TORX 2023, FRANCO COLLÉ TAKES BACK TOR DES GÉANTS WITH RECORD

Posted by Corriendo la Vida on September 13, 2023 in torx experience, trail running spain | Leave a comment

TORX 2023, FRANCO COLLÉ TAKES BACK TOR DES GÉANTS WITH RECORD. Our MOUNTAIN RACING CALENDAR 2023 bring us the Tor des Géants, and its winner, Franco Collé, with récord and a poker of victories.

© 2023 Tor de Géants Roberto Roux – Zzam Agency

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TORX 2023

TOR330 – Tor des Géants

Nothing should take for granted at Tor des Géants, that is one undisputed truth: whoever tried or lived this race knows it well. Someone who has learned this lesson is Franco Collé, particularly after what happened in 2017 when, firmly in the lead, withdrew in Bosses, 30 km from the finish line, giving way to the victory of Javi Dominguez Ledo. Without Jonas Russi and Simone Corsini, Collé’s victory in TOR330 was almost granted. The Italian looked tense at the starting line, and some physical struggle seemed to bring into question his fourth signature.

Then he ran with Romain Olivier 200 km until when, right before Rifugio Magià, the French stopped to get some rest. The turning point for an obvious win? Not at all. Romain gained half an hour, Collé looked tired and the game seemed to be open again. In Ollomont, though, the French stopped to get a massage and let the Italian go.

The goal was now just one: beating his own 66h43’57” record, as in Bosses he had one hour advantage on his 2021 timing. An advantage that grew thinner: Collé felt the fatigue and a pain on his left leg and slowed his pace. The descent from Malatrà was long, but the goal wa reached. Collé arrived in Courmayeur at 4.39 am in 66h39’16”.

© 2023 Tor de Géants Leonardo Bertolin – Zzam Agency

“I didn’t expect to win, after last year’s withdraw I just wanted to be at the finish line – said Franco Collé. They have been three intense days for me and my family, but TOR is TOR, it is something unique, that has to be tried or seen live. I know I will never separate from this race“. The decisive point was Ollomont: “Romain had a terrific pace, in Ollomont I tried to run away in order to beat him. Level of athletes is growing, this is the TOR we want“.

Olivier Romain too deserves many applauses, both for the fair play for “taking care” of Collé – same thing the latter did at Magià – and for his performance. The French is now second, and could finally grab a position on the podium which he dreamed until the end in 2019. Behind him Galen Reynolds seems to have managed to leave behind the others, Martin Perrier and Damian Hall above all.

Women race

Emma Stuart is still leading the women ranking ahead of Jocelyne Pauly and Sophie Grant.

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TORX 2023

TOR450 – Tor des Glaciers

In the afternoon the arrival of Sébastien Raichon is expected, together with the winner of TOR130 – Tot Dret.