Almost a week after ending, the positive echo left by the Tor des Géants® 2016 in the local and international trails worlds, is still going strong. The most exciting of all seven editions held.
It certainly was for VdA Trailers, which relied on the indispensable support of municipalities and associations from the Aosta Valley, as well as a task force of professionals in every sector. First and foremost, the mountain guides who constantly guarded the critical points of the track, but also the doctors and physiotherapists, as well as the rescue workers and control personnel. Above all, VdA Trailers was able to count on the spontaneous and enthusiastic participation of over 2000 volunteers (on final count, there were 100 more than last year), mostly from the Aosta Valley, truly the perfect hosts, but also from other regions and from abroad. Many of them have already committed their time once again next year, certainly a very encouraging sign.
Naturally, the Tor was also exciting for competitors, according to the statements found in the press and social media. Competitors lived their adventure with all the ingredients that high mountain nature can provide: sun, drifting clouds, starry skies, some scattered showers, and snow on the highest hills. All tackled in the utmost safety. The workers appointed considered the actions of the rescuers and doctors at the mountain bases to be routine.
There were requests, particularly from foreigners, to push forward the preregistration date to allow even more time for honing in on practice training and to enjoy their trip to the fullest.
Great satisfaction also for the sponsors, especially those "debuting", which now have new projects to share. They were able to see, hear and touch the reality of the Tor des Géants®, "the way it affects" people's feelings and its ability to attract the general public and the trailer world.
In this regard, here is the initial irrefutable data recorded.
• 4,062,000 views of the live race by 130,000 unique visitors (600,000 total)
• 2,194,000 Facebook profiles reached
• 816,000 interactions with the posts of the page (comments and shares)
• 66 videos uploaded to Facebook
• 740,000 video views just on the Facebook channel (the arrival of the winner had 56,000 views)
• 38 videos uploaded to YouTube
• 1,261,784 pages viewed on the official website of the Tor by 140,000 unique visitors (400,000 total)
• registered access to the site by users from more than 160 countries (over double those represented at the start)
• Services on the Tor in RAI, Mediaset Italy, Mediaset Spain, France TV, Sky digital channel.
• Articles on Corriere della Sera, Repubblica, La Stampa, Tuttosport, and Gazzetta dello Sport (with a trailer correspondent that produced daily video services).
• In addition there were regional newspapers in their various editions (the Aosta Valley press, which gave excellent coverage, was very active) and of course, the outdoor and industry magazines such as Spirito Trail, Action Magazine and Skialper, with the event covered as a series.
• 350 journalists registered in the press area (60% foreign), with free videos, photos, and press announcement available to them daily.
• 12 journalists in the race (3 Italian and 9 foreign), some of whom will also write articles on tourist and gastronomic aspects of the Valle d'Aosta.
A detailed financial statement will be drafted in the coming weeks (and made public, as was done for the Tor last year). However, the large VdA Trailers team has already scheduled a series of internal meetings to make the next Tor des Géants®, scheduled for September 10 to 17, 2017, even more international, without losing the characteristic "Aosta Valley" flavor that only the mountains, the towns and the valley villagers can provide.
On Sunday, September 18, in front of over 2000 people present at the awards ceremony, Ferruccio Truchet, Councilor for Tourism, Business, Sports, and Handicrafts of Courmayeur, stated, "There is only one Trail with one soul and one heart. It is the Tor. “The residents of Valle d'Aosta, organizers, competitors and sponsors were been able to see this firsthand.