{"id":45376,"date":"2024-05-03T16:34:29","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T14:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1000miglia.it\/?p=45376"},"modified":"2024-05-03T16:34:30","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T14:34:30","slug":"last-lunch-of-the-race-at-the-refuge-du-montenvers-then-off-again-towards-courmayeur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1000miglia.it\/en\/2024\/last-lunch-of-the-race-at-the-refuge-du-montenvers-then-off-again-towards-courmayeur\/","title":{"rendered":"Last lunch of the race at the Refuge du Montenvers, then off again towards Courmayeur"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The crews set off for the last leg of the Coppa Delle Alpi 2024<\/a><\/strong> at 8:00 this morning, in cloudy weather and a dusting of fresh snow on the highest mountains around Gstaad.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just one kilometre from the start was the first block of Time Trials, with which the crews bid farewell to Switzerland. At the foot of the Glacier 3000,<\/strong> the penultimate Average Trial of the competition took place, followed immediately by the one at Col Des Montets,<\/strong> just after going through customs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once in France, the competitors crossed the Chamonix-Mont Blanc<\/strong> Valley and headed straight for M\u00e8geve,<\/strong> a small town boasting one of the largest ski resorts in Europe, where a Passage Control took place. After that, they headed back to Chamonix, where the race morning ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once they had parked their cars, the participants boarded the legendary Montenvers train,<\/strong> which climbs to an altitude of 1900 metres thanks to its cog railway<\/strong> system<\/strong>, which has been maintained since its inception in 1910, even though the original locomotives were steam-powered. The charming retro transfer took the participants to the Refuge, site of the last lunch in the race, in front of which the Mont Blanc<\/strong> peaks rise majestically: the Dru, the Grandes Jorasses and the Grandes Charmoz.<\/strong> Unfortunately, clouds prevented a view of Europe’s highest peaks, although with the help of a few gusts of wind, glimpses of the Grande Dru<\/strong> were possible. This is where, in 1955, a great Italian, Walter Bonatti, made a solo ascent along the south-west pillar in just six hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Time Control at 15:30 opened the last sector of the race: the Time Trials in Courmayeur will decide the winners.<\/p>\n\n\n