Kenya’s Richard Atuya won the La Montee du Nid d'Aigle, Round Five of this year’s Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, in St Gervais in France on Saturday.
Under blue skies and in warm temperatures, the runners lined up in Le Fayet at the historic thermal baths, ready for this 20km race with 1850m of ascent and 650m of descent.
A small group quickly established itself at the front of the men’s race. Josphat Kiprotich, Philemon Kiriago, Atuya, Michael Selelo Saoli, and Sylvain Cachard broke away and the lead continually changed.
The group broke up slightly as they emerged in St Gervais, and then continued to splinter on the fast river sections. At this point, it looked like any one of this group could win.
By the time they reached Chalet Miage at the 13.5km point, it was Atuya who had opened a gap of 30 seconds over Kiprotich. There was then a gap of one minute and 45 seconds to Selelo Saoli, with Kiriago and Cachard just a few seconds behind.
Atuya couldn’t be caught on the climb and he took the win in 1:46:55. Kiprotich held on to second place and finished just under a minute behind in 1:47:40. Selelo Saoli completed the men’s podium a further minute back.
In the women’s race, it was no surprise to see Philaries Kisang leading it out, very closely followed by Great Britain’s Scout Adkin. Initially, it looked as though Kisang was pulling away, but Adkin didn’t let her open a gap and they in turn were pursued by Gloria Chebet.
Adkin was coming off a win at Montemuro last weekend, where Chebet finished second and Kisang third. It was Adkin who reached Chalet Miage at the 13.5km point in the lead.
She had opened a commanding lead of two minutes on Kisang by this point, who in turn had a lead of one minute over Chebet. Julie Lelong and Axelle Gachet-Mollaret were in fourth and fifth, a couple of minutes behind.
Over the long climb after Chalet Miage, Adkin put on a dominant display of her ascending ability and she stretched out her lead over Kisang and Chebet.
She won convincingly in 2:08:09, with Chebet taking second place four minutes behind Adkin, and Jeruto Kisang fading to third two minutes behind her.
The series now heads to Premana in Italy for Giir di Mont, the second long race in this year’s World Cup, on 28 July. It is a 32km race with 2400m of ascent.