What unite the Basque Javi Dominguez and Malaysian Seow Kong NG? The 330 kilometers that they both traveled from Courmayeur to Courmayeur (but doing the walk of the whole Valle d'Aosta). It does not matter that the first needed 67 hours and 30 minutes and the second more than the double, most of all they shared fatigue, emotions, landscapes of Aosta Valley and the warmth of its inhabitants. Giants both, like all the 459 ranked among them. In addition, the Malaysian was at its third participation at Tor, the first two times he didn’t reach the finish line.
Today, the eighth edition of the Tor des Géants® ended with the usual big party in the square: flags, ovations (the most applauded Piero and Sergio Remondaz, father and son, Tor and Tod Dret finisher), music, dances, movies, pictures (the most recorded Makoto Yashimoto, the Japanese athlete who, for all the 330km of the route, carries a huge luggage, including umbrella, in a heavy backpack).
Most of the images have been put on social pages and after a few minutes they were around the world. From a first survey of data, the number of those who followed the race through the live timing page has doubled compared to last year, and the number of visitors on the site in general increased by 11 percent. The map of connections has shown that Tor has been seen all over the world, except in New Guinea, Arctic and North Korea.
Closed the competition, tomorrow will be archived after the award ceremony - men and women - of Tor and Tot Dret and all the finishers the Tor des Géants. Then everyone at home, maybe for a little rest. Except for VDA Trailers managers: the Arrancabirra®, the last of its six race in calendar for this year, is already starting in three weeks.