Starting tomorrow, September 25th, the world of trail running gathers in the Pontedilegno-Tonale area for #AUT. Four distances running along the World War I tunnels, trenches and military roads. 15 bibs up for grabs for next year’s Tor des Géants on the 170 and 100 km
From India to Brazil, from Guatemala to Australia, and all across Europe: Adamello Ultra Trail is back from 25 to 27 September for its twelfth edition, passing the thousand-athlete mark for the second consecutive year after rewriting its records in 2025. The represented countries are thirty-three, and for the first time every continent is on the start list.
The trail running event in the Pontedilegno-Tonale area (Northern Italy), crossing the Adamello and Stelvio Nature Park, has come a long way since its debut in 2014. From about fifty runners lined up for a single distance, and only one non-Italian participant, to four distances plus as many side events and a four-digit number of participants.
RUNNING THROUGH TUNNELS AND TRENCHES
All four courses of Adamello Ultra Trail follow the “Camminamenti della Grande Guerra” (Paths of the Great War), which consist of trails, mule tracks and military roads built and used between 1915 and 1918, when this valley was the front line between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is an adventure through history that sets the event apart in the trail running world.
Trenches, fortifications, defensive walls, artillery remains and underground tunnels line the route. Among the most striking passages are the tunnels at Cima Rovaia and the defensive wall at Bocchetta di Valmassa, 2,500 m above sea level. On the altitude profile, the course drops to 650 m asl in Edolo, and climbs up to 2,681 m at Passo dei Contrabbandieri (The Smugglers’ Pass), reached by the 170 km field at night, making it an impressive torchlight show.
The races cross eight municipalities across two regions – Edolo, Incudine, Monno, Ponte di Legno, Temù, Vezza d’Oglio and Vione in the province of Brescia, and Vermiglio in Trentino – through the Alta Val Camonica and Alta Val di Sole.
ONE CHALLENGE ACROSS FOUR DISTANCES
The programme is built on four established routes: Adamello Ultra Trail 170 km (11,500 m of positive elevation gain), Adamello Trail 100 km (6,050 m D+), Adamello Half Trail 60 km (4,000 m D+) and Adamello Short Trail 35 km (2,200 m D+). The three longest set off on Friday morning; the 35 km starts on Saturday afternoon and is the only race not to begin in Vezza d’Oglio, starting instead from the village of Monno.
All four are UTMB qualifying races and carry 6, 5, 3 and 2 ITRA points respectively. #AUT is also part of the TORX eXperience circuit: finishers of the 170 km and 100 km compete for a combined 15 places at TOR330 – Tor des Géants, without going through the lottery draw.
The 170 km, with a 53-hour cut-off, remains the weekend’s hardest test. Among the favourites are Peter Kienzl, Alexander Rabensteiner and Daniele Nava, the 2023 champion and one of the event’s most experienced runners, here for his eighth participation. In the women’s race, Slovakia’s Kristína Kmeťová returns to defend both her 2025 title and her win at the event’s winter sister race, La Grande Corsa Bianca. The mountains of the Pontedilegno-Tonale area left such a lasting mark on the 33-year-old that she moved to Alta Val Camonica in the spring to train on its trails all season. She faces local runner Cristina Filippini and 2021 winner Denise Zimmermann of Switzerland.
Over 100 km, Ivan Favretto aims to improve on last year’s third place against Stefano Butti and Moreno Sala, while Austria’s Wonny Keil starts among the favourites in the women’s race alongside Maddalena Carolo. The 60 km looks open, with young Andrea Zenoni a potential protagonist and Spain’s Estelita Santin Fernandez and Maria Beltran Toledo leading the women’s field. The 35 km is a local affair on the men’s side – defending champion Alessandro Mioli, 2006-born Massimiliano Corsini and Alberto Perobello all come from the Brescia area – while Raffaella Rossi chases a third win after 2021 and 2022.
BUILT BY THE VALLEY
Behind the numbers and the international reach lies an event deeply rooted in its territory. Around 300 volunteers staff more than forty aid stations along the courses, working day and night. Between 6,000 and 7,000 markers have been placed to flag the routes, alongside the GPX tracks available on Wikiloc, the event’s partner platform.
That combination is the character of the race: a thousand athletes from around the world, hosted by a community that uses and looks after these trails all year.
PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Adamello Ultra Trail is held under the patronage of Regione Lombardia, with the Unione dei Comuni dell’Alta Valle Camonica and the Comunità Montana di Valle Camonica, and relies on local emergency and mountain organisations including the fire service, CAI, the Red Cross, Mountain Rescue and Civil Protection.
MICO Sport returns as main sponsor for a ninth consecutive year, alongside long-standing partners Edison, Ferrino, Salice and Df Sport Specialist. German outdoor footwear brand LOWA is also confirmed, using #AUT to consolidate its presence in trail running.
SCHEDULE
Unless stated otherwise, all activities take place at the Centro Eventi in Vezza d’Oglio, and all times are CEST.
Thursday 24 September
- 15:00–20:00 — Race office opens, bib collection
- 20:00 — Technical briefing (Piazza IV Luglio, Vezza d’Oglio)
Friday 25 September
- 07:00 — Race office opens
- 08:00 — Start Adamello Trail 100 km
- 09:00 — Start Adamello Ultra Trail 170 km
- 10:00 — Start Adamello Half Trail 60 km
Saturday 26 September
- 14:00 — Start Adamello Short Trail 35 km (Piazza IV Novembre, Monno)
- 18:00 — Awards 100 km / 60 km / 35 km
Sunday 27 September
- 14:00 — Awards Adamello Ultra Trail 170 km
Weather forecasts suggest a perfect weekend for trail running, with mostly clear skies and no rain. First finishers are expected from 16:00 on Friday in the 60 km and 100 km distances, while the 170 km will arrive from 10:30 on Saturday morning. The first runners of the 35 km will arrive Saturday afternoon, from 17:30.
