At 10:00 AM on September 8, 2013, Italian time (4:00 PM Beijing time), the fourth edition of the "Tor des Géants" race kicked off. Zeng Huafeng, Wang Daqing, Jin Feibao, and Chen Shuwen, jointly sponsored by Tecnica China, ISPO BEIJING, Happy Fox, and MICO, stood at the starting point of this year’s "Tor des Géants." This marked the second time Chinese athletes appeared in the event. They represented not only the Tecnica Trail Running Team (Tecnica China Trail Running Team) but also China as a whole. After nearly three days of continuous racing day and night, the champion was Spanish athlete Iker Karrera, who completed the course in 70h04'12", breaking the previous race record by over five hours. Last year’s champion, Oscar Perez, secured second place with a time of 70h29'10". Franco Colle, the handsome Italian from the TECNICA Trail Running Team who had visited China, finished third with a time of 72h05'5". The women’s first place was retained by Francesca Canepa.
The "Tor des Géants" takes place in the northwestern Alps of Italy, passing through the four highest peaks in Italy: Mont Blanc (4,807 m), Monte Rosa (4,637 m), the Matterhorn (4,478 m), and Gran Paradiso (4,061 m). The course spans 330 kilometers with a total elevation gain of 24,000 meters, crossing 25 mountain passes. The 150-hour cutoff time is part of what makes the "Tor des Géants" so unique.
A sad and unexpected incident occurred during this year’s Tor des Géants. Runner No. 1040, Yang Yuan from China, tragically lost his life on the first night of the race due to a fall caused by dark conditions and slippery terrain, resulting in a head injury. In response, the organizing committee actively coordinated post-event arrangements and set up a memorial poster for Yang Yuan at the finish line, allowing every finisher to leave a message. At the beginning of the award ceremony, the four Chinese Tecnica runners were invited on stage. Chen Shuwen recited a poem that Yang Yuan had written for the Tor des Géants. After all the activities concluded, the host said: "The spirit of Yang Yuan will always inspire us and give everyone more strength!"
Ultimately, participant No. 936, Jin Feibao, and No. 1038, Wang Daqing, withdrew from the race due to injuries and missing the cutoff time, respectively. No. 573, Zeng Huafeng, finished in 143rd place with a time of 143:43:48; No. 574, Chen Shuwen, ranked 370th with a time of 148:21:25; and another friend from Hong Kong, Zeng Jianjie, completed the race in 148:11:07, ranking 366th. This marked the second time Chinese athletes conquered the famous 330-kilometer ultra-trail race, the "Tor des Géants," helping more people learn about the event and trail running in general.
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Tecnica’s Weibo
Italy’s World-ClassTrailRunning Event — Introduction to the "330km Tor des Géants"http://www.lvye.cn/article-27249-1.html