The Race
The 42K has about 1,243 m of climbing and 71% of the route off asphalt. Treat it as a mountain race. Road marathon times do not translate, and it is not a Boston qualifier.
| Next Race Date | Saturday 3 July 2027 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Point-to-point mountain trail |
| Registration | Open, online |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Villa Welsperg, Val Canali (08:30 in 2026) |
| Finish | Fiera di Primiero town centre |
| Total finishers | To be Confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | To be Confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 8 hours, with three timed gates in 2026 |
| Free race-day transport | Yes (competitor shuttle to the start in 2026) |
| Course certification | FIDAL trail competition (not a road-certified course) |
History
The Primiero Dolomiti Marathon is a mountain trail run in the Trentino valley of Primiero, below the Pale di San Martino. The organiser archives results from 2016 and called the 2026 race its 11th edition. The 2027 entry listing and the destination office call the next one the 12th. The archive lists 2019 and then 2021, so the sequence has a gap, which fits the missing 2020 season, and the edition numbers should not be read as an unbroken run.
The 2026 42K was the Italian short-trail championship. FIDAL reported Cesare Maestri and Alice Gaggi as the champions and as record breakers, and the organiser's archive gives their times as 2:49:05 and 3:20:49. Those records belong to this trail alignment, so recheck them after the next edition.
The event appeals to trail specialists and to road runners who want a mountain challenge. The climbing and the footing make road comparisons meaningless, so a finish time here says little about a road marathon time. The 42K runs alongside a 26K, a 16K and a 6.5K family trail. Its authorities are FIDAL for trail competition and ITRA for results.
The course
The 42K runs point to point from Villa Welsperg in Val Canali to the centre of Fiera di Primiero. In between it climbs through the Siror forests to San Martino di Castrozza, loops by Lago di Calaita, and drops through Canazè and Passo Gobbera to the valley floor. The organiser's course narrative also names Prati Ronzi and Sora Ronz, forest switchbacks and a path in the direction of the Velo della Madonna.
The organiser lists +1,243 m of climbing and -1,543 m of descent, a net drop of about 300 m. The surface is about 15% mule track, 29% asphalt, 36% forest road and 20% path, so 71% is off tarmac. The race needs off-road shoes and mountain weather planning. Kilometre signs counted down the distance remaining in 2026, not up.
Kilometre by kilometre
Kilometre positions come from the 2016 route, scaled to 42.195 km, and are approximate. Gradients are from the 500 m smoothed elevation chart.
Start: Villa Welsperg, Val Canali. The 2026 gun fired at 08:30 at the villa, at about 1,050 m. Private vehicles are not allowed at the start. A free competitor shuttle left the Fiera bus station between 06:30 and 07:30 and stopped about 200 m from the villa. A tagged bag, 50 by 50 cm at most, went to a truck no later than 30 minutes before the gun.
Km 0 to 11: up out of Val Canali. The first 3.3 km climb 184 m at 5.6 per cent through Tonadico, and the route reaches Siror at about 5 km. A second climb of 382 m over 7.1 km at 5.4 per cent follows on forest roads at Dagnoli and Ronzi, with the steepest pitch near 9 km at over 13 per cent, to a high of about 1,600 m on the Sora Ronz road at 11 km.
Km 11 to 17: down and across to San Martino. A descent of 149 m over 2.8 km at 5.3 per cent through the Val di Roda leads to the village of San Martino di Castrozza at about 1,460 m, reached around 15 to 17 km. The first gate stood here in 2026, at 12:45, which is 4 hours 15 minutes after the gun.
Km 17 to 29: the Crel and Calaita roads. The route climbs 135 m over 4.1 km to about 1,570 m on the Crel forest roads at 19 km, eases for two kilometres, then climbs 162 m over 2.3 km at 7.1 per cent to the high point of the course, about 1,690 m, at 24 km on the road to Forcella Calaita. It drops past Lago di Calaita at about 25 km, where the second gate stood in 2026 (13:45), and rolls on the Calaita road and the Frate Doch and Canazè forest roads. Aid stations stood at about km 21, 25 and 29, and solid food began at km 16, so carry your own fluid and fuel for the longer gaps.
Km 29 to 42: the long descent. From Canazè at 30 km the course loses 579 m in 5.1 km at 11.4 per cent, the steepest and longest descent of the day, down the Barbine and Fagheri forest roads. It reaches Passo Gobbera at about 34 km, the third gate (15:15 in 2026), and continues down through Canal San Bovo, Imer and Mezzano on roads and paths, dropping a further 306 m in the last 7.7 km at 4 per cent to Fiera di Primiero at about 720 m. At the finish the order in 2026 was medal, chip return and refreshment. Bags were returned at Piazza del Municipio.
The three gates work independently of the 8-hour limit. A runner who misses one can lose course support even when the arithmetic for the full 8 hours looks comfortable, so pace to the gates, not only to the finish.
A steady climb of about 570 m through Tonadico and Siror on forest roads and mule track. Start slowly, because the first gate is at San Martino.
Down to San Martino at about km 17, then the high ground: the course peaks near 1,690 m at km 24, with gates at San Martino and Calaita. Take your own fuel between the aid stations.
A drop of 579 m in 5.1 km, steep and loose in places, past Passo Gobbera. Protect your quads and your toes.
Roads and paths through Canal San Bovo, Imer and Mezzano, then the valley floor and the finish in the town centre.
Course Map
The map shows the 2016 edition route. Tap a marker for the start, finish and the gate points, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
No official 42K pacer groups or target times have been published.
In 2026 the gates were San Martino at 12:45, Lago di Calaita at 13:45 and Passo Gobbera at 15:15, independent of the 8-hour limit. A missed gate can end your race even when the overall clock looks comfortable. Confirm the next edition's times.
In 2026 the signs showed the distance remaining, not the distance run. Adjust your watch habits.
Early July in the Dolomites can be cool at the start and hot on the exposed high ground, and afternoon thunderstorms are possible. The route climbs to about 1,700 m, where it is colder and windier than in the valley. Wear trail shoes with real grip, because 71% of the course is off asphalt and the descent is steep.
Carry a light waterproof, a cap and sun protection, and take a layer for the start and a dry change for the finish in the bag. Check the final mandatory kit list before you pack, because the sources reviewed did not publish one. Check the forecast in race week and again on race morning, because mountain weather changes quickly.
Entry
Entry is online through the organiser's ENDU system and is open to all, with no ballot. The organiser's 2027 listing says entries open in November. The 2027 fee schedule is not published. The organiser's rules page still shows the 2026 bands of €40, €50, €60 and €65 with 2026 deadlines, so those show the pattern and are not 2027 prices. At about €1 to £0.858, the 2026 range was roughly £34 to £56.
The rules list three routes to a competitive entry: a current FIDAL membership, a RunCard or RunCard-EPS with a valid competitive athletics medical certificate, or membership of a foreign athletics federation affiliated to World Athletics. A form for foreign certificates is linked from the rules. The sources reviewed show no non-competitive tourist route for the 42K, so check with the organiser if you do not hold a licence. The age rule is stated as over 20 and should be confirmed in the final FIDAL regulation.
The rules describe a no-refund policy with a €10 transfer to another person or to the 2028 edition, with a deadline of 27 June 2027 on the updated page. The adjacent price table is stale, so confirm that date with the organiser. The entry includes a pasta party according to the updated rules. The 2026 discounted FIDAL championship entry of €20 did not include the pack or the pasta meal and is not a 2027 price.
Fast runner standards
There are no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standards.
Primiero Dolomiti Marathon: official site →Race Weekend
Bib collection
In 2026 the event centre was the Centro Sportivo Fossi in Transacqua, part of the Fiera di Primiero area. Bibs were handed out on the Friday from 15:00 to 22:00. A second collection point opened on race morning near the Villa Welsperg start from 07:00 until 30 minutes before the gun.
Collect your bib on the Friday if you can. The race-morning desk is in Val Canali and only the shuttle can get you there, so a late collection adds pressure to a morning that already starts at the Fiera bus station by 07:30. Bring photo ID, your confirmation and the licence or certificate that proves your eligibility. The sources reviewed do not describe a trade expo, so do not expect one.
Getting to the start
The start is in Val Canali and the finish is in Fiera di Primiero, so the logistics run one way. In 2026 private vehicles were not allowed at the start. A free competitor shuttle left the Fiera bus station between 06:30 and 07:30 and dropped runners about 200 m from Villa Welsperg. The ticket issued with the bib also allowed rides on scheduled buses for the whole Saturday, which the organiser tied to that year, so confirm whether it repeats.
Sleep in Fiera or Transacqua, where the bib collection, the bus station and the finish are. San Martino looks closer on the map, but it is on the course, and a hotel there needs a proven early ride into Fiera before the shuttle departs. Val Canali is near the start, but the ban on private vehicles means you cannot simply drive in.
Hand your bag to the truck no later than 30 minutes before the gun. The bag must be tagged and no larger than 50 by 50 cm. After the finish, collect it at Piazza del Municipio. The gun in 2026 fired at 08:30. Chips are on the bib and intermediate splits are recorded. Mark the three gate times in your watch notes, and know where the first-aid and withdrawal collection points are, which in 2026 matched the three gate locations.
Allow extra time on race morning for bus strikes, road works and mountain weather. Do not plan to drive up the valley.
Nutrition on course
In 2026 the aid stations served water and a sports drink at about km 5, 8, 12, 16, 21, 25, 29, 34 and 37 and at the finish, with solid food starting at km 16. The gaps vary between 3 and 5 km, and on the long climb a gap can take an hour. Carry a soft flask and take your own gels or bars, especially before km 16, where the organiser's stations offered no solids.
Brands, portion sizes and the 2027 positions are not published. Litter goes in the bins at the stations only.
Spectating
The finish in Fiera di Primiero is the easy place to watch. The finish is in the town centre, and the bag pickup is at Piazza del Municipio. A winning time under three hours means the first runners arrive late morning, and the field then runs through the afternoon to the 8-hour limit.
San Martino di Castrozza is the second option, because the route passes through the village and the first gate stands there. Lago di Calaita and Passo Gobbera are on the high ground and need independent mountain access that the sources did not confirm. The 42K is point to point, so the three places are not a quick pedestrian circuit. Check road closures and parking before you plan to move between them.
- Stay in Fiera di Primiero and watch the finish and the bag pickup in the town centre
- Take a local bus or car to San Martino di Castrozza for the first gate
- Return to Fiera for the finish
Post-race food
The finish serves refreshments, and the updated rules list a pasta party as part of the entry, though the 2026 discounted championship entry did not include it, so check what your ticket covers. Trentino mountain food is built for a hungry runner: polenta with local cheese, venison, barley soup and strudel.
Many valley restaurants keep short hours outside the main season, so book a table before race day and ask whether the kitchen is open when you expect to finish.
Where to Stay
Stay in Fiera di Primiero or Transacqua. They are next to each other, and they hold the finish, the event centre, the bus station and the shuttle. A room here, with an early breakfast, makes the 06:30 to 07:30 shuttle straightforward.
Fiera di Primiero and Transacqua
The base for a runner. The old centre is compact and mostly flat, the finish and bag pickup are here, and the Fossi sports centre in Transacqua was the 2026 event centre. Book a room with an early breakfast and a short walk to the bus station.
San Martino di Castrozza
The scenic option, a mountain village under the Pale di San Martino, and the course passes through it at about 17 km. A hotel here needs a confirmed early ride to the Fiera shuttle. It suits runners and families who want to stay on after the race.
Val Canali
Close to the start, but private vehicles are banned at the start, so being nearby does not remove the need for the shuttle. The finish is also far away.
July is the main summer season, so book a flexible room in Fiera once the entry opens in November, and check that the hotel serves breakfast by 06:00.
Booking timeline
Entries are expected to open in November, and the 2027 fee schedule will follow. Book a flexible room in Fiera di Primiero or Transacqua when entry opens, because July is the main mountain season. Fly into Venice, Verona or Milan and plan a train and bus or a hire car for the last leg, since the valley has no airport.
Check the final fee, the route file and the FIDAL eligibility rules once entries open. Confirm the 27 June transfer date and the shuttle details in race week. Check the mountain forecast in the last days.
See & Do
Distances are straight-line from the finish in Fiera di Primiero. Check July opening hours and lift times.
Fiera di Primiero old centre
A compact town centre beside the finish, flat enough for tired legs.
Villa Welsperg and Val Canali
The villa that serves as a park visitor point, and the valley the race starts in. Check opening hours.
Lago di Calaita
A small lake at about 1,600 m in the Lagorai range, reached by a mountain road. Confirm road access.
San Martino di Castrozza
A mountain village under the Pale, with a cable car to the high plateau. Check the lift schedule.
After the Race
The race is on a Saturday in July, so the recovery day is Sunday. The valley suits gentle walks: Val Canali, San Martino, Lago di Calaita and the Paneveggio forest.
A rising valley of larch and spruce below the Pale di San Martino, with a villa at the entrance and a gentle track for legs that have just done a mountain race.
A mountain village at the foot of the Pale, with a cable car to the plateau and flat meadow walks. The race passes through it.
A small lake at about 1,600 m in the Lagorai range, with a flat shoreline walk and a night in the hills.
Two nights in San Martino with easy outings into the Paneveggio spruce forest and up to Passo Rolle, planned around the weather and tired legs.