The third edition of ICON starts on a fresh and wet morning with non-stop rain. There are over 100 athletes at the start showing the growing appreciation for this race because of its spectacular location and race routes. Lake Gallo’s 15-degree water makes for a not too extreme swim and allows the first athletes to quickly reach the transition zone. In the dark, with Livigno still asleep, the athletes enter the water at the starting shot and start to battle. The group quickly thins out with a small group ahead, led by the Italian Gianalberto Vietti, Matteo Fontana and the Swiss Steve Mazzucco. Among the men, the first to enter T1 is Mazzucco who, thanks to a very speedy change, is able to quickly get on the bike. Matteo Fontana takes more time in the transition area but once on the bike, after a few kilometers, catches up with his adversary and after the Forcola pass is strongly in the lead. He is alone during the cycling fraction and his advantage on the Swiss grows rapidly and continuously.
The women's race sees the Dutch Eline Koers reach T1 with a very reassuring margin of over 14 ' on the Swiss Melanie Steiner.
During the bike fraction the athletes climb the Forcola pass (2315m), Bernina pass (2323m) and then descend towards Saint Moritz and Engadina cycling on to Zernez. There they take on the Fuorn pass (2149m), descend in Val Mustair and enter Italy again. Once they arrive at Prato dello Stelvio (second highest pass in Europe, 2757m) they climb up the Stelvio pass with 48 hairpin bends. After this they head down to Bormio and continue until the Foscagno pass (2291m) to then arrive at Trepalle of Livigno where T2 is located and the run fraction starts. Among the women Eline Koers does not let go of her lead, with the Swiss Melanie Steiner always far behind. On the bike this distance becomes even greater and the Dutch arrives in T2 with an advantage of 50’.
In the men’s race, Matteo starts the run fraction when his direct pursuer still has about 23 km of cycling left. This gap allows him to manage the run fraction well, while the rain continues to fall in the valley.
The Italian runs the run fraction alone, only accompanied by members of his support team. The last 10km of steep ascent to Carosello 3000 Matteo has a 14 km advantage over Mazzucco that allows him to carefully manage his effort and get to the top without any troubles. His time of 13 hours and 30”, in addition to having him win gold, is a demonstration of the great technical value of his effort.
The second and third athlete to pass the finish line are Steve Mazzucco and Marc Kunze.
The women's race sees only two athletes in the run fraction, with the Dutch Koers apparently unrivaled.
With 16h57’25” Koers wins ICON 2018 with the Swiss Steiner who closes her race in 18 hours 31’31”.
ICON’s third edition has been a great success both in organization as in participation.