Matheo Jacquemoud won the Vertical Race. In the women’s category the overwhelmingly powerful Laetitia Roux won. Among the Juniors victory went to Federico Nicolini yesterday and of the women Giulia Compagnoni won. In the Espoir categories victory went to Anton Palzer and Axelle Mollaret.
A spectacular race took place this morning at Verbier, an unusual Vertical Race (in ascent only) that passes through the village’s main streets. An incredible spectacle that all the fans were able to see, missiles with seal skins tackled the ascent of a little more than 700 metres of altitude gain, in just 39 minutes.
The route of the race for the Seniors had an altitude gain of 755 metres, while the Junior category girls competed on a 619 metre route.
The men’s race was decided in the last few metres, a close fight between Kilian and Matheo Jacquemoud. In the last few metres the two locked into an intense sprint, Kilian with skis in hand (he had lost both skins) shoulder to shoulder with the Frenchman Jacquemoud. The crossing of the finish line was simultaneous, only a photo finish decreed the Spaniard the winner, but a penalty of 15 seconds was imposed on Kilian who crossed the finish line holding his skis. The Spaniard therefore receded to third position, leaving the second step of the podium to the Italian Damiano Lenzi. Lenzi had been close behind the two leaders for the entire race, trying several times to get closer to Kilian. In the last section, when it became clear that Kilian had problems with his skins, Lenzi had given it his all, but making up for 12 seconds with two thoroughbreds was impossible. In fourth and fifth positions were the two Italians Robert Antonioli and Manfred Reichegger.
In the female category Laetitia Roux with her constant and rhythmic pace, put a good safety margin between herself and the Swiss Maude Mathys. The other Swiss Victoria KreuzerIn came third. Only in the last part Mathys tried to move closer to the French woman, but without achieving her object. Roux crossed the finish line with a time of 45’38”, while Mathys suffered a delay of 47 seconds. The third position was taken by Victoria Kreuzer with a time of 47’44”. Bertrand Dusautoir was fourth, in front of Emelie Forsberg.
In the special Espoir classification the German Anton Palzer dominated in front of Steven Girard and Leo Viret. Among the women, Axelle Mollaret, showed off her excellent form and won ahead of Jennifer Fiechter and Martha Garcia Farres.
Among the Juniors, the favourite, the Italian Alba De Silvestro, had to give way to an unrestrained Giulia Compagnoni. Adele Milloz qualified in third place.
Federico Nicolini dominated the Junior category ahead of Oriol Coll Cardona and Remi Bonnet.
It should be pointed out that prior to the departure of the World Cup trial the Organizing Committee had set up a race for children, a commendable initiative that brings young people closer to ski-mountaineering.
The first trial of the World Cup has been completed, next week the World Cup will move onto French snow at Courchevel where an individual and vertical trial are planned.