Kilian Jornet and Mathéo Jacquemoud made the famous Pierra Menta stage event in the French Alps their own over the past few days. They won three of four stages, finally beating the French pair William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet and Italian pair Michele Boscacci and Roberto Antoniolli.

“We’re very satisfied because it was a very special Pierra Menta, like we always dream, with long and technical mountain stages. It’s a dream come true winning here with Mathéo who I’ve raced with often but never in the Pierra. And now we have, and winning the Pierra Menta always means more than winning any other race”, said Kilian Jornet

The Pierra Menta continues to be one of the key events in mountain skiing. Some 210 teams took part in the competition which includes a total climb of 10,000m. With a start-finish line in the village of Areches Beaufort, over the four stages the event takes in all the major summits in the region. Jornet knows the course well, having participated on numerous occasions, winning three times (2008, 2010 and 2011).
 
This year the first stage included a 2,584m climb. From the start, Kilian Jornet and Mathéo Jacquemoud took the lead and finished four minutes ahead of the French pair William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet. The first day was marked by the fact that the winners in the preceding two years, Damiano Lenzi and Matteo Eydallin, were forced to drop out because Lenzi was suffering from bronchitis.  
 
The second stage mirrored the first, with the same skiers on the podium. This stage was more intense, with a 2,461m climb in which competitors began faced with a 1,200m climb to the Passage du Dard (2,342 m). From there they had to reach two more summits, the Comborcier (2,428m) and Les Besaces (2,340m), before finishing at the Col Sans Nom (2,535m). The snow conditions were fabulous during the first two stages, with thick snow covering the entire circuit. It was also sunny which made it easier to withstand the low temperatures. In the overall classification Jornet and Jacquemoud were six minutes ahead of the French pair William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet.
 
With 5,000m of uphill already under their belts, the competitors prepared for the third, less technical stage (2,513m) but, at 25km, very long. In perfect weather conditions, Kilian Jornet and Mathéo Jacquemoud once again won the stage, taking them closer to overall victory in the final stage.
 
This morning they competed in the final and most famous stage, with the climb up Grand Mont (2,686m), where dozens of spectators had gathered to cheer the racers on. Jornet and Jacquemoud finished second today, with the local pair William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet taking first. In spite of this, the pair had enough points for overall victory, giving Jornet his fourth victory in the Pierra Menta as he continues to inscribe his name in letters of gold in the history of mountain skiing.
 
After the race Kilians said: “It has been four spectacular days with more than 2,500m uphill every day and really good snow conditions. The Pierra is always really special,  and it’s been a tough race right from the start but Mathéo and my legs have stood up well from the beginning and we were able to enjoy ourselves a lot, which always helps. A victory here in Pierra Menta is always remembered”

Picture: Jocelyn Chavy