LA MONTEE DU NID D’AIGLE WMRA WORLD CUP : VICTORIES FOR XAVIER CHEVRIER (FRA) & LUCY MURIGI (KEN)

Posted by Héctor Rubio on July 17, 2021 in trail running, wmra, wmra world cup | Leave a comment

WMRA WORLD CUP 2021 STAGE 3: VICTORIES FOR XAVIER CHEVRIER & LUCY MURIGI.. Today we bring you the results of the 3rd stage of the WMRA WORLD CUP 2021 , on Sunday 17^th July  in Saint Gervain Mont Blanc, France. This year’s World Cup is a mix of old classics and new races and our next race, La Montee Du Nid d’Aigle is a bit of both!

This will be the 34^th edition of the event, so it’s definitely a classic, but it’s the first time it will be part of the World Cup. Which is hard to believe because this race has all of the hallmarks of a fantastic mountain race. The location of Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains has to be one of the best in the world for mountain sports. Located next to the Italian and Swiss borders, the Haute-Savoie region is an absolute magnet for mountain runners and skiers.

Photo: Marco Gulberti

WMRA WORLD CUP 2021: LA MONTEE DU NID D’AIGLE 19,5KM | 2000M+

17TH JULY, SAINT GERVAIS

La Montee Du Nid d’Aigle was actually one of the first mountain races in France and as such, it’s a must-do race for French runners. It’s also really important to the community in Saint-Gervais, with 200 volunteers helping out every year. It’s an integral part of the identity of Saint-Gervais and the local people embrace it, like all the best races.

LA MONTEE DU NID D’AIGLE 19,5 KM | 2000M+: THE ROUTE.

This is our next classic mountain race at 19.5km, uphill-only with 2000m of ascent. The route begins at Parc Thermal, Le Fayet and initially follows the river towards St Gervais, and then to La Villette, climbing gradually. From here it heads away from the road and into the trees and begins to climb more steeply and it continues to climb relentlessly all the way up to the finish at Refuge du Nid d’Aigle at 2394m.

LA MONTEE DU NID D’AIGLE: THE RACE

La Montee du Nid d’Aigle was a highly anticipated race and it certainly didn’t disappoint. With its race hub in beautiful Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains, in the Haute-Savoie region of France, we knew it would provide a stunning setting, but pull this together with a tough course and a field of top runners and you have all the ingredients of a really fantastic mountain running race.

Blue skies greeted the runners at the start, with a few whispy clouds higher up in the mountains. Conditions were hot for the runners, particularly on the exposed parts of the course. And let’s not forget that this race is 19.5km of relentless, uphill-only running. No respite, nowhere to hide. This is mountain running.

The route would take the runners from the start at Le Fayet along the river towards St Gervais, and then to La Villette, climbing gradually. From here it heads away from the road and into the trees and begins to climb more steeply and it continues to climb relentlessly all the way up to the finish at Refuge du Nid d’Aigle at 2394m. The final section gets steeper still, so when there’s nothing left in your legs, you still have to find that extra push.

WMRA La Montee d’Aigle Photo: Marco Gulberti

With deep fields in both the men’s and women’s races, both podiums were wide open. Runners like Lucy Murigi (KEN), Henri Aymonod (ITA), Susanna Saapunki (FIN), Sandor Szabo (HUN) and Lucie Marsanova (CZE) had raced at Grossglockner just last weekend. Would they have recovered fully? Similarly, Francesco Puppi (ITA) and Anais Sabrie (FRA) had done well in a very competitive Mont Blanc Marathon just two weeks before.

As expected, the flatter first few kilometres of the race were fast and furious and before too long gaps had opened for the men and women. Lucy Murigi had struck out into a lead over Anais Sabrie (FRA) and Christel Dewalle (FRA) and Xavrier Chevrier (ITA) and Francesco Puppi had made a break for it, but they were hotly pursued by a group including Julien Rancon (FRA), Alexandre Fine (FRA) and Henri Aymonod.

The men’s race remained close but Chevrier pulled away from Puppi, and the chasing runners jostled for that third place. Murigi managed to secure a good lead, but could she keep it?

It was all very close in the final stages. Chevrier took the win in the men’s race in 1.44.25 (a new course record), followed by Puppi, just over one minute behind (1.45.49). Aymonod completed the all Italian men’s podium in 1.46.44. Julien Rancon was fourth in 1.48.43 and Remi Lonchampt rounded out the top 5 in 1.50.18.

Dewalle, who is a 10 time French VK champion and excels on the steeper climbs, chased Murigi hard on the final climb, but she just couldn’t catch her. Murigi won in 2.06.08 (agonisingly, just 2 seconds outside the course record), with Dewalle just 21 seconds behind and Anais Sabrie was just a minute behind in 2.07.34. Mathilde Sagnes (FRA) was fourth in 2.08.37 and Simone Troxler fifth in 2.10.43. All in all a very close top 5, all within 4.5 minutes.

MENS RESULTS

1^st Xavrier Chevrier (ITA) 1.44.25

2^nd Francesco Puppi (ITA)  1.45.49

3^rd Henri Aymonod (ITA) 1.46.44

WOMEN’S RESULTS

1^st Lucy Murigi (KEN) 2.06.08

2^nd Christel Dewalle (FRA) 2.06.29

3^rd Anais Sabrie (FRA) 2.07.34

See race results and athlete rankings here: https://ranking.wmra.info/

Next stop for the World Cup, Tatra SkyMarathon on Saturday 24^th July, our next long mountain race!

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WMRA WORLD CUP 2021 CALENDAR

Summary 2021 World Cup key facts:
8 Countries
12 Event locations
16 Races in 3 categories
10,000+ Participants

CALENDAR

• 24JUL Second date in Poland with the Tatra Sky Marathon, thihs time as Long Mountain about 42k/+3,300m.
• 7AUG The world’s highest level mountain race arrives: The Sierre-Zinal in Switzerland, celebrates its 48th edition with more than 4,000 bibs running. The 2019 edition will be remembered for the double record achieved by Jornet and Mahtys. In 2021 it will race in Long Mountain mode on its iconic 31k/+2,200m. https://www.sierre-zinal.com
  
• 15AUG. We travel north of the Czech Republic for the Krkonossky Half Marathon. A world cup veteran arrives only a week after Sierre-Zinal and will be the next Classic, on a 21k/+1,200m http://www.maratonstav.cz
• 4-5SEP Journey goes to northern Italy to experience the Vertical Nasego and Nasego Trophy. It will start with the Uphill about 4.2k/+1000m and the next day the Classic about 21.5k/+1.336m. http://www.trofeonasegocorsainmontagna.com/
• 11-12SEP Spain debuts with the spectacular Aragonese Pyrenees offered by Canfranc Canfranc. Will hold two races climbing up to almost three thousand meters of altitude. They will be the 45k/+3910m Long Mountain or the Classic over 16k/+1,600m. https://canfranccanfranc.com
• 26SEP Return to Italy with the Ciolo Trophy. High pace race, about 11km/+496km in Classic mode.
• 3OCT Zumaia Flysch Trail will give the winners of Classic and Long Mountain. There will be a Long Mountain over 42k/+3000m, and also a Classic with 22k/+850m ascent. http://www.zumaiaflyschtrail.com
• 10OCT Vertical Kilometer Chiavenna-Lagunac will give Uphill champion. This classic of Italian mountain racing has already been a WMRA-affiliated race and is known as the “vertical race of records” with a 3.2k/+1,000m trace its conditions are perfect for breaking the world record. http://www.kilometroverticalelagunc.it

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