Tor des Géants

It provides prizes for all participants who complete the run before the cutoff. The start and the finish are in Courmayeur. The total length of the race is 330 km (205mi) which must be completed in less than 150 hours. There are 43 refreshment points at which the runners can eat, sleep and, if needed, obtain medical care. There are also 7 life bases, which are bigger than refreshment points. They are placed about every 50 km (31mi). Because of its difficulty, many athletes do not complete the trail. The completion rate is about 60%. Around 2000 volunteers are used to organize the race. Due to the difference between the highest point and the lowest point, weather can be an additional obstacle. As they travel, the competitors can encounter sun, rain, wind, and even snow. The number of participants is limited because of the complexity of managing people over the 330 km trek. For the 2015 edition there have been 2291 pre-registrations. For 2016 it will be conducted under ITRA regulations, the governing body for trail races in the Mont Blanc and Alpine region.

The first inaugural edition was in 2010.

The 2012 edition was interrupted on the fourth night and stopped on the fifth day at En Bosses (303 km). About 70 runners completed the whole course.

The 2013 edition was marked by the death of the Chinese runner, Yang Yuan. He fell and he hit his head on rocks during the first rainy night of the race. There is a monument at the site of the accident. The cairn has inscribed a poem written by Yang Yuan.

The 2015 edition was interrupted on the third night due to severe weather and stopped on the fourth night, because Col Malatra got covered by ice. Only six runners completed the whole distance.

In 2016 local authorities organized a competing race 4K VDA. The suspected reasons were concerns for runner's safety and the costs. The race started and ended in Cogne and went clockwise (unlike Tor).

Since the 2017 edition has been introduced a geolocation service via GPS system. Through the Tor des Géants website[1], for each athlete are shown: time of pass at specific points along the path, overall ranking, median speed, distance and elevation gain traveled. There is also a map that shows the athletes live position[2].

The race in the Champorcher valley

The trail is a tour of Aosta Valley following the two "High Routes" of the region, the Italian: Alta Via n.2 or French: Haute route n°2[3] for the first half of the race, and the Italian: Alta Via n.1 or French: Haute route n°1[4] for the second half of the race. During the tour, the runners cross 34 municipalities, 25 mountain passes over 2000 metres, 30 alpine lakes and 2 natural parks. The minimum altitude is 300 m (985ft) and the highest is 3,300 m (10800ft). The total elevation gain is about 24,000 m (78700ft).[5]

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  Indications at Coda refuge.
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  Tor des Géants at refuge Victor Sella.
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  The "Tête du Rutor" see from Albert Deffeyes refuge.
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  The "Fenêtre de Champorcher", after the first 115 km.
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  Yang Yuan monument at night