This is where GTWS athletes, staff, and media from around the world meet to eat their meals the temporary epicenter of the coastal town of Spotorno. On Thursday afternoon, Spotorno received an extra infusion of energy with the GTWS women's championship prologue race. The 8.7K (5.4-mile) loop started with a 300-meter dash on the beach before a grind of a climb to the summit of the town's highpoint, 1,444-feet Monte Mao, followed by a zesty descent on mountain bike trails and steep paved roads back to the beach where the race began.