Kilian Jornet should finally participate in the UTMB 2023. This seems to indicate his participation in the Eiger Ultra Trail over the 17 kilometers, which will allow him to glean the “running stone” which he lacks to register.
Kilian Jornet at the finish of the UTMB 2022 (photo Olivier Vin)
The UTMB 2023 was to be marked with a white stone. For the first time in fifteen years, none of the three big names in the discipline, Kilian, François D’Haene and Xavier Thevenard were to take the start of the legendary race. Between them, they have 14 victories in the event. Only the Englishman Jez Bragg, in a disturbed event in 2010, Ludovic Pommeret and Pau Capell have entered the list of winners. However, none of the three strong men of the ultra-trail were to appear at the end of August in front of the church of Chamonix. François due to injury (ankle fracture), Xavier due to illness (he is currently battling Lyme disease), Kilian because he hadn’t included this race in his curiously light annual calendar. The Catalan, so prolific last year in bibs to launch his NNormal brand, had only announced that
only race, Sierre-Zinal, where he is aiming for a 10th victory, which he was unable to obtain last year.
Only here, the runner of the Pyrenees installed in Norway can afford to change his plans. He must nevertheless, like all athletes, even elite, comply with the new qualification rules, with participation in a race on the By UTMB circuit now compulsory.
However, and some observers had noticed it at the beginning of the week (the first in France was our colleague but nevertheless friend Vincent Gaudin of the Journal du Trail), the facetious Catalan discreetly registered for the 17 km of the Eiger Ultra Trail. A short race, no doubt ideal for better preparing Sierre-Zinal, but which will allow it to obtain its sesame for the UTMB, given its highest performance rating.
Yesterday, on Instagram, NNormal half-announced this future participation:
A message that left little doubt about the intentions of the Catalan who has just confirmed his desire to compete in the UTMB on the networks. He still has to arrive at the finish of the 17 km of the Eiger Ultra tomorrow, but we now suspect what will happen next.
So a fifth victory for Kilian Jornet on the UTMB? If the trail master has always had a complex relationship with the event, he will once again be the big favorite and will become the only one to count five victories, since he currently shares with François d’Haene the total of four victorious tests. . His main opponents will undoubtedly be the Frenchman Matthieu Blanchard, 2nd last year after an epic fight, the American Jim Walmsley, unfortunate hero of the last editions, or the Englishman Tom Evans, 3rd the year past but winner of the Western States 100 last month, who is arguably the most interesting underdog.
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