Born in 1997 in Belgium, Maximilien Drion Du Chapois is a versatile all-round athlete. Mountains are his domain. Whether he’s ski mountaineering or trail running, he excels at moving fast across the mountains.

But no one could have predicted that Max would live such a life in the mountains. Born in the flat country of Belgium, he lived there for his first 10 years, until his family moved to the village of Vercorin in the Swiss Alps in 2008. This relocation completely transformed Max’s destiny. He fell in love with the mountains. In summer and winter, he spends as much time as possible in this wonderful environment.

As he was familiarizing himself with these new surroundings, he became addicted to the adrenaline rush that comes from hard physical effort. His love for high-intensity activity is combined with a unique talent that he has developed over the years. Between 2013 and 2017, he acquired significant experience while competing in the junior skimo categories.

When he started to compete with the big boys in 2018, no one could differentiate that Belgian boy from the experienced skimo athletes anymore. But it was only when he achieved his first World Cup victory in 2021, at Madonna di Campiglio, that Maximilien realized that he was born to do this, and he decided to live for his passion. This victory led to many other great athletic achievements. In recent seasons, Max has carved out an increasingly high-profile role for himself. Having won medals at the European Championships in 2022 and at the World Championships in 2023, as well as numerous World Cup podiums, he has earned the respect of his opponents and is a feared competitor.

Maximilien, always with a genuine smile on his face, has demonstrated an uphill attacking ability with few equals. The Brussels native has, by conquering numerous podiums, become one of the pretenders to the crystal cup of the overall World Cup standings. After surprising fans with two consecutive second places, in the 2024/2025 season Maximilien will try to get his hands on the most important trophy in the skimo race scene.

For the all-rounder, the feeling of satisfaction from hard effort knows no season. In the summer, Max increases his workload by splitting his days between road biking and trail running. Victory at the European trail running championships in El Paso in 2022 is confirmation of a clear talent that is not limited to short distances.

Vertical, sprint, or individual, it makes no difference to you: you always go hard. But the stakes in Cortina 2026 will push you to further specialize in sprint. How will your skimo evolve in the coming seasons?

Of course, qualifying for and then performing well at the Winter Olympic Games will be important for me. I think that taking part in longer races also helps me in the sprint. And in the last few years, I’ve shown that I’m one of the best sprinters, so I think I’m on the right track.

What are your long-term dreams for the classic single-day events?
I spend a lot of time in Valais, so the Patrouille des Glaciers has special meaning for me. In the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in the biggest skimo races on the calendar, like Pierra Menta, Mezzalama, Tour du Rutor, Adamello, and Sellaronda, and, honestly, I loved all of them. Team races are really special.

What is your favorite Karpos product?
Without doubt, my custom skimo suit with Belgian colors!