A South Tyrolean is fighting for overall victory at the Red Bull X-Alps. © Red Bull X-Alps

Durogati is on the heels of the Swiss

At the 2025 Red Bull X-Alps, everything points to a Swiss victory. Lars Meerstetter led the field on the sixth day of the world's toughest adventure race through northern Italy, just ahead of his compatriot, eight-time winner Chrigel Maurer. But South Tyrolean Aaron Durogati is also not far behind.

June 20, 2025

From: pm

On day 6 of the Red Bull X-Alps, the exciting question was whether the apprentice could overtake the master. Lars Meerstetter led the field of athletes on the longest stage of the Red Bull X-Alps route through northern Italy, just a few kilometers ahead of the athlete he supported in the 2023 edition – eight-time champion Chrigel Maurer.

The two Swiss riders, along with South Tyrolean Aaron Durogati, led the field on the 247 km route from Turnpoint 10, Les 2 Alpes, to Turnpoint 11, Ascona-Locarno. They were expected to reach Turnpoint 12, Bellinzona, in the late afternoon. They could even reach the decisive X-Turnpoint, St. Moritz, in the evening.

Race with Mother Nature

However, the risk of thunderstorms makes progress doubtful. Many athletes expressed pessimism about the weather forecast for the day, fearing that the gathering clouds could develop into thunderstorms and affect flight conditions. In this case, the athletes would have to continue on foot – no easy feat in the intense heat of northern Italy.

Participants must also cover numerous kilometers on foot. © Red Bull X-Alps

"We'll see how the weather develops," said Isaac Lammers, who is supporting Jared Scheid (USA) on his way to Turnpoint 9, Mont Blanc. The team wanted to remain flexible with its plans and make the right decisions to "get ahead of the storms." Ulrich Grill, co-founder and organizer of the race, summed up the intensity of the competition: "This is the Formula 1 of the skies. It's extremely fast; we've never seen such a pace before."

The athletes are halfway through the race and are getting ready to pass the X-Turnpoint in St. Moritz for the second time before starting the final leg to the finish in Zell am See, Austria.

Adventure with obstacles

Meanwhile, the rest of the field continues to fight, exhausted but still motivated. Celine Lorenz (Germany), the only woman in the race, recounted her difficult experience yesterday when she was separated from her teammates.

The final phase of the Red Bull X-Alps begins. © Red Bull X-Alps

"I tried to fly the same route as the others, but I had to land in a really difficult valley," she said. "There was a big river, and I landed on the wrong side, but safety comes first." The Red Bull X-Alps veteran thought it would be easy to get out of her landing area, but it took her six hours. "It was very tiring," she said. "A really tough day, but it was a beautiful area—although I would have preferred to see it from the air."

True sportsmanship

In a remarkable display of sportsmanship, James Elliott (Canada) was the last athlete eliminated this morning, after Bei Yu (China) overtook him at the last moment. Bei Yu fought hard to avoid elimination. Elliott had already decided he would finish his race. He made the difficult decision to wait and see, giving Bei Yu a chance to stay in the race.

"This was probably the hardest decision I've ever made. But I think it was the right thing to do," Elliott told race director Ferdinand Vogel. He even sent Bei supportive messages—a true testament to the spirit that defines Red Bull X-Alps. With 28 athletes still in the race, the battle continues. Weather, strategy, and sheer determination will make for one of the most exciting editions of the Red Bull X-Alps.