Kenyan Joyce Muthoni Njeru is set to defend her title at the iconic La Montée du Nid d’Aigle, the fifth round of this year’s Valsir Mountain Running World Cup.
Athletes are converging in St. Gervais, France, on Saturday for this historic race, which dates back to 1986 and stands as a cornerstone in the French mountain running calendar.
This year’s event will welcome elite competitors from Kenya, Italy, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK.
La Montée du Nid d’Aigle spans 20 kilometers, featuring a grueling 1850 meters of ascent and 650 meters of descent. Starting at the Le Fayet thermal baths, 596 meters above sea level, the race begins with steep climbs, followed by a flatter section along the river.
The course then transitions to a challenging ascent on forest tracks and open mountainsides, passing through Le Champel and climbing the TMB route to the highest point at Col de Tricot (2120 meters), before a descent and final climb to the finish at Bellevue (1800 meters), due to ongoing work on the Mont Blanc Tramway.
This event has become a World Cup favorite, consistently attracting top-tier talent. Among them is Njeru, who is aiming for her third consecutive victory. She shattered Isabelle Guillot’s 2006 record in 2022, clocking in at 2:00:31.
This year, she has shown remarkable form, securing fifth place at both Grossglockner and Montemuro Vertical Run, and claiming victories in the short uphill and classic races at the season-opening Broken Arrow.
Philaries Jeruto Kisang, another formidable Kenyan runner, has had an impressive season with a second-place finish at Grossglockner and third at Montemuro.
Additionally, Scout Adkin of the UK, who began her World Cup campaign with a fourth-place finish at Grossglockner and defended her Montemuro title, is expected to be a strong contender. Adkin also recently finished second in the European Championship uphill race.
Other notable competitors include Gloria Chebet, who finished third at Grossglockner and second at Montemuro, and Susanna Saapunki, last year’s third-place finisher here, who won Smarna Gora and Primiero Dolomiti Trail.
Saapunki finished sixth at Grossglockner and fourth at Montemuro this year. Camilla Magliano, Sarah Douglas, Clementine Geoffray, Celine Jeannier, and Charlotte Cotton round out the strong women’s field.
On the men’s side, Xavier Chevrier returns, seeking to reclaim his title and race record. Philemon Ombogo Kiriago of Kenya, who placed third at Broken Arrow Skyrace, and Paul Machoka, who recently debuted in mountain running with a fourth place at Grossglockner, are among the top contenders.
French runners Sylvain Cachard and Theodore Klein are expected to be crowd favorites. Cachard had a stellar 2023 season, while Klein recently secured a third place at the European offroad Championships.
Other potential top finishers include Jacob Adkin, who was tenth last year, Alberto Vender, Timotej Becan, Ondrej Fejfar, Cade Michael, New Zealand’s Michael Sutton, and Marcelo Goncalves.
As athletes prepare to tackle the challenging course of La Montée du Nid d’Aigle, anticipation builds for another thrilling installment of this celebrated race, showcasing the best of mountain running talent.
Source: World Athletics
