Stage 7B – Val Cenis – Lac du Mont Cenis presented by EDF

Lac du Mont Cenis, the bivouac in the sun and the descent into the night.

After a calm and unhindered night at the bivouac at the foot of the Col du Mont-Cenis, the competitors in La Grande Odyssée VVF and the participants in the Trophée Allianz enjoyed a fine winter’s sunshine for the second part of stage 7 Val Cenis – Lac du Mont Cenis presented by EDF. It took them in two stages, first around Lac du Mont Cenis. At 2000 m, around the EDF dam, the scenery was superb, very pure, even crystalline, with the frozen water glistening in the sunlight – a 26 km trail. After this very northerly shot, the competitors returned to the polar base bivouac for the afternoon. The public, who had flocked to the Col du Mont-Cenis, were able to get a close-up view of the dog teams as they rested on the straw in the sunshine, without disturbing the dogs. At 5 p.m., when the slopes closed, new starts were given for an untimed descent down the Escargot trail to the finish in Val Cenis Lanslevillard.

Norwegian Hans Lindahl, who had injured his thigh the day before, gave nothing away to his rivals, claiming another stage victory. He covered the distance in 1h 09′ 10”, an average speed of 22.5 km/h, and won the Henry Kam prize, awarded by the event’s founder, who particularly cherished the pristine wilderness of the Haute Maurienne-Vanoise region. The Scandinavian musher, holder of the leader’s jersey sponsored by Crédit Mutuel, beat France’s Elsa Borgey and Poland’s Lukasz Paczynski .

In the Nordic category, Jean Combazard took back his Crédit Mutuel-sponsored leader’s jersey from Philippe Desmurger, winning both sections of stage 7.

The 3rd and final day of the Allianz Trophy saw victory for Rémi Desoutter, who covered the stage in 1h 27’30” at an average speed of 17.8 km/h, ahead of Switzerland’s Evelyne Gaze and Italy’s Lisa Bonato.

Poland’s Lukasz Paczynski was awarded the Royal Canin-sponsored Dog Care Chasuble of the Day for the entire two half-stages, because he maintained impeccable calm and perfect benevolence with his dogs, who were very irritated by the presence of the public and the general bustle.

Rendezvous tomorrow in Valmorel for a stage finish in Doucy, tomorrow, Monday January 22.