Who Sweats the Most in Red Bull's Dolomitenmann?
Here's the description of this year's race: The mountain-runners start in Lienz on the main square and run on a track that climbs 1700 meters in altitude and leads to the Dolomites.At an altitude of over 2400 metres they turn the race over to the paragliders who must run 200 metres downhill to the take-off area. They soar past some of the most breathtaking peaks in the Dolomites before negotiating an intermediate landing. The paragliders then make another 500-meter run to the next take-off station and soar down into the town of Leisach, where they hand over to the kayakers.
The kayakers start with a tight 1000-metre slalom course against the raging current in the river Drau. After a short portage that takes them to the river Isel, the kayakers have a quick downwater run to the final changeover.
Now it's up to the mountainbikers who must pedal 12 kilometres and climb 1300 vertical metres over a rollercoaster course. The track goes through narrow woods and steep sections where they will have to shoulder their bikes. Then, they must tackle blistering downhills with tight switchbacks, and pedal across open fields and alpine paths that cut one's speed before the final run down asphalt into Lienz for the finish.
For a taste of this extreme relay race take a look at Dolomitenmann.
