Presented at GardenLAB in Barzio, the 32nd edition of Premana’s classic mountain race (Lecco), scheduled for July 25 and 26.
A.S. Premana celebrates 65 years of history of the iconic race, born in 1961, by focusing on digital innovation, sustainability and a record-breaking live production featuring the voices of UTMB.
Deputy Mayor Pomoni: “Territory, young people and sport are the three key words.”
Photos of the evening available at: LINK
Giir di Mont archive photos available at: LINK
Barzio (LC), July 10, 2026 – There are events that belong to a circuit. And then there are events that become part of the history of a sport, never allowing themselves to be defined by a single label.
The Giir di Mont is one of them.
Born in 1961 and now reaching its 32nd edition, the race will once again transform Premana into the capital of mountain trail running on July 25 and 26.
Throughout its history, the Giir has been a Skyrunning World Championship, a major event in international mountain running, a symbol race of trail running, and a stage of both national and international circuits.
It has welcomed the greatest athletes in the discipline, the champions of yesterday and those of tomorrow, without ever changing its identity.
Because the Giir does not belong to a single movement. It has crossed them all.
And it continues to remain simply Giir di Mont.
This is perfectly explained by Filippo Caon, author of the Pionieri podcast, dedicated to the history of Italian trail running:
“Giir di Mont has had the great merit, and perhaps it still has it today, of somehow transcending the circuits and simply attracting everyone.”
This is probably its greatest strength.
Not being defined by circuits.
Being one of the places where the history of outdoor running, of the most authentic mountain running, continues to be written.
Sixty-five years of history. And the desire to keep improving.
Sixty-five years of history could be enough to simply live on memories.
In Premana, the exact opposite happens, and every edition becomes an opportunity to raise the bar even higher.
Not to chase someone else, but because this is part of the very nature of the Giir.
Over the years, this has happened through the evolution of the courses, the opening to major international competitions, the growth of hospitality, communication, and an organizational ability that today represents a model for the entire mountain running community.
“The Giir remains the Giir. Whether you come to race it, as a top runner or as an amateur, whether you come to experience it or simply to watch, you go home with a beautiful memory.”
This is the principle that continues to guide the work of the Organizing Committee.
This year, A.S. Premana celebrates the 65th anniversary of the birth of the race – which took place in 1961 – while continuing to push innovation further and further, without ever losing that strong identity and that “welcoming community” which represents its true driving force.
An event that continues to grow, both in terms of participating athletes and spectators, generating positive effects on active tourism throughout the Lecco area all year round.
The live broadcast becomes a show within the show
If the Giir has grown worldwide, much of its success is also thanks to its images.
The live stream has now become a true television production. It will be broadcast on the A.S. Premana YouTube channel and shared by OA Sport, with a production team involving dozens of operators, drones, camera runners and filming stations distributed along the course.
A project entirely built thanks to the human capital of the village.
This year, the production takes another step forward thanks to the presence of Maurizio Torri and Marco De Gasperi, the official Italian voices of UTMB live broadcasts, who will accompany the audience throughout the race with their storytelling.
More than 25 volunteer operators, 8 drones, 10 GoPros, 5 smartphones, 5 cameras and a professional production control room will allow viewers to experience every moment alongside the champions of mountain running.
“It is proof,” explain the organizers, “that Premana’s human capital is able to compete with the financial resources of much larger events.”
The images from the 2025 edition exceeded 800,000 views on social media, confirming the growing international interest in the Giir.
Continuous innovation and sustainability
While tradition remains the heart of the Giir, innovation continues to be its driving force.
The 32nd edition introduces several new features: the new completely redesigned website makes its debut, created to make the experience of athletes and spectators even easier.
For the first time, the traditional meal voucher will become completely digital, through a personal QR Code sent to all participants.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important: the organizers are inviting athletes and supporters to reach Premana by sharing cars, promoting car sharing in order to reduce traffic and environmental impact.
Small actions that tell the story of a philosophy based on continuous improvement.
Human capital worth more than financial capital
One of the strongest messages that emerged during the presentation evening is that the Giir continues to grow without losing its community dimension.
More than 500 volunteers contribute every year to the success of the event, not only during race weekend, but throughout the entire year.
Because the Giir has become a driving force for the constant care and preservation of the local territory.
This is demonstrated by the important work carried out this year along the final section of the climb towards Bocchetta di Larec, where, in collaboration with the CAI (Italian Alpine Club), dozens of volunteers carried out extraordinary maintenance works, creating steps, drainage channels and improving the safety of the trail.
An intervention that will remain part of the mountain heritage well beyond race day, benefiting hikers and mountain enthusiasts who walk these paths throughout the year.
A project made possible also thanks to the support of the Fondo Comunità di Premana, which believed in its environmental and social value.
A welcoming community
The Giir is not only sport.
It is hospitality.
It is tourism.
It is identity.
It is the collective effort of all the social groups of a territory.
Every association in the village becomes a protagonist: the Coro Nives will organize the traditional athletes’ lunch, while local companies will continue to showcase Premana’s manufacturing excellence through a race package entirely Made in Italy, featuring Maglio Nero knives, Agnei scissors and Premax products, a testament to an industrial tradition known throughout the world.
Solidarity also always finds its place.
The Run2Gether initiative will once again renew the collection of used running shoes which, once recovered, will have a second life on the Kenyan highlands, supporting young athletes and local communities.
Territory. Young people. Sport.
These are the three words with which the Deputy Mayor of Premana, Domenico Pomoni, summarized the meaning of the Giir.
Three words that are also confirmed by the statements of all the institutional partners.
For Filippo Fazzini, FIDAL Lombardia Regional Council Member:
“Mountain running is no longer a niche discipline. Lombardy represents the driving force behind this movement and today Giir di Mont is one of the most prestigious showcases of Italian outdoor running together with mountain running. It is here that many young people can begin dreaming of wearing the Italian national team jersey.”
Meanwhile, international tourism continues to grow.
More and more runners are arriving from abroad not only to compete in the Giir, but also to discover Premana, the Valsassina valley and the mountains surrounding the village.
An active tourism model that generates benefits throughout the entire year and involves the whole territory, as highlighted by Patrizia Gianola from Your Mountain Holiday.
The programme
The weekend will begin on Saturday, July 25, with the Giir di Mont Young, dedicated to young mountain running talents, followed by the race for the youngest participants, the award ceremonies and the official presentation of the top runners.
In the evening, the spotlight will move to “Aspettando il Giir di Mont”, with the event dedicated to ski mountaineering featuring Robert Antonioli, one of the most representative champions of the discipline, interviewed by Silvano Gadin, Eurosport commentator during the latest Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
Sunday, July 26 will be the day of the great challenge, with:
- Giir di Mont 32 km
- Giir di Mont 18 km
- C.A.M.P. Team di Mont
Thousands of spectators will line the course, accompanying the athletes throughout the race.
The organizers invite the public to reach the most spectacular viewpoints along the route, especially Alpe Premaniga and Bocchetta di Larec, where every year an extraordinary celebration of cheering, flags, cowbells and chants takes place, representing one of the most iconic images of the Giir.
This year, in order to improve logistics and facilitate starting procedures, the race office will close at 7:00 AM on race Sunday.
To allow all athletes to arrive on time, the shuttle service from the parking areas will start half an hour earlier than in previous years (5:30 AM instead of 6:00 AM).
All information regarding the programme, spectator points, parking areas, shuttle services and maps is available on the new website:
www.giirdimont.it
Registrations are open.
GIIR DI MONT PRESS OFFICE – FLUIDA Comunicazione
