Joyce Njeru on her way to a win at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle (© Marco Gulberti)
For round five of this year’s Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, athletes head to St Gervais in France on Saturday (20) for the next classic mountain race, La Montée du Nid d'Aigle.
This historic race, which dates back to 1986, was one of the first mountain races in France and as such is a ‘must-do’ for French runners. As part of this year’s World Cup, it will welcome elite runners from Kenya, Italy, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK, among others.
La Montée du Nid d'Aigle is a 20km race with 1850m of ascent and 650m of descent. The runners start at the Le Fayet thermal baths, 596 meters above sea level. The first two kilometres involve some quite steep ascent in places, before flattening off for the next few kilometres which follow the river. Then the climbing really begins in earnest, on forest tracks and then open mountainside, through Le Champel and then along the TMB route up to the highest point at Col de Tricot (2120 metres), before dropping for two kilometres and then climbing again gradually to the finish.
The traditional finish at the Nid d’Aigle isn’t possible this year due to work on the Mont Blanc Tramway, so the route has been amended to finish at Bellevue at 1800m.
La Montée du Nid d'Aigle has become a firm favourite in the World Cup during the last few years and always attracts a great field. This year is no exception.
Joyce Muthoni Njeru has won here for the past two years. In 2022 she chopped almost six minutes off Isabelle Guillot’s race record, which had stood since 2006, reducing it to 2:00:31. So far this year she has finished fifth at Grossglockner, fifth again at Montemuro Vertical Run last weekend and won both the short uphill and classic races at Broken Arrow in the season opener.
Philaries Jeruto Kisang has also started the season well, with a second place at Grossglockner and a third at Montemuro. Scout Adkin started her World Cup campaign with a fouth-place finish at Grossglockner and then successfully defended her title at Montemuro last weekend in a dominant display. She also finished second at the recent European Championship uphill race. Gloria Chebet was also on the podium at Grossglockner, finishing third, and then bettered that with a second place at Montemuro.
Susanna Saapunki was third here in 2023, when she also won Smarna Gora and Primiero Dolomiti Trail. She achieved a sixth place at Grossglockner two weeks ago and then a fourth place at Montemuro last weekend. Camilla Magliano has finished sixth here previously and took sixth place at Montemuro last weekend and could also do well here.
Other women to watch include Sarah Douglas, New Zealand mountain running champion 2023, Clementine Geoffray, winner of the recent EA European Championship Trail Race and the 2023 Short Trail Race at the World Championships, Celine Jeannier, tenth here last year, and Charlotte Cotton.
In the men’s race, Xavier Chevrier will be back to try to regain his title and race record. Philemon Ombogo Kiriago will also be on the start line, looking to add to his World Cup points after his third place at the Broken Arrow Skyrace and seventh place in the VK.
Paul Machoka, who has a 29:32 10km PB, emerged on the mountain running circuit with a fourth place at Grossglockner two weeks ago and he will be another exciting runner to watch.
Sylvain Cachard or Theodore Klein will no doubt be popular with the French spectators. Cachard had a strong 2023 season with fourth places at Sierre Zinal and Fletta Trail, as well as a third place at Challenge Stellina, while Klein comes from a third place at the recent European offroad Championships.
Jacob Adkin was 10th here last year and could well improve on that, judging by his performance at the recent EA European Championship uphill race, where he finished second.
Other men who could feature here include Alberto Vender, who has an impressive string of top ten finishes at high profile mountain races to his name, Timotej Becan, who finished eighth at Grossglockner, Ondrej Fejfar, Cade Michael, who made his World Cup debut at Grossglockner, New Zealand steeplechaser Michael Sutton and Marcelo Goncalves.
Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics