Robert Antonioli and Laetitia Roux won the Courchevel Individual Race. The young Mollaret, third at the finish line, won the Espoir category; of the men Anton Palzer won. Of the Juniors, Sophie Mollard and Remi Bonnet won.
At Courchevel this morning the Individual Race, which qualifies as the second leg of the Scarpa ISMF World Cup circuit, took place. A tense and spectacular route and a fantastic sunny day were the setting for the race, which had an altitude gain for the Senior categories of 1,700 metres with a length of about 14 kilometres. The female athletes of the Junior category faced 1,200 metres of altitude gain.
The unfolding of the race, which was fully visible from the departure and arrival area, saw Robert Antonioli always in one of the first positions, battling with Jacquemoud. On the fourth ascent the Italian team took command of the race with Robert Antonioli, Manfred Reichegger, Eydallin and Lenzi just behind the Frenchmen Alexis Sevennec and Matheo Jacquemoud, with William Bon Mardion a bit further behind.
In the women’s section Laetitia Roux immediately took command of the race, with Sophie Dusautoir Bertrand and Axelle Mollaret behind her. Roux competed keeping her opponents under control, without taking unnecessary risks.
Returning to the men’s race, on the last ascent Antonioli increased his pace, knowing that if he had arrived at the exchange with a small margin he would have had to go at maximum speed downhill to defend himself against Alexis Sevennec’s courage. The Italian was the first to begin the descent, with Sevennec and Reichegger leaving the exchange on his tail. Antonioli gave it his all and crossed the finish line first with a time of 1:39’45”, the Frenchman Sevennec 1’18” behind and Reichegger took third place with 1:41’11”. Damiano Lenzi crossed the finish line in fourth position, while the fifth went to William Bon Mardion.
Roux continues on her solitary way towards her third victory in the 2014 World Cup. The Frenchwoman closed with a time of 1:45’32”, in second position Sophie Dusautoir Bertrand from Andorra, while the very young Mollaret climbs onto the third step of the podium with a 1:54’45”.
Mollaret won the special Espoir classification in front of Jennifer Fiechter and Marta Farres Garcia. Of the men the German Anton Palzer dominated in the Espoir category, with Emilien Bochet and Iwan Arnold behind him. Viret Leo was fourth while Nadir Maquet was fifth.
Of the young people the Italian Giulia Compagnoni and Alba De Silvestro have to accept second and third positions respectively as the excellent Sophie Mollard won the race. The time of the winner was 1:38’10”.
Remi Bonnet won the Junior category with a time of 1:39’39”, Dominik Sadlo climbs onto the podium for the first time, winning the second position. The Italian Luca Faifer was third with 01:42’47”.
Tomorrow at 10 am the Vertical Race will start from Courchevel Le Praz, from 500 to 600 metres of altitude gain, depending on the categories. The arrival will be at Courchevel 1850.