{"id":100424,"date":"2026-07-23T18:24:50","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T18:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.s1trail.com\/servizio-scopa\/"},"modified":"2026-11-01T10:05:40","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T10:05:40","slug":"servizio-scopa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.s1trail.com\/en\/servizio-scopa\/","title":{"rendered":"The sweep team: what it is and how it works in a race"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The sweep team: what it is and how it works in a race<\/h1>\n\n\n

Who follows the last runners, and why it\u2019s not a way to run for free.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In trail running and marathons, the sweep team<\/strong> is the crew \u2014 often on foot, by bike or with a support vehicle \u2014 that follows the last runners along the course, making sure no one is left isolated beyond the safety limits set by the race and enforcing the maximum times and time barriers. The site already has a long, detailed article, the sweep protocol<\/a>, written for the people who do the job and for organisers: this page complements it, for runners and spectators who simply want to know what the term means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the sweep team?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is common to both road marathons and trail races, and it is distinct from \u2014 though often confused with \u2014 the \u201ctail runner\u201d<\/strong>, the role that formally closes the race, following the last runners without necessarily taking down the course markings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sweeper does not escort a single runner from start to finish: the sweep team follows the back of the field, stays in contact with race management or the operations centre and steps in when a runner fails to meet the required times or is in difficulty. It is an organisational safety role, not a personal assistance service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works at the Corsa della Bora<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Corsa della Bora publishes its own sweep protocol<\/a>, developed \u201cfrom mistakes and experience, and always evolving\u201d, signed by the Race Director and the Sweep, Course and Marking Coordinator. The protocol opens by debunking five common misconceptions about the role:<\/p>\n\n\n\n