Saturday, January 11, 2025, Shahdag (Azerbaijan), hosted the second Vertical Race of the ISMF World Cup season.
In both women and men races, Axelle Gachet Mollaret (FRA) and Rémi Bonnet (CHE) showcased exceptional performances, taking the win with significant lead on the other athletes. These victories marked their 2nd consecutive win on the Vertical race.
Key takeaways from the race
In the women’s race, Axelle Gachet Mollaret (FRA) quickly took the lead, followed by Johanna Hiemer (AUT) and Ana Alonso (ESP). After the flat section at the beginning of the track, Emily Harrop (FRA) closed the gap on the Spanish athlete. The suspense was high during the long climb to the finish line, with Johanna and Emily battling for second place. Ultimately, it was the Austrian athlete who made a final attack to secure second place. Emily finished just behind, marking her fourth podium in a World Cup this season. Sarah Dreier (GER), who was amoung the favorites, had to give up a few meters before the start because she wasn’t feeling well.
In the men’s race, Rémi Bonnet (SUI) took the lead from the start, managing his lead perfectly and never being caught. He was followed by Maximilien Drion (BEL) and Paul Jay (FRA), who led the chase pack. However, halfway up the climb, Austrian Christof Hochenwarter (AUT) launched an attack, closing the gap to the front two. Paul Jay couldn’t maintain the pace, and Christof Hochenwarter finished in second place ahead of Maximilien Drion.
A 2.6 km course with 490m of M+ finishing in Gondola
As with the first day of competition, the conditions were particularly warm for the athletes with temperatures exceeding 10°C. The course set by the Azerbaijan federation ended at the top of a well-known climb here, called the Gondola Uphill. The awards ceremony took place in this stunning setting, under the sun, with the presence of members of the organization for this World Cup, including Fuad Naghiyev, President of the Azerbaijan Winter Sports Federation, and Florian Sengstschmid, its Vice President. Also attending were Rustam Najafov, President of Shahdag Mountain Resort, and Jordi Canals, General Secretary of ISMF.
Men’s and women’s final rankings
- Rémi Bonnet, CHE [18:09.2]
- Christof Hochenwarter, AUT [18:39.2]
- Maximilien Drion, BEL [18:54.0]
- Thibault Anselmet, FRA [19:00.9]
- Samuel Equy, FRA [19:03.9]
- Antonio Alcalde, ESP [19:10.5]
- Axelle Gachet Mollaret, FRA [22:08.0]
- Johanna Hiemer, AUT [23:00.6]
- Emily Harrop, FRA [23:10.5]
- Ana Alonso, ESP [23:23.8]
- Célia Perillat-Pessey, FRA [23:54.0]
- Suolangquz Suolangquzhen, CHN [24:12.4]
