Extremely Millet Tour du Rutor
WORDS → Francesca Cassi
DATE → 2026-07-17
Highlights of the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême. Extreme, precise, and demanding: two days of adventure in Valgrisenche with the world’s strongest athletes competing on the historic course
Here it is, the most technical of the Italian stages of the Grande Course. Once again this year, the Tour du Rutor was, as expected, extreme. Technique, strength, and endurance: this is what was required of the nearly three hundred pairs of athletes who faced the race, in the spectacular and hostile alpine environment that knows how to bring out the best in those who put themselves to the test.
The last weekend of March, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29, saw the world’s strongest ski mountaineers parade across the Aosta Valley peaks of La Thuile, Valgrisenche, and Arvier, with Millet as the technical partner of the race. The collaboration is now a decade old and was consolidated again just days before the event, with the sponsorship contract signed by Romain Millet, CEO of Millet Mountain Group.
“I am very proud to continue associating our brand with this historic ski mountaineering event,” he stated. “The high-mountain tracks, designed by guides Marco Camandona and Roger Bovard, Millet Team athletes, are simply majestic. The highlight that every competitor dreams of is undoubtedly crossing the Rutor glacier. I look forward to supporting the participants this year during the briefing on Friday, March 27 .”
This twenty-second edition of the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême saw record numbers. A total of 277 two-person teams, representing nineteen nations. An important point to note is the increasing number of women — about 10% of the participants.
To these numbers, others must be added that should not be underestimated: the participants of the non-competitive “Team 85” climb, which took place on Sunday; and the approximately one hundred young athletes who raced individually on dedicated courses on Saturday afternoon. Under 20, 18, 16, and 14 categories competed on technical and selective courses that were just as challenging as the senior one.
The race
“A memorable day for all competitors,” said Marco Camandona.
And so it was, but not just for one day—for the whole weekend. The athletes immersed themselves in the unique Millet TDR atmosphere as early as Friday evening, during the briefing held by Marco Camandona and Roger Bovard. A very important collective moment for the race, which brought together ski mountaineers from all over Europe in Arvier. The guidance from Camandona and Bovard, drawing on their experience, is fundamental every year for everyone, from experts to amateurs.
The opening stage started the next day from the center of La Thuile. Destination: Valgrisenche. Over 2,400 meters of climbing on a route that partly follows the one from ’33 — the “first edition” of the Tour du Rutor, then known as the “Trofeo del Rutor.” As with the 2024 edition, competitors prepared for a spectacular crossing over one of the largest glaciers in the Aosta Valley. Despite the uncertain weather forecast, especially regarding the wind, the day was clear and bright — after all, fortune favors the bold.
A large crowd spread out along the entire course; the first transition at Dome de la Maisonnette, 600 meters above the La Thuile slopes, was impressive, where the first pairs arrived with ease. The second day, the decisive stage, took place where the modern TDR was born, in a kind of journey from the past back to the present. Start and finish in the locality of Planaval, in the municipality of Arvier, with a spectacular and dynamic loop around Château-Blanc. The route took the athletes to the summit at 3,422 meters, after the Orfeuille and Plan-Petet alpine pastures, for a total elevation gain of about 2,300 meters.
Athletes
The field of protagonists was of such a high level — including the winning Pierra Menta pair Mardion-Gachet, the national team captains De Silvestro-Mollaret, and the pairs Boffelli-Oberbacher and Bruzzos-Vasinova, who were aiming straight for the circuit after their Transcavallo victory — that making predictions would have been truly difficult. The rest of the cast was equally stellar: the teams Equy-Damevin, Magnini-Palzer, and Maguet-Nicolini in the men’s field, and Veronese-Ghirardi and Junod-Compagnoni in the women’s, were also aiming for a spot on the podium.
After two stages, a total of 5,000 meters of elevation gain, 50 km of distance, at least 20 transitions, and 3 kilometers of ridges and couloirs with passages over 3,000 meters, Davide Magnini and Anton Palzer triumphed in the men’s category (with a final time of 5h17’24”); and Axelle Mollaret and Alba De Silvestro in the women’s category, absolute dominators of both stages (6h02’50”). Completing the podium were Giulia Compagnoni and Noemi Junod (6h43’10”) and Ilaria Veronese with Corinna Ghirardi (7h13’34”). Magnini and Palzer won the second stage and dominated the rankings, ahead of the Gachet-Bon Mardion pair (5h18’18”) who had won the first day. Third place went to the French pair Equy-Damevin (5h18’23”).
Team 85
For non-competitors looking for strong emotions and the true TDR spirit, the Team TDRx85 initiative returned this year. Starting from Planaval, amateurs could set off independently between 6:30 and 9:30 AM to reach the area near Plan Petet Alta (2,360 m). An 850-meter climb and a way to fully experience the untouched nature of Valgrisenche. It was also an immersive moment that allowed everyone to follow the most crucial phases of the second stage of the race and obtain the “finisher” certificate. Up for grabs was a Millet 22L backpack.
Aiming for the best
This is how Marco Camandona, mountain guide and head of the organizing committee, experiences the race. “It was a stellar edition,” he stated. “Not only for the numbers that matched the record ones of 2018, but also for the time performances“. After two days of technical racing at high altitude, with over 5,000 meters of positive elevation gain, the top pairs finished with very narrow gaps. This is a significant indicator of the athletic level of these champions.
Seeing the behind-the-scenes of this Millet-branded event was exciting. During the briefings, as well as during the race, the passion of the organizers, course setters, and volunteers emerges as a fundamental piece, an invisible commitment without which the TDR could not exist. The team led by Camandona works like a very well-oiled machine, with everyone in the right place at the right time to ensure the safety of the athletes and the smooth running of this race.
“We couldn’t have asked for better, 277 teams at the start and many young people. Now let’s enjoy this success; from tomorrow we will start thinking about the 23rd edition. The appointment is for the last weekend of March 2028.“