12 January 2026

MILLET TOUR DU RUTOR EXTRÊME - Entries open today – racing at the end of March

Entries for the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême open today. The great Valdostan classic, which will serve as the final event of the La Grande Course 2026 circuit, is ready to deliver powerful emotions to lovers of skialp racing and classic formats: long climbs packed with kick turns, airy ridgelines and technical off-piste descents. After Altitoy (late January) and Transcavallo (late February), it will be the mountains of Valgrisanche and the Rutor Glacier that crown the winners and finishers of this prestigious circuit, which brings together some of the most iconic ski mountaineering races across the entire Alpine arc and the Pyrenean Cordillera.

Now in its 22nd edition, the most “extrême” of Italian ski mountaineering races will take place on the last weekend of March (Saturday 28 and Sunday 29) on the Valdostan peaks of La Thuile, Valgrisenche and Arvier. The traditional two-person team format will be confirmed for the senior categories, while youth categories will compete individually on tailor-made courses specifically designed for them.

Making history will not be easy. A glance at the Tour du Rutor honour roll is enough to understand that only true champions can win here. But make no mistake: even just finishing these two major stages, characterised by high altitude and demanding alpine routes, will be a tough challenge. It is therefore best to start training seriously and focus on the goal. The 2026 proving ground will feature 5,000 metres of positive elevation gain, at least 20 transitions, 50 km of racing (35 km uphill, 15 km free-ride), 3 km of ridges and couloirs, with passages above 3,000 metres. Behind the scenes, a top-level course-setting team coordinated by alpine guides Marco Camandona and Roger Bovard is a guarantee of quality. Not only that: the historic Valdostan event is also renowned for the warm welcome offered to every single competitor by the organising committee and the volunteers. Because the TDR is not just a great race, but also a celebration for entire communities, who seize this important showcase to promote Valdostan excellence around the world.

“Compared to recent editions, we chose to stage the 22nd edition over two days in order to respond to the needs of an increasingly crowded race calendar in the heart of winter and poor in events at the beginning of the season,” commented Marco Camandona. “Our choice is a sort of return to the past, aimed at ensuring a bright future for the TDR. Let me explain: nowadays people have less time, fewer financial resources and less snow to train properly and prepare for a long-distance race spread over several days. With two stages of this calibre, we will still guarantee athletes a true Tour du Rutor experience, while allowing a greater number of competitors to take part.”

THE RACE IN DETAIL:

DAY 1
The opening stage will start in the centre of La Thuile and finish in Valgrisenche. A true “big race”, a dive into history with more than 2,400 metres of ascent, partly retracing the 1933 route of the very first edition of the Tour du Rutor, then known as the “Trofeo del Rutor”. As in 2024, competitors will face a spectacular traverse across one of the largest glaciers in the Aosta Valley. “It will be a memorable day that will severely test all competitors,” says Marco Camandona.

DAY 2
From past to present. The decisive stage will take place where the modern TDR was born, with both start and finish in Planaval, in the municipality of Arvier (1,554 m a.s.l.). The course features a spectacular and dynamic loop around Château-Blanc, leading athletes to a summit at 3,422 m a.s.l. after passing the Orfeuille mountain pastures (1,982 m a.s.l.) and Plan-Petet (2,282 m a.s.l.). The positive elevation gain on this stage will be approximately 2,300 metres.