The Sporthilfe team at the Martona dles Dolomites.

Sporthilfe team shines at the Martona

The Maratona dles Dolomites is a fixture in the Sporthilfe team's calendar every year. Under this year's motto "Lüm" (light) – 8.000 cycling enthusiasts from all over the world gathered for the 38th edition of the legendary race. With initially bright sunshine and later rain clouds gathering, the South Tyrolean Sporthilfe athletes also demonstrated their skills.

July 06, 2025

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With impressive performances, Vera Nicolussi-Leck secured victory on the 55-kilometer Selloranda course in 2:34:40 hours and former ski racer Carmen Moser took 3rd place on the 138-kilometer course in 5:25:50 hours (SportNews reported).

Early Saturday morning, a seemingly endless field of starters hopped on their bikes in La Villa in Val Badia. Accompanied by brass music, the 8.000 participants set off on one of three routes: 55 km with 1.780 meters of elevation gain, 106 km with 3.130 meters of elevation gain, or the 138 km king's route with 4.230 meters of elevation gain. As is tradition, the 33-member Sporthilfe team met the evening before for dinner at the Hotel Conturines in San Cassiano.

Vera Nicolussi-Leck (left) and Carmen Moser.

Sporthilfe President Giovanni Podini took the opportunity to warmly welcome the participants and thank them for their commitment. During the official press conference, he also thanked OC President Michil Costa and General Director Claudio Canins for over two decades of valuable support. More than €60.000 in donations have already been raised to support young talent.

Familiar faces in the Sporthilfe jersey

Prominent representatives from sports and business were part of the Sporthilfe team: Werner Heel, Manfred Mölgg, cross-country skier Sara Hutter, junior biathlete Gaia Brunello, former biathlete Pietro Dutto, Philipp Plunger, and last year's Sellaronda winner, Thomas Hintner, proudly wore the black and gold South Tyrolean Sporthilfe jersey at this year's event. Together with Evelyn Kirchmaier, Erich Gummerer, Massimiliano Podini, Peter Rottensteiner, and many other sports enthusiasts from the local business community, they formed a strong team that took on the challenge of the Dolomites.

2 podium places for the Sporthilfe team

Entrepreneur Vera Nicolussi-Leck from the Pustertal Valley secured victory in the 55km race in 2:34:40 hours. Carmen Moser from the Sarntal Valley impressed with a strong third place in the long 3km race. The other members of the Sporthilfe team also mastered the challenging Maratona dles Dolomites with flying colors.

"Everyone's nervous in the morning is palpable, but once it starts, joy, adrenaline, and the breathtaking panorama along the route prevail. For our Sporthilfe team, the Maratona is an absolute highlight every year," emphasized President Podini. "Thanks to the donations, we can continue to support young, ambitious athletes on their journey."