By Land And By Air: An Epic Race Across The Alps

The Red Bull X-Alps is a race of epic proportions. Held every two years, the race sees athletes run, climb, and fly across the entirety of the European Alps in just over a week. 32 athletes entered in the 2019 race, but only 26 completed the 707 mile journey. Taking competitors on a tour of the most famous and imposing peaks in the Alps, the course zig zags through France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Austria before finishing in Monaco.

RELATED: One Death And A World Record As Over 150 Paragliders Land On Mont Blanc

The course for the X-Alps Adventure race. Credit: Red Bull

At one point in the 2019 race, competitors, prevented from flying their paragliders by rain, were forced to ascend over 29,500 feet in 48 hours on foot. In the end, veteran racer Christian Maurer won the 2019 race with a time of 9 days and 3 hours, with second place Maxime Pinot coming in with a time of 9 days and 21 hours.