France’s François D’Haene, famend ultrarunner and four-time UTMB champion, claimed his first-ever victory on Wednesday on the 330km Tor des Géants (TOR330) within the Italian Alps. The tough direction, boasting 24,000 metres of elevation acquire over 200 miles, was once difficult sufficient—however D’Haene additionally confronted an surprising problem. About 250km into the race, he was once hit with a handwritten accusation of dishonest from Switzerland’s Martin Perrier, the eventual third-place finisher. Regardless of the drama, D’Haene powered thru to protected the win, turning into handiest the second one French athlete within the race’s 15-year historical past to take house the identify in 69 hours, 8 mins and 32 seconds.
Tor des Géants is thought of as some of the tough races on the planet, difficult athletes with an unrelenting mixture of maximum distances, prime altitudes and vicious prerequisites; competition face the similar of mountaineering Mt. Everest just about 3 times all through the process the development, which lasts 150 hours.
The boys’s race noticed intense pageant early on, with D’Haene going through off towards fellow Frenchman Louis Calais, who held the lead for a lot of the primary two days, and Swiss runner Perrier additionally within the combine. Because the race wore on, Calais started to vanish, with D’Haene overtaking Calais on the second one night time, securing his win. France’s Beñat Marmissolle adopted D’Haene in, taking pictures 2nd in 73:10:18.
Handiest at #TorDesGeants! 😂
It sounds as if the 6th position male has accused @francoisdhaene of dishonest (having a pacer) all through the race, and took day trip of his race to HANDWRITE FRANCOIS A LETTER and had it dropped at Francois, on track telling him he’s going to record him😂🤣 https://t.co/TpKoMHqjUD
— Liam (@aidstationfireb) Sep 11, 2024
As in step with D’Haene’s social media, he gained a risk in the course of the race from Perrier, who on the time was once in 6th position. “To our nice marvel, François was once passed a threatening handwritten letter on the right way to the race,” the publish, shared to De’Haene’s Instagram tales, learn. The accusatory notice by means of Perrier learn: “I’ve evidence that you’ve pacers. When you don’t surrender by means of nighttime, I’ll liberate footage proving it..”.
Good enough, on a carrément l. a. vidéo du second où François d’Haene reçoit l. a. lettre par un gars sur le bord du chemin.
Complètement zinzin. https://t.co/2tEtIaOsSI percent.twitter.com/zhtXbvSJ5H
— Dorian Costanzo (@Dorian_Costanzo) September 10, 2024
Tor des Géants calls for runners to hold all their provides, together with coverage from the weather must they select to sleep at the direction, and athletes can come to a decision when and the way lengthy to forestall for relaxation and refreshment. Whilst runners will have a staff that assists them at assist stations and are allowed to run with different competition, they aren’t allowed to have a pacer.
D’Haene’s crew answered to the letter, explaining that no criticism have been made with officers, D’Haene could have been adopted from a distance by means of his communications crew, who complied with race laws, and D’Haene could have crossed paths with different mountaineers at the path. Perrier has since completed 0.33 in 75 hours, 55 mins and 39 seconds. On the time of newsletter, no footage were launched.
“I’m truly extremely joyful to have completed this race and to have accomplished so with a victory, which I by no means concept conceivable,” D’Haene shared on the end line. “I slept just one hour in overall, and the toughest second was once Sunday night time with the snow at Col Loson.”
Within the ladies’s race, Switzerland’s Katharina Hartmuth has been dominating from the beginning, keeping up a file tempo during. On target for a doubtlessly historical win, Hartmuth lately holds 7th total, with Sabrina Verjee of the U.Okay. in 2nd and Claire Bannwarth of France in 0.33.
For whole effects and to observe all of the occasions at Tor des Géants, head right here.