"One stage of the Tour plus a marathon every day": that's the new project of Kilian Jornet

Kilian Jornet is not only a living legend in mountain sports, but also a source of inspiration for many of the best cyclists on the planet. This was recently confessed by Sepp Kuss, one of the great climbers in the international peloton, and has been said on more than one occasion by Carlos Verona. Even Australian Lachlan Morton, from EF Education-EasyPost, has shared the screen with Jornet in the presentation video of his new project, contributing ideas along with other athletes. Kilian's connection with cycling is not new: he already used the bicycle in his Alpine Connections challenge through the Alps, but this time, on American soil, the bike will have a more prominent role than ever.

Kilian Jornet presents his wildest challenge: "States of Elevation"

The new challenge is called "States of Elevation" and will start in September. The goal: to summit all peaks over 14,000 feet (about 4,267 meters) in the continental United States. In total, about 67 mountains spread between Colorado, California, and Washington, linked exclusively by non-motorized means: running and cycling, in the characteristic human powered style that has defined his recent feats.

Jornet will start at Longs Peak in Colorado, and from there he will trace his own journey to Mount Rainier in the state of Washington. In between, over 2,000 kilometers by bike and hundreds of kilometers on technical trails, exposed ridges, forests, and plateaus. "I'm not looking for the fastest way," he explained to some media outlets. "I prefer to trace logical lines in the mountains, make good climbs, beautiful routes. It's also a way to explore the American West, its wild nature, its culture, and its vastness."

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Beyond the athletic effort, "States of Elevation" reflects Kilian's own evolution. An athlete who, after two decades of winning everything, four UTMB, five Hardrock, a Western States, eleven Zegamas, ascents of Everest without oxygen, and records in Denali or the Matterhorn, has opted for more creative and personal paths.

According to his team, the project involves an immense physical volume: "He will average the equivalent of a stage of the Tour de France and a marathon per day, all at high altitude and on technical terrain." Jornet will have the support of a team in a vehicle, but will complete the entire route by his own means. In changing conditions, as well: from the hot autumn days in Colorado to the first snows on the volcanoes of the west coast, not to mention the risks of forest fires and prolonged exposure to the cold night.

"After 30 hours out there, you stop feeling human. Time dilutes, and your mind is in a completely different place," said Jornet at the end of Alpine Connections, his previous project, where he linked 82 peaks over 4,000 meters in the Alps in just 19 days, breaking Ueli Steck's record by 43 days.

This new challenge comes just weeks after his brilliant third place in the Western States 100, the mythical 160-kilometer foot race in California, where he lowered his previous mark by 80 minutes 15 years later, signing one of the best performances in the history of the race. But Jornet no longer seems interested in accumulating trophies. "I don't want to win races and do nothing else. Sports is health, it's staying fit for many years," he said then.

September will mark the beginning of a new epic. One in which Kilian will not only run and pedal towards the highest peaks in the country, but will also remind us why he remains, for many endurance athletes, a true reference in search of new limits.