Who will win the Tor des Géants® 2017?
Predictions are made to be denied and 330 km of trails provide an incalculable amount of unknowns. The Frenchman Lionel Trivel and the Swiss Marco Gazzola know this very well: Both came very close to winning before being slightly beaten to the finish line. The will try again this year but need to look out for some really fierce adversaries. First of all, the very strong Basque contender Javier Dominguez-Ledo, who for years has had the TOR at the top of his wishlist. Even Jean Claude Mathieu, who came fourth in 2015, will try to make it to the podium, together with the Japanese Masahiro Ono, who after coming fifth twice aims to make a qualitative leap. And not forgetting Jules-Henri Gabioud, winner of the Tor in 2011. The Italians will not be there just to watch: Oliviero Bosatelli and Franco Collé, both winners at Courmayeur, will look for a repeat success. Gianluca Galeati, who among his achievements “only” received a second place in the edition of the Tor with the severest weather conditions, will think of their discomfort. With him will also be Andrea Macchi, from Varese, already star of the Tor who this year will focus unequivocally on the big target, and Michele Graglia, who was very unlucky last year. Watch out also for the squad from the Alto Adige region: Alex Rabensteiner, Peter Kienzl, Jimmy Pellegrini and Christian Insam have what it takes to make a breakthrough and bring back to the province of Bozen the trophy won by Ulrich Gross in 2010.
Among the ladies, it will be daggers drawn between the reigning champion Lisa Borzani and the Iberian Silvia Trigueros Garrote, who last year was mainly let down by her inexperience. Not there only to watch will be Stephanie Case, who came second in 2016 and has been improving ever since, as well as Italians Scilla Tonetti (third place in 2013) and Marina Plavan who twice reached the podium by coming fourth. Watch out also for Italian Giulia Vinco, winner of the Via Degli Dei Trail, and the Spanish Consuelo Velasco Barros, winner of the very tough Travesera 2016.