La Grande Odyssée Royal Canin 2026: Alpine challenges and emotions

The 22nd edition of La Grande Odyssée Royal Canin lived up to its reputation for mushers and sled dogs across Europe. Over nearly two weeks, they covered 350 km through the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, tackling steep slopes and snowy forests while delighting spectators with thrilling performances.

Col de Porte: a spectacular penultimate stage

On a bright sunny day, the 15 km forest trail offered perfect racing conditions. Iker Ozkoidi Garcia claimed victory in 33’49’’, strengthening his lead in the overall standings. Javier Ruiz Corte and Sissel Wolf Molmen remained consistent, providing an exciting battle for the audience.

Beyond the competition, emotional moments stood out: siblings Emma and Aymeric Desbree crossed the finish line hand in hand, while young Swiss musher Charlotte Marcelino slowed her team to greet cheering children along the trail.

Villard-de-Lans: the grand finale

The final 13 km stage confirmed the results. Iker Ozkoidi Garcia successfully defended his title and was awarded the Golden Harness for his lead dog. In the Nordic category, Jean Combazard won, followed by Ingrid Abraham and Matteo Fossati, while the Crédit Mutuel Trophy went to Sylvain Secret, with Cyril Kaluszynski and Christian Moser completing the podium.

Performance and dog welfare at the heart of the race

As event organizer Annabel Kam highlighted:

“This edition reflects our mission: a demanding, engaging race always centered on the dogs.”

The 2026 La Grande Odyssée Royal Canin once again confirmed its status as Europe’s premier mushing event, combining sporting excellence, human adventure, and respect for the dogs for the enjoyment of participants and spectators alike.

Les 7 Laux présentée par Animalis

Etape 9 (24 km) – 20/01/2026

La Grande Odyssée

1. Iker OZKOIDI GARCÍA
2. Javier RUIZ ORTE
3. Sissel WOLF MØLMEN

Trophée Crédit Mutuel

1. Sylvain SECRET
2. Cyril KALUSZYNSKI
3. Christian MOSER

Col de Porte

Etape 10 (15 km) – 21/01/2026

La Grande Odyssée

1. Iker OZKOIDI GARCÍA
2. Javier RUIZ ORTE
3. Sissel WOLF MØLMEN

Trophée Crédit Mutuel

1. Sylvain SECRET
2. Christian MOSER
3. Cyril KALUSZYNSKI

Villard de Lans

Etape 11 (13 km) – 22/01/2026

La Grande Odyssée

1. Iker OZKOIDI GARCÍA
2. Javier RUIZ ORTE
3. Cindy DUPORT

Trophée Crédit Mutuel

1. Sylvain SECRET
2. Cyril KALUSZYNSKI
3. Christian MOSER

Prix spéciaux

Iker OZKOIDI GARCÍA

PRIX HENRY KAM

Javier RUIZ ORTE

PRIX ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Jean-René VANSTAVEL

PRIX RED LANTERN

Hans LOFTSGÅRD

PRIX HANDLER

Sébastien MOIX & Charlotte MARCELINO

                                          PRIX DU FAIR PLAY

©2026 – IMPACT EUROPEAN

Etape 9 du 20 janvier 2026

Etape 10 du 21 janvier 2026

Etape 11 du 22 janvier

Views: 0