ICON Livigno Xtreme Triathlon
Livigno, Italy · September · XTRI World Tour
Why people love it
- Finish at 3,000 m (9,840 ft), the highest on the XTRI World Tour
- Double Stelvio on the 2026 bike course (195 km (121 mi) / 121 mi, 5,000+ m / 16,400+ ft)
- Racecheck 4.7 out of 5 from about 90 ratings
- Small, intimate field; strong volunteer and staff praise
Watch out for
- Cold 13.5-18 °C (56-64 °F) swim at 1,816 m (5,960 ft) in the dark; shortened in 2023
- Roads open to traffic and summit cutoffs; only about half of 2023 starters finished
- Course changes announced late in 2026; snow descents handled by car in 2025
- Air from about 2 °C (36 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F) in one day
- Support crew effectively required
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.
- Racer satisfactionBucket list4.5
Racecheck gives 4.7 out of 5 from about 90 ratings, and individual reviews run 4.0-4.9. The gripes are communication and aid food. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
Racecheck rates staff about 4.7, but the 2026 course change came the afternoon before, 2025 snow descents by car drew complaints, and 2023 had litter. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyExperts only1.0
Summit cutoffs, a required support crew and altitude. About half of 2023 starters finished. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialVery slow1.0
A 195 km (121 mi) bike with 5,000 m (16,400 ft) of gain and a finish at 3,000 m (9,840 ft). Winners took 12:27-14:52. · High confidence
- Course easeExtreme1.0
195 km (121 mi) with 5,000+ m (16,400+ ft) of climbing, a cold dawn swim at 1,816 m (5,960 ft) and a finish at 3,000 m (9,840 ft). · High confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.9
Water is 13.5-18 °C (56-64 °F), far below the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureUncomfortable1.8
Water was 13.5 °C (56 °F) in 2023, 15.2 °C (59.4 °F) in 2019 and up to 18 °C (64 °F). Comfortable is 19-23 °C (66–73 °F). · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.4
The reservoir was described as calm and pool-like in 2022. Thunder and rain in 2025, but no chop complaints. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeModerate2.6
A dark 04:30-05:00 start at 1,816 m (5,960 ft) in cold water. Navigation is otherwise straightforward with lit buoys. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.5
Clean water, a torch and fire start and lit buoys are praised. But it is 13.5-15 °C (56-59 °F), pitch dark, and lighting was poor. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.6
Alpine passes are generally sound. Roadworks were reported in 2022, with no systematic complaints. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly open2.0
Roads were open to traffic per a 2023 report. A roadworks light cost 8 minutes in 2022, and drafting rules are enforced. · Medium confidence
- Bike scenerySpectacular5.0
Stelvio, Bernina and Foscagno across Italy and Switzerland, with reviewers citing the landscapes. · High confidence
- WindSome wind3.4
No wind complaints, though high-pass exposure is implied. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedVery slow1.0
5,000-5,300 m (16,400-17,400 ft) of gain, with a double Stelvio in 2026. Mid-pack bike splits exceed 10 hours. · High confidence
- Bike flatnessMountainous1.0
195 km (121 mi) with 5,000-5,300 m (16,400-17,400 ft) of gain. · High confidence
- Bike simplicityTechnical1.8
48 Stelvio hairpins and long cold descents. Rain and snow forced a vehicle-assisted descent in 2025. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.4
Livigno and the candle-lit finish road are praised. The marathon is a long, dark mountain run. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.5
Racecheck rates aid stations about 4.4 out of 5, its lowest category. A 2024 reviewer wanted richer food, and support crews are essential. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.4
A high alpine trail to a 3,000 m (9,840 ft) finish, though night running limits the views. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsBrutal1.0
A trail run after a 195 km (121 mi) bike at altitude, ending on a steep hill at 3,000 m (9,840 ft). · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessBig climbs1.0
The run climbs from Trepalle to Carosello 3000 with a 22% final wall. Gain is 1,500-3,000 m (4,900-9,840 ft) depending on source. · High confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureExtreme1.4
Race-day air runs from about 2 °C (36 °F) at the start to 33 °C (91 °F) on the Stelvio, with snow in 2025. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVolatile1.4
Frost near 2 °C (36 °F), thunder, rain and snow across editions. The 2023 swim was shortened and 2025 snow descents were by car. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyStunning4.9
An alpine reservoir, the Stelvio and a 3,000 m (9,840 ft) finish. Reviewers call it one of the most beautiful races. · High confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky2.4
Cable car access to the Carosello finish, but the bike spreads over 195 km (121 mi) across two countries. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeHigh altitude1.0
Livigno is at 1,816 m (5,960 ft), Stelvio about 2,758 m (9,050 ft) and the finish 3,000 m (9,840 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.0
A large ski and holiday resort in low season in early September, with official partner hotels. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.1
A duty-free resort that is mid-priced in September. Little review data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.3
The swim, T1 and Livigno finish zone are in town. T2 and Carosello are a short drive. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeAwkward1.9
A remote alpine valley, about 3.5-4 hours (about 200-250 km (124–155 mi) / 125-155 mi) by car from Milan airports. No rail. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsFiddly2.4
T1, T2 and T3, plus a mandatory support crew and prep-week briefings. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.0
An established resort with restaurants and shops, plus a pasta party and ceremony. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Livigno, Lombardy (Sondrio), Italy
- Typical month
- September
- Latest or next date
- 3 September 2027
- Organiser
- XTRI World Tour
- Field size
- About 250 athletes
- First held
- 2016
- Distances
- 3.8 km (2.4 mi) swim, 180 km (112 mi) bike, 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Bike Summit cutoffs on Stelvio and T3 cutoff to Carosello summit enforced (times not found)
- Swim venue
- Lago di Livigno (Lago del Gallo reservoir) (reservoir)
- Water temperature
- 14–18 °C (57–64 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal
- Swim start
- mass, pre-dawn (about 4:30-5:00)
- Bike climbing
- 5,000 m (16,400 ft)
- Key climbs
- Forcola; Bernina; Stelvio (twice in 2026); Foscagno
- Run climbing
- 1,500 m (4,920 ft)
- Run shade
- unknown
- Air temperature
- 2–33 °C (36–91 °F)
- Humidity
- dry alpine
- Altitude
- 1,816 m (5,960 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Milan Bergamo or Milan Malpensa (roughly 3.5-4 h drive; distance not verified)
- Where to stay
- Near Lago di Livigno / swim start, Livigno centre
- Booking
- Large ski resort; race-week prep programme with briefings and lake familiarisation.
What racers and reviewers say
- Blog Dlugodystansowy (Maciej Lasyk)Raced 2023 · blog · Mixed
Polish long-distance racer finished in 18:52 after missing the Carosello summit cutoff and taking the asphalt route. Loved the clean, cold swim and scenery, praised the heated tent between swim and bike, but criticised glow-stick litter and messy support logistics. Weather ranged from frost near 0 °C (32 °F) at the start to about 33 °C (91 °F) on the Stelvio.
- Trisauma (Andres Sauma)Raced 2022 · blog · Positive
Fourth extreme triathlon for a Norseman/Celtman finisher. Swim was calm and easy to navigate with lit buoys and kayaks. The Stelvio at midday heat put him in survival mode, a roadworks traffic light cost about eight minutes, and the final 3 km (1.9 mi) to Carosello includes a 22% wall. Called the finish emotional and the crowds and aid enthusiastic.
“I was an Icon”
- Tri-Alliance VICRaced 2023 · blog · Mixed
Australian athlete's DNF report. Swim was cut to 3 km (1.9 mi) because water was 13.5 °C (56 °F) and air about 2 °C (36 °F). Bike has six categorised climbs straight from T1, roads were open to traffic, and he missed the Stelvio summit cutoff after cramping. Describes it as a brutal limit-tester.
- RacecheckRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
Overall 4.7/5 across about 90 ratings. Highest: staff, logistics, navigation (all ~4.7). Lowest: course congestion (~4.3) and aid stations (~4.4). Reviewers tag it Extreme and Remote Nature, small and intimate.
- Racecheck (Martyn E.)Raced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 4.9. Extreme event suited to experienced full-distance athletes. Cold swim, altitude the main struggle, double Stelvio made the bike harder, support crew essential.
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- Racecheck (Graziano B.)Raced 2026 · aggregator · Mixed
Rated 4.4 (Italian review). Very hard but beautiful; the double Stelvio made it epic and selective. Criticised communication: the course change came the afternoon before at the briefing and staff answers were inconsistent.
- Racecheck (Patrick L.)Raced 2025 · aggregator · Mixed
Rated 4.2. Descended the Stelvio in snow and felt the forced car descents made the event feel partly cancelled. Praised well-marked course, friendly volunteers and the ceremony; organisers replied it was a safety decision.
- Racecheck (Nicolas B.)Raced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 4.8. Brutal and transformative: cold water, driving rain, altitude, a snow-forced shelter stop on the descent and a long night run. Credited his support team as decisive.
- Racecheck (Erwan P.)Raced 2024 · aggregator · Mixed
Rated 4.0. Toughest race he has done, with stunning landscapes and a great bike leg. Found buoys and lights insufficient for the cold swim, and the steep final run very demanding.
- Racecheck (Pochon G.)Raced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 4.7 (French review). Hardest race of his life and one of the most beautiful, with flawless organisation for a small event. Highly recommended.
- Racecheck (Andrea R. / David W.)Raced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
Two 2024 reviews rated 4.8 and 4.9: splendid, well organised, a mountain course one reviewer called his best race ever. Andrea suggested better finisher shirts and richer aid-station food for an extreme event.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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