Sled dog racing: La Grande Odyssée – in pictures

A musher competes, on 18 January in Megève during the departure of a stage of La Grande Odyssée sledding race. The race runs from 12-23 January in the French Alps. The course is 1,000km long, and involves 25,000m of vertical ascent Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

A musher feeds one of his dogs (of the 'greyster' breed – a cross between a short-haired German pointer and a greyhound) after arriving at night, on 22 January in a mountainous region near Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis. Sled dogs need to consume up to 10,000 calories a day during racing – an amount comparable to a cyclist competing in the Tour de France
Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

An aerial view of a musher and his team of dogs. Most mushers have to balance training both for themselves and their dogs on top of full-time jobs – a large commitment when they will typically have a kennel of at least 40 dogs at a competitive level, as well as puppies being trained up to race when they reach maturity Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

Stages of the La Grande Odyssée, like cycling, consist of both mass-start races and individual time-trials Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

Days in La Grande Odyssée can often be split stages, with two races in one day, with the second part often finishing in darkness Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

A musher competes on 18 January in Megève. The stage was won by Jimmy Pettersson of Sweden in a time of 7 hours, 13 minutes and 37 seconds Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

Although mushers aren't paid enough to race full-time, the technology behind the sleds is incredibly advanced, made with complex materials such as carbon fibre and kevlar. French musher Nicolas Vanier's sled was designed for him by the Renault Formula 1 team
Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

Post-stage care of the dogs is crucial as their recovery from their efforts could win or lose the race for the team. There is even a Best Dog Care prize presented at the end of the race, this year won by Jimmy Petterssen of Norway Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

Stage 9b on 22 January. The penultimate day of racing saw Milos Gonda of Slovakia and Frenchman Jean-Philippe Pontier battle for the top spot; Gonda gained one minute and 44 seconds on Pontier, but not enough to overhaul him for the lead Photograph: Laurent Cipriani/AP

Eventual overall winner Jiri Vondrak of the Czech Republic. Jiri won the opening prologue but conceded victory of the second stage to Frenchman Pontier after he failed to stay with him on a critical 14km mountain ascent Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

The fitness of the mushers is paramount in the 10-day event – mushers often demount their sleds and run alongside the dogs on the long, tortuous ascents to lighten the load for their team Photograph: EDDY LEMAISTRE/EPA

A musher racing in one of the night-time stages on 21 January. An unfortunate turn of events on this stage saw favourites Petterson, Vondrak and Pontier take a wrong turning, and had to chase back to the correct course Photograph: Laurent Cipriani/AP

Three teams of mushers and dogs compete on the final stage on 23 January. Although Vondrak had secured victory overall, the battle on the second day was between Gonda and Pontier for second place. Gonda overhauled Pontier's two-minute lead to secure second position on the podium Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

As a result of a year-round training regime, sled dogs are incredibly athletic. Compared to humans in terms of V02Max (the measure of an athlete's maximum capacity to transport and use oxygen – often the measure of fitness in endurance sport), the difference is startling. The highest V02Max level recorded in a human was cyclist Oskar Svendson of Norway with 92 ml/kg/min. Sled dogs can have a V02Max level of up to 240 ml/kg/min Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

Mushers rely on a close bond with their sled dogs, often having reared them from birth. They will be attached by a line to a small object when they are very small, and will be introduced to running as part of a team when they are six months old Photograph: EDDY LEMAISTRE/EPA

Alaskan Huskies are the dog of choice for endurance sled dog events such as La Grande Odyssée. A mix of Siberian husky, wolf, and various other breeds, they are viewed as the best all-round racers Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images

Temperatures can often fall to -22 degrees C during the race Photograph: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images