Ski Mountaineering World Cup Courchevel 2014 - Vertical Race

The Vertical Race of this second Courchevel World Cup stage has just finished. Another win for Laetitia Roux, and bronze for Mathéo Jacquemoud.

Win for Laetitia Roux

“The race began with a gently sloping climb, which is not really my strong point,” explains Laetitia. “So it was the Swiss Maude Mathys who took the lead. I stayed in her skis, waiting for the course to steepen. After ten minutes, I went to the front, but with the constant feeling that she was right behind me. So I kept up a particularly strong pace.” That may be why Laetitia won the race by such a margin, smashing her personal record by more than 20 seconds. Finishing this vertical race of 550 m of elevation gain in 25’31, she took her fourth gold medal of the season.

As yesterday, Axelle Mollaret won the under-23 category. Among the juniors, Sophie Mollard took bronze.

Bronze for Mathéo Jacquemoud

On the men’s side, although Mathéo Jacquemoud, the local favourite, led the race from the start and up to the last section, he was overtaken on the final descent by the two Italians who had been on his heels since halfway. In the end it was Damiano Lenzi who won the stage in 22’19, just ahead of yesterday’s individual race winner, Robert Antonioli. “I immediately felt they were in my skis,” confirms Mathéo. “I really tried to open a gap on the climb, because I knew I had to shake them off to take a win. On the flats and the descents, the Italians undeniably have better technique than I do; that is something I still need to work on.”

So four medals for the French camp in this event, two of them gold. Next up is the third World Cup stage of ski mountaineering, to be held at Pitturina (ITA) next weekend.

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