SKI MOUNTAINEERING – New day of competition and new victory for the French clan in Courchevel. In the vertical race, Axelle Gachet-Mollaret showed herself to be sovereign to win ahead of her compatriot, Emily Harrop. By finishing 3rd in the men's event, Xavier Gachet added a third podium to his haul.
The ski mountaineering French women's team will have had a fanfare debut for the first World Cup weekend contested in Courchevel. At home, the Blues will have left only crumbs to the competition. On Saturday, Emily Harrop won the sprint while Margot Ravinel took 3rd position. This Sunday, the vertical race was once again the scene of a tricolor raid.
Axelle Gachet-Mollaret and Emily Harrop at the top
Crowned French champion in the discipline last week, Axelle Gachet-Mollaret honored his status by winning the game. Starting at a strong pace, she widened the gap in the first 200 meters, before maintaining a sufficient pace to win with 13 seconds ahead of Emily Harrop. Favorite in its own succession for the big crystal globe, the Tricolore already takes control of the general with its two big performances. The Austrian Sarah Dreier completes the podium, 27 seconds behind Gachet-Mollaret's time. Another tricolor in sight this weekend, Margot Ravinel obtained a 7th place that is anything but anecdotal since it allows him to position himself in 2nd place in the general classification.
Rémi Bonnet on another planet, Xavier Gachet grabs the podium
On the male side, the scarecrow of the specialty has resumed its march forward. Big winner of the small globe last year, Rémi Bonnet has once again flaunted its total superiority by widening a stratospheric gap with the rest of the competition. By clocking an impressive time under 20 minutes, he relegated his runner-up to almost two minutes (1:50)! 2nd, Aurélien Gay validates a Swiss double, but the Blues are not left out since Xavier Gachet took the last place on the podium. For barely a second he is ahead of his compatriot Paul Jaywhich fails at the foot of the box. Gédéon Pochat Cottilloux was positioned in the Top 10 (10th), while Thibault Anselmet was further behind (16th) after his podium in the sprint.
The French clan therefore leaves Courchevel with 50% of the victories and podiums at stake in their pocket! Following a break of almost a month in the calendar, the World Cup will resume its rights from January 10, with a busy weekend at Shahdag (sprint, vertical race and individual).
