‘Cinq, quatre, trois, deux, un…’ – there’s the patter of paws and they’re off.
A cacophony of barking follows as the next sled gets into position, the dogs jumping and jostling in excitement at the impending 45-mile dash. The annual Le Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is now in its 14th year, with 25 mushers competing over nine legs for their share of a £50,000 prize pot.
Crowds bash the barriers with their muffled, gloved hands as the teams from snowy outreaches of up to a dozen countries including Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy and France, battle it out in the canine equivalent of the Tour de France.
And here, incredible photographs capture the epic scenery of the 2017 race.
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