Millet Tour du Rutor Experience

From March 31 to April 2 – in the municipalities of Arvier, Valgrisenche and La Thuile – will take place the 20th edition of the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême, the ski mountaineering race valid as Long Distance World Championship in pairs.

The athletes, coming from all over the world, will compete on a different route every day, curated in detail by the organization by the technical director and mountain guide Marco Camandona.

But the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême is not only a race for athletes of the highest level, but an opportunity to discover the territory, thanks to all the side events that have been organized this year.

To better understand the spirit of the race, we journalists were invited to a two-day experience where we got to know the people behind the event, tasted typical Aosta Valley flavors and were lucky enough to ski the powdery snow of Valgrisenche, the valley where the second stage of the race takes place.

The impression I got is that the race is really felt in the place, that it makes all the actors and the local population proud. But the thing that I find most interesting, especially considering the “closure” of certain valleys, is that here there is a great desire to open up, to allow everyone to enjoy what the area has to offer. And the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême is an example of this.

So after two days of tasting and skiing, I can say that whether you’re a great athlete or just a simple enthusiast, it’s really worth it to experience what these valleys have to offer. If you’re in the area during those days, go and see and experience the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême. And if you are passionate about photography, you can participate in the PhotoAlpArvier 2022 photo contest.

All information about the race and related events can be found on the official website here 

The race

For the twentieth anniversary edition there will be a total of 7500 meters of positive height gain, 30 gear changes, 105 km, 60 km of climbs, 45 km of free ride, 6 km of ridges and canals, 4 helicopter support bivouacs and, for each stage, the athletes will climb over 3000 meters of altitude.

Weather and safety permitting, all teams will have the opportunity to have no time gates and make it to the end of the three-day race. Being a “finisher at the Tour du Rutor Extrême” in the 20th anniversary edition will give them the chance to enter the history of this event and write their name in the roll of competitors.

Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême is myth, tradition and legend. It has always been synonymous with technicality, high mountains, aerial ridges and steep descents. In the shadow of the symbolic peak from which it takes its name, the greatest champions of recent generations have raced. For them, and for all ski mountaineers, crossing the finish line of Planaval has always been a source of pride and satisfaction. This year, in the twentieth anniversary edition, it will be even more so since the only Italian stage of the 2022 La Grande Course will be called to decree the ISMF (International Skimountaineering Federation) Long Distance World Champions.