“There is just one Trail with a soul, there is just a Trail with a heart, and this is the Tor”.
So began, without mince words, the Tourism Council Members of Courmayeur at the Courmayeur Forum Sport Center. In front of a big hall over crowded of trailers, supporters, fans not only from Aosta Valley but also from others regions. From Val Seriana, a Bergamo valley, the land of Oliviero Bosatelli, the unexpected winner of the male category, are arrived about fifty people, with flags and blow horns. Sometimes the cheers have submerged also the voice of the speaker at the microphone.
Awarded all the 446 finishers of the Tor des Géants® 2016, with a crowded ceremony and a big ended party. Hugs, tears, souvenirs, selfies and promises of future appointments between the competitors of 70 different Countries that never have seen before. Sometime some uncertain gains, due to previous days efforts, but already the will to come back.
A lot of increasing applauses for all the Organization, the mountain guides, the “sweepers”, the commissioners, the physiotherapists from Rome, the sponsors. To follow already more energy for the two thousands of volunteers that along the 330 race km have given not only assistance and sustenance and a lot of love. Hundreds of people crossed the stage, under the spotlights and the handshakes and the thousands of photos taken of the press proponents, many from Far East.
One of the person that remain us in the mind more is a kind girl from Aosta Valley that remained aloof: Marcella Pont, from Saint Denis. She has participated (and brilliant ended) her first Tor without have never done a race if not some shortly run in the plane. “It’s the real life and the nature of to be an Aosta Valley person that give me trained”, she said with a shiny smile. Marcella, indeed, every day goes up and down from the mountains removed from the glamour and trekkers to take her cows to the grazing.
Meeting for the next year, for the eight edition. Scheduled since 10 to 17 September 2017. There are already new people that have ask to inscribe to the race or to take part to the “dream team”, the magical volunteers team.
All this is the Tor des Géants®.