Three thousand eight hundred meters of swimming in the icy waters of the lake, 195 kilometers by bike with a difference in altitude of 5 thousand meters and finally an entire marathon with 3 thousand meters of ups and downs, arriving at Carosello 3000. More than a race, more than a challenge to nature or to oneself. Icon It is the most extreme of all extreme triathlons. Everything is ready for September 6th for “Icon Livigno Xtreme Triathlon” a new chapter of that infinite “novel” that all full distance races already are. Longer, more difficult, tougher. More everything. Which for many is “too much”, for many others not. From Norseman to the Celtman the challenge now seems to be to raise a bar that is already at thrilling levels, which includes the most extreme races in the world from Nepal to Norway, from Taiwan to Brazil. It starts at dawn, in the dark, with fires lit, with a pitch black lake lit only by luminous buoys. A course of a hardness almost unique in the world that was born from an idea that at the beginning seemed crazy because it is clear that the Icon is not just a long race. For many reasons. For what it is but above all for where it is because Livigno and Valtellina are lands of sport that takes no time at all to become extreme. Which perhaps has little to do with triathlon. It is more of an adventure, a journey, a journey where the challenge is not so much against the opponents. Where you swim higher, you pedal on the highest passes and where the arrival is the highest in the world, where the rules also change a bit because you can’t run alone, you will need an assistance team that will provide technical support and help when everything becomes more complicated. But above all, when reason and safety will have to get the better of stubbornness. You dive in when it’s still dark because at 5 in the morning on the shores of Lake San Gallo the light is what it is. And the temperature of the water is what it is…. Then the bike. You leave Livigno in the direction of the Forcola Pass (2315m); from here you enter Switzerland to tackle the Bernina Pass (2323) and descend towards Saint Moritz and the Engadine, continuing to Zernez. It will then be the turn of the climb to Fuorn (2149m), from which the long descent into Val Mustair will begin for the return to Italy. Once you arrive in Prato allo Stelvio, it will be time for the epic 48 hairpin bends of the Stelvio Pass, from which you will descend to Bormio to face the last great effort with the Foscagno Pass (2291m). Finally, the marathon. Which at the beginning goes down a little, but it is only a small relief, an illusion that does not last long because then it goes up. It goes up a lot with 1100 m of altitude difference that lead to the arrival of Carousel 3000a wall to climb, where you don’t run, where the race is another, where everyone who arrives wins. It won’t be easy. But that’s exactly the beauty of it…