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Brunod and Reichegger win 12th Tour du Rutor

Lorenzo Scandroglio

April 2006

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Planetmountain.com

Tour du Rutor 2006, Arvier, Valle d'Aosta

The 12th international Tour du Rutor took place at Arvier in Valle d'Aosta last weekend and was won by the Italian team Dennis Brunod and Manfred Reichegger. The women's event was won the Italian/Swiss team comprise of Gloriana Pellissier and Gabrielle Magnenat. The French duo Patrick Blanc and StÃ©phane Brosse placed second and grabbed overall victory in the 5th TrophÃ©e des Alpes, having won the Pierra Menta 2006 in mid-May.

Apart from the final results of this classic ski mountaineering competition, which starts off and finishes at Planaval and touches on the 3422m high Mont Chateau, the race proved to be a great ski mountaineering race, turned out to be a great competition marked by unstable weather, slight course adjustments, upsets and small great protagonists. Lorenzo Scandroglio relives the competition in the following report.

XXII TOUR DU RUTOR 2006
by Lorenzo Scandroglio

THE COMPETITION: BRUNOD-REICHEGGER, RAZOR-THIN VICTORY
Just as for the Pierra Menta, the Tour du Rutor in Val d'Aosta (the 3486m high Rutor massif is located between Piccolo San Bernardo and Gran Paradiso on the hydrographic right of the valley), was dominated by clouds and snowfall. Neverthelss, after a slight course modification to render it safe, all went like clockwork and the competition turned out to be stupendous. The start was scheduled for 8.00am at Planaval, close to Valgrisenche, for almost 160 teams, of which 12 were female squads. Thanks to the abundant snowfall skis were strapped on right from the outset and the course started with 1300m height gain via a neve-ending series of zigzags which led to a narrow gully with hardpacked steps which were overcome on foot with skis strapped to the competitor's rucksacks. At the top of the gully the three fastest teams, who were later to gain the podium positions, were separated by the narrowest of margins: the Frenchmen Blanc and Brosse were just a few seconds ahead of four Italians, Reichegger (who just a few meters later overtook Brosse) Giacomelli, Brunod and Lunger. A few seconds behind these first three were Spini and Trento, but defintely still in with a chance.

In the meantime in the women's event the Italo/Swiss team comprised of Valle D'Aosta based Gloriana Pellissier and Gabrielle Magnenat. They were followed by the Valtellinesi Francesca Martinelli and Roberta Pedranzini,, winners of the recent World Championships in Cuneo

The athletes took off their climbing skins, descended, then ascended another 500m (totalling 1800m height gain) to the second skin stop which the three leading couples reached almost in unison, ready to descend at breakneck speed down the final slope. The finish proved exciting, with Blanc and Giacomelli arriving first but having to wait, as dictated by the competition rules, for their respective team-mates Brosse and Lunger. In the meantime the two Italian army athletes Brunod and Reichegger nipped in together, thanks also to perfect teamwork, to win the Senior men's event and also the Italian Championships. The Frenchmen Blanc and Brosse placed second and, thanks to their Pierra Menta victory, won the Trophee des Alpes. Giacomelli and Lunger placed third (silver in the Italian Championships), while fourth place went to Spini and Trento (bronze in the Italian Championships)

In the women's event Gloriana Pellissier from Italy and Gabrielle Magnenat maintained their lead right from the first climbing skin stop off and won the event.
di Lorenzo Scandroglio
lorenzo.scandroglio@tin.it

RESULTS TOUR DU RUTOR 2006 - SENIOR
Men
1) Brunod Dennis - Reichegger Manfred (CS Esercito) 1.49.47
2) Blanc Patrick - Brosse StÃ©phane (FRA) 1.50.13
3) Giacomelli Guido (SC Alta Valtellina) - Lunger Hansjoerg (Ski Team Fassa) 1.50.35
4) Spini Davide - Trento Denis (CS Esercito) 1.55.30
5) Eydallin Matteo (CS Sauze d'Oulx) - Seletto Alain (CS Cervino Valtournenche) 1.55.45
6) Bon Mardion William - Meilleur Vincent (FRA) 1.55.48
7) Chevalier Stephane - Premat Martial (FRA) 1.56.14
8) Coletti Mattia - Holzknecht Lorenzo (SC Alta Valtellina) 1.58.21
9) Boscacci Graziano - Murada Ivan (Pol. Albosaggia) 1.58.38
10) Pellissier Jean (SC Cervino Valtournenche) - Sbalbi Tony (FRA) 1.59.40.

Women
1) Magnenat Gabrielle (SUI) - Pellissier Gloriana (C.S. Esercito) 2.19.26
2) Martinelli Francesca - Pedranzini Roberta (S.C. Alta Valtellina) 2.23.38
3) Fravre Corinne - Lathuraz Veronique (FRA) 2.29.36
4) Martinale Paola (S.C. Busca) - Riva Maria Luisa (Pol. Abosaggia) 2.35.53
5) Du Crest Blandine- Jacquemound Magali (FRA) 2.38.37
6) Chanoine Fabienne (S.C. Valdigne Mont Blanc) - Cuminetti Silvia (G.A. Altitude) 2.42.49;
7) Dellavedova Paola (S.C. Jolly Sport) - Murachelli Micol (S.C. Valdigne Mont Blanc) 2.57.08
8) Gaydon Sylvie - Montegani Laurence (FRA) 3.05.01
9) Favier Perrine - Nicolet Marie (FRA) 3.12.04
10) Riperto Bruna (S.C. Forno Canavese Ski Alp) - Tallia Chiara (S.S. La Bufalora) 3.20.51.

All results www.tourdurutor.com

Photos: some of the competitors of the 12th aTour du Rutor.