The wait is over. Registrations for the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême open

Registrations open for the 22nd edition of the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême, the most “extreme” of all Italian ski mountaineering races, ready to deliver powerful emotions to lovers of both skialp race and classic disciplines—those made of long climbs full of kick turns, airy ridges, and technical off‑piste descents. The event is scheduled for the last weekend of March (Saturday 28 and Sunday 29) on the Aosta Valley peaks of La Thuile, Valgrisenche, and Arvier. The race features a team format with two athletes for the senior categories, and an individual format, with dedicated routes, for the youth categories.

The Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême, a true Aosta Valley classic, will serve as the final of the 2026 La Grande Course circuit. After Altitoy (late January) and Transcavallo (late February), the Valgrisanche mountains and the Rutor Glacier will decide the winners and finishers of this prestigious circuit, which includes some of the most renowned classics of the entire Alpine arc and the Pyrenees.

Making history won’t be easy. A quick look at the TDR’s roll of honor shows that winning here requires being a true champion. But don’t be fooled: simply completing these two major stages, featuring high altitude and mountaineering routes, will be a tough challenge. Better start training seriously and focus on the goal. The 2026 test will include 5,000 m of positive altitude gain, at least 20 set-up changes, 50 km of racing (35 km of climb, 15 km of freeride), and 3 km of ridges and couloirs with crossing over 3,000 meters.

Behind the scenes, a top‑level team of route setters, coordinated by Alpine guides Marco Camandona and Roger Bovard, guarantees quality. Moreover, this historic Aosta Valley event is famous for the warm welcome offered by the organizing committee and the volunteers to every single competitor. The TDR is not just a major race, but also a source of celebration for entire communities, who take advantage of this important showcase to promote Aosta Valley’s excellence worldwide.

“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 calendar of events in the heart of winter and a lack of races at the beginning of the season,” commented Marco Camandona. “Our choice is a sort of return to the past to ensure a bright future for the TDR. Let me explain. Nowadays people have less and less time, less money and less snow to train and prepare properly for a long‑distance race spread over several days. With two stages of this magnitude, we will still guarantee athletes a true Tour du Rutor style experience while allowing a greater number of athletes to participate.”

RACE DETAILS

DAY 1 The opening stage will start from the center of La Thuile and finish in Valgrisenche. A “big race,” a dive into history with over 2,400 m of ascent, partly retracing the 1933 route the “first edition” of the Tour du Rutor, then called 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, starting and finishing in Planaval, in the municipality of Arvier (1,554 m). The course features a spectacular and dynamic loop around the Château‑Blanc. The route will take athletes to the summit at 3,422 m, after passing the Orfeuille (1,982 m) and Plan‑Petet (2,282 m) alpine pastures. This stage includes roughly 2,300 m of positive elevation gain.

For more information and registration: http://www.tourdurutor.com

Traduzione: Stefania Schintu