,SellaPassCrossing,SellaPass,PlandeGralba,GardenaPass,Corvara,CampolongoPass,Arabba,ColleSantaLucia,GiauPass,Pocol,FalzaregoPass,ValparolaPass,SanCassiano,LaVilla,Corvara.The

highest point is the passage on the Pordoi Pass at 2,249m. The total elevation gain is4,230m.Medium, 106km: La Villa, Corvara, Campolongo Pass, Arabba, Pordoi Pass, Sella PassCrossing, Sella Pass, Plan de Gralba, Gardena Pass, Corvara, Campolongo Pass, Arabba,Pieve di Livinallongo, Cernadoi, Falzarego Pass, Valparola Pass, San Cassiano, La Villa,Corvara.Theelevationgainis3,130m.Sella Ronda, 55km: La Villa, Corvara, Campolongo Pass, Arabba, Pordoi Pass, Sella PassCrossing,SellaPass,PlandeGralba,GardenaPass,Corvara.Theelevationgainis1,780m.THEVOLUNTEERS:WITHOUTTHEMTHEREWOULDBENOMARATONAThevolunteersaretherealkeyplayersoftheevent:asmall,greatpeacefularmyofalmost1,500men,womenandyoungsters,whomakeaprestigiouseventsuchastheMaratonadlesDolomites-Enel2018possible.Withouttheirhelp,supportandexcitement,renewedyearonyear,theMaratonawouldn’texist.Thevolunteerslookaftereverything:fromthebibnumbersdistributiontotherefreshmentpointsmanagement,fromtheracepackagespreparationtothefinishareacoordination.Theyarethecentralandindispensablehubofthe entire organisational structure, and when the race is over and everything isdismantled,adedicatedpartyishostedonthedayaftertheraceforeveryvolunteer.Anenormousbarbequewithalotteryissetuptorewardeveryone'sefforts:aneventintheevent,amomentofcelebrationandjoy,tobeshared,alreadythinkingaheadtothenextedition.Becausethisisthespiritofthevolunteers:helpandstaywelltogether.BECOMINGBALANCEDCONSUMERSThe theme of balance is perfectly in line with our concept of eco-sustainability: theMaratona has long promoted initiatives which aim to reduce energy emissions andconsumption.Basedonthemeasurementsandcalculationsofemissionsrecordedduringthe2017editionofthecompetition,theMaratonareachedcertificationleveland88.25%compensation of greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 74% in 2010), and it did notpurchaseCO2credits.We are aware that this alone does not constitute the solution to the problem of airpollutionandsubsequentclimatechange,butitshowshowintegratedactioncanhelptosignificantlycurbemissionsand,therefore,contributeinaconcretewaytoprotectingtheclimate,theearthandtheenvironment.THEGREENANGELTheGreenAngel, thesustainablemechanic, isbeing introducedtotheMaratonaforthefirsttime.GreenAngelsaremechanicswhoonSundaywillcyclearoundonelectricbikessupportingcyclistsinneedofmechanicalassistance.ThankstoPinarellowhosuppliesthenew 'Pinarello Nitro' electric road bikes and Pirelli, who provides the mechanics, theMaratona organisation team is attempting to demonstrate its clear support forsustainabilityduring thecompetition (specifically)andon the roadsof theDolomites (ingeneral).Electricalbikesrepresentthefutureofcleanmobilitynotonlyincities,butalsointhemountains.FREEANDCLEANMOBILITYThe free shuttle service that connectsall thevillagesofAltaBadiaand takesyou to thespotwhere you canpick up yourmaratonapack in Badia is not new, but it remains an

essential service to avoid traffic jams and to reduce energy consumption. Over 3,200peopleusedtheservice in2017,that's15%morethanin2016,andwehopeevenmorechoosetodosothisyear.Theorganisationteam'scarfleetismadeupofAudiQ7e-tronsandstepsarebeing taken toensurewehave the fullelectricversionsavailable in2019.The relationship between Audi and the Maratona dles Dolomites - Enel stems from ashared vision when it comes to sustainable mobility and is strengthened by thepartnership between the car manufacturer and Alta Badia, specifically through thecreation of an infrastructure to charge electrical vehicles. But not only that: EnelparticipatesbothinthedevelopmentofaprojectforEva+electricchargingpoints,andintheintegrationofchargingservicesofferedthroughthepurchaseofnewAudie-trons,thefirst fullyelectriccarsmakingtheirdebut in Italy attheendoftheyear.FromThursdayafternoon, visitors will be able to admire the full-electric concept car Audi Elaine,strengthened by the autonomous Level 4 driving in order to travel in complete safetywithoutanyinterventionbythedriver.THEMARATONAANDCHARITYWORK,ANINSEPARABLEPAIRTheMaratonahasalwaysstoodout foroneof itsextremely important features:charitywork. Thanks to theproceeds fromhigher-priced registrations, theMaratona is able tospreadhopeandproviderealhelptopeopleacrosstheworld.Inparticular,theMaratonasupports the non-profit association NPA/NGO “Insieme si può”, (www.365giorni.org)which supports the project related to Kangole Boys Primary School inNorthernUgandaanditsrespectivedormitoryforpupilsandtrainingcourses,theCostaFamilyFoundation(www.costafoundation.org) that will build a new family home in Jhamtse Gatsal in thedistrict of Tawang - Arunachal Pradesh in India., the Assisport Alto Adige(www.sporthilfe.it)whichsupportsrealsportingtalents,youngpeoplewhocannotaffordto finance their competitions and the Alex Zanardi BIMBINGAMBA Association(www.bimbingamba.com)whichmakes artificial limbs for childrenwhohave undergoneamputationsanddonothaveaccesstoproperhealthcare.ALTABADIABIKEFRIENDLY:CYCLIST-FRIENDLYHOLIDAYSSomepassionslastforthesummer,whereasotherslastalifetime.Overrecentyears,AltaBadia’s passion for cycling is really making this destination stand out, representing theidealsettingtoexperiencespectacularmomentsontwowheels,andwithneweventsandinteresting proposals being introduced every year. Alta Badia is in the heart of theDolomites,aUNESCOWorldHeritageSite,andhasbecomeapointofreferenceforeventhemostdemandingcyclists.Theareaoffersarangeoftouristservicesforcyclistsknownas the"BikeFriendly” initiative, focusingonboth roadcyclistsandmountainbikers.Thetourist information offices provide road maps with recommended routes, and thepartnershipwiththespecialisedDolomiteBikingSchool(www.dolomitebiking.com)allowsgroup or individual excursions to be organised daily. Until the end of July, you can gocycling every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday accompanied by expert local guides inoccasionofthebikeguidedtours.Eachday,twotripswillbeavailabletosuittwodifferentlevels: “tour” forexpertsand“hobby” for intermediatecyclists.These tripsallowyou toreach the most iconic places and passes of the Dolomite mountains that have madehistoryintheGirod’Italia,allaccompaniedbyexpertguidesandwithcompletepeaceofmind.It'spossibletobooktheexcursions,costing€27.00,attheAltaBadiatouristoffices,oratany“BikeExpert”or“BikeFriendly”hotel.

Forthosewholikecyclingwithouteffort,AltaBadiaofferstheE-BikeSharingschemewiththebrandnewPinarelloe-bikes.Thankstothisservice,it‘spossibletoconvenientlycyclefromoneplacetoanother,bothupinthemountainsandinthevariousvillages,allowingyoutoreachthethreeparkswithinthe‘Movimënt’Area.It’salsoimportanttopointoutthatthesebicyclesareelectricandarethereforeveryeasytoride.Theseoutdooractivitiesarethereforealsosuitablefor lesssportypeople,whosimplywanttoenjoytheviewsoftheDolomitesontwowheels.Thestationswherebikescanbedroppedoffandpickedupare located above Col Alto, Piz La Ila and Piz Sorega and in the villages of La Villa andCorvara. Pinarello has launched its first e-bikes inAlta Badia, thereby strengthening thepartnershipbetweenthistouristdestinationandthefamousbicyclebrand.THEPARTNERSANDTHEMARATONA:APERFECTBALANCEThankstothesupport,contributionandactivecollaborationofthepartners,theMaratonahasgrownovertime,becomingthemostimportantamateurcyclingraceinEurope.Asamatter of fact, the relationship between organisers and companies who have longbelieved in thisevent, isbasedonsharedvalueswhich translate intoecology, solidarity,performance,culture,andfinance.ThisstartswithEnel,thetitlesponsoroftheevent.Therelationshipwhichhas grownyear after yearbetween thebiggestelectricityprovider inItaly and the Maratona has a solid foundation. Loyalty, sportsmanship, passion andattention to the environment ring true for both. These words translate into tangibleactions supported by constant dialogue, meaning that the company captained byFrancescoStarace,willplayanevenmore important role in the future,particularlywithregardtomakingAltaBadiaevenmoresustainable.TheorganisationcostsoftheMaratonaexceed2.5millionEuroandtheraceitselfcouldnotbepossiblewithoutthesupportofitspartners.Thisiswhytheorganisingcommitteecarefullychoosesitspartners;theymustmeetstrictrequirementsandreflectthespiritoftheevent.For years, Castelli, Enervit, Selle Italia and Alto Adige/Südtirol have been the mainpartners of the race. At the Gardena refreshment spot, you'll find the Segafredo PointwhichallowsparticipantstoenjoyadeliciouscoffeewhileadmiringtheSassolungo.Aftertherace,companiessuchasCantineMaschioandRanaprovidethefoodanddrink:theformergivesabottleofProseccotoallparticipants,thelatterbringsitspastadishesnecessary to feedthousandsofhungrycyclists. Inacompetitionwherehydration iskey,wealsosupplyWarsteiner,oneoftheMaratona'shistoricpartners,animportantplayeratthedifferentstagesoftheeventthankstoitsselectionofbeerwhichkeepsspectatorsandcyclistsingoodspirits.THEMARATONAVILLAGEStartingfromThursday,SanLeonardowelcomestheMaratonaVillage;itsprogrammethisyear features many surprises including fashion shows, games and drawing lessons forchildren,thewheeloffortuneandthesocialwall.Followingthesuccessofthe1stedition,companies such as Segafredo, Cantine Maschio, Rigamonti,Marlene,Warsteiner andmanyotherswilldelightuswiththeirdelicacies. Duringthesethreedays,theMaratonaVillage will welcome famous sports personalities and many more who will meetparticipantsand,potentially,beopento takingacoupleofphotographs together.Thereare 40 companies involved including the evergreen technical partners such as Enervit,Selle Italia, Technogym, Pirelli, Pinarello, Castelli, Kask, but also national and

international businesses such as Enel, Panaria, Alpiq, Mapei, Arcese, Rana, IntesaSanpaoloPrivateBanking.NOTJUSTFORADULTS!EverybodynowknowsthattheMaratonaforKidsSportfulisaneventwithinanevent:thecompetition is reserved to aspiring cyclists age6 to12and takesplaceon the SaturdaybeforetheMaratona.It'sacyclingeventthatinvolvesyoungcyclistsandtheirparents.Funisguaranteedthanks toArcese's shows foradultsandchildren in the MaratonaVillageand thewell-known tractor-trailer that turns into a theatrebrings youendless fun! Lastbutnot least,FabioVettori, the famousant illustrator,willorganisedrawing labs in thevillageonFridayandSaturdayand in the finish lineareaonSunday.Sportfulhasalwayspaidattention to childrenand,onceagainon thisoccasion, itwill giveall participants abeautifulcyclingT-shirt.HERE’SSOMEKEYFACTSANDFIGURESTheMaratonadlesDolomites-Enelisthemostwell-representedsportingeventinItalyinterms of the provinces represented: 105 out of a total of 107. This year’s oldestparticipant is Frenchman Roger Moncar, who lives in Rome and was born on 25thSeptember1935.Asalreadymentioned,therearemorethan1,500volunteerswho’llbeclockingupmorethan23,000workinghoursintotal.Therearesix refreshmentpointsalong the routeand they’llbeprovidinganastounding2,100kg of bananas, 500kg of oranges, 10,500 sandwiches, 320kg of cheese, 290kg ofcookedham,800kgofcakesandsweets,4,500litresofCocaCola,9,000litresofmineralwater,1,300fruitjuices,11,500litresofmineralsalts,11,000dishesofRanatortelliniand8,500steaksandsausages.WHO’LLBETHERE?AsportsdayforItaly’sbusinessleaderswho,onSunday1stJuly,willbefacingaclimbupthe stunning Dolomite mountains rather than up the corporate ladder. In Alta Badia,unitedbytheirpassionforcycling,there’llbe:FrancescoStarace,CEOofENEL,CarloTamburi,Enel’sCountryDirectorforItalyRodolfoDeBenedetti(CIR),MarioGreco(ADZürich),FaustoPinarello(Pinarello),MatteoArcese(Arcese),EmilioMussini(PanariaGroup)LauraColnaghi(Carvico)GiovanniBruno(Sky)AlbertoSorbini(Enervit)MatteoMarzotto(EnterpriserandPresidentofthe“FondazioneRicercaFibrosiCistica)SirBrailsford(TeamSky)RenatoDiRocco(FCIpresident)aswellasmanymoresportspersonalitiesandotherVIPssuchas:

MiguelIndurain,EliaViviani,PaoloBettini,AlessandroZanardi,MarzioBruseghin,ManfredeManuelaMölgg,DorotheaWierer,LisaVitozzi,ChristofInnerhoferDavideCassani,RobertoSgalla,PierBergonzi,FedericoPellegrinoDJLinus,PaoloKessisoglu,formerpresenterof“LeIene”andtheformerItalianroadcyclingchampionMariaCanins.RESEARCHFORABETTERUNDERSTANDINGWe have conductedmarket research through an international agency, certified by twoEnglish bodies: the ICO (Information Commissioners’ office) and MRS (Curiosity InsightRevolution).OuraimwastoanalysethepositioningoftheMaratonadlesDolomites-Enelbrand on an international scale, to assess the quality of our event, to understandwhattrendscyclists,bothgranfondoandregular,willbefollowingovernextfewyears,tostudymarketstrategiessuitabletoincreasingthequalitativeleveloftheeventandtheappealofAltaBadiaandtheDolomitesasacyclingdestination.Thedatawhichemerged from the researchwas surprising. First of all, itwas extremelyinterestingtoassesswheretheanswerscamefrom:only1%fromItaly,32%fromNorthEurope and 23% from North America. What subsequently emerged was that theMaratonawas themostmentionedgranfondoon the listof "granfondosyouknow'andthat theMaratona is alwaysnear the topof thegranfondowish list in theeyesofbothcycling pros and enthusiasts. Research is a very important tool to create guidelines notonlyforthefutureoftheMaratona,butforthewholeAltaBadiacomplexwithaviewtoimprovingtheoffertocyclists.WEBRINGYOUTHEALTABADIABRANDOn 21st December last year, the Alta Badia Brand was officially inaugurated: this is aconsortium with four very important partners for tourism in the valley: TouristAssociations,theConsorzio ImpiantiaFuneAltaBadia,theorganisationoftheSkiWorldCupandtheMaratonadlesDolomites-Enel.Forovereightmonthsofmeetingsandgatheringswithaspecificworkgroupconstitutedin collaboration with the agency Brand Trust located in Nuremberg, we evaluated andassessedthecurrentsituationandpotentialalternativesforthefutureofAltaBadia.ABB's mission is to develop, coordinate and implement, in conjunction with the fourpartners,boththestrategicguidelinesandthemarketingandcommunicationsactivitiesofthecomplex.The four partners share the same objective: setting Alta Badia apart from all othercomplexesandofferingmemorablemomentsofleisureinthemountains.

Weareno longer speakingof a community,butof anactual governance structureonatouristlevelwhichwillmakeiteasiertocoordinatethemarketopportunitiesthatareputforward.THEREPÊCHAGEISBACK!And, last but not least, here is a big change: from 2019, we are bringing back therepêchage,whichmeansthateverybodywillgettotakepartintheMaratonawithinsomeyears.InNovember,welaunchedasurveyaskingallMaratonaenthusiastswhetherornottheywantedtobringbacktherepêchage(itwasremovedin2014)andover8,000peoplereplied.Sinceitsinceptionin2004,84,703cyclistshavetriedtoentertheMaratonalotteryandhave failed togetaspot.90%ofallparticipants in thesurveysaid theywantedtherepêchage back, sowe decided that, starting from next year, it will be reintroduced toensureparticipationat leastonce in six years.Weknowsix years is a longwait,butwehavenochoicegiventhesheernumberofrequestswereceive. Forinfo:OrganizationComiteeMaratonadlesDolomitesphone+390471/839536info@maratona.it–www.maratona.itPressOffice:PizzininiScolariComunicazionewww.pizzininiscolari.comPizzininiChristianmobile+393388543309christian.pizzinini@pizzininiscolari.comScolariAntonioLodovicomobile+39394033738antonio.scolari@pizzininiscolari.com