Since January 1st, Jérôme Vanderschaeghe can be considered a professional trail runner. The Stavelotain, 7th on the Diagonale des Fous in 2022 or even 2nd on the Ultra de la Restonica (UTMB race) last year, managed to gather around him Belgian and Swiss sponsors (country where he has lived for 5 years ) who trust him and allow him to focus on his sport.
guillement“I didn’t want to have regrets later.”
“Why professionalize? I didn’t want to have regrets later and I want to know the best version of myself”he replies. “Over the last two years, I have managed to achieve some good results against semi-pros, even pros. But it’s hard, too hard. Work, family life with 2 children, training…: at one point, you can’t take it anymore. A bit like last year, when I had to give up in Nice…”
With Thomas Lorblanchet as coach
In order to put all the assets on his side, Vanderschaeghe took on a coach to support him. A first since he was in Switzerland. Not just any one since it is Thomas Lorblanchet, formerly of Team Salomon France, winner four times of the Festival des Templiers, once of the Leadville and… first trail world champion (2009).
“I had to structure my training and learn things about how to do long distances in the mountains”continues the Stavelotain. “With Thomas, we work by video and Whatsapp. He is very responsive. The difference compared to before? He puts a lot more intensity into my training. In two weeks, I have more intensity than in a year without him, I work on strength training once a week in the gym, mainly the lower limbs, but I also lift bars. I already see that I have more power…”
Finish within 30 minutes of the winner this weekend
First impressions are good. In May, he won the Raid 73 (Haute Savoie, 72 km, 4250 D +). “Above all, I learn things with him, he is receptive and explains what he does”insists our compatriot.
Qualified for the UTMB (he will also go to reconnoiter the course in July with Guillaume Deneffe), Vanderschaeghe has registered the 90 km of Mont Blanc which starts this Friday at 4 a.m. as a preparation race. Seventeenth (and first Belgian) in ITRA rating on the starting line, he intends to shine there.
“Last year, it was won in 10h37”he says. “If it’s the same course and the weather conditions are similar, I would like to do something like 11:05. To be within the next 30 minutes of the winner in fact. I would in any case like to achieve a result which will make me I will feel good for the rest of my preparation for the UTMB…”
The main Belgians present in Chamonix this weekend:
- 90 km from Mont Blanc (departure Friday 4 a.m.): Laura Van Vooren, Marie Lalmant, Jérôme Vanderschaeghe, Guillaume Deneffe, Florian Descamps, Virgil Vandewalle, Andreas Pahos, Renaud Anselme…
- Mont Blanc Marathon (departure Sunday from 6:45 a.m.): Charlotte Moerman and Maximilien Drion du Chappois.
