FAIAL, AZORES ISLANDS, 30th October 9:15 am
STAGE 2 – Ocean to Clouds to Ocean – 24.5km, 1.159m vertical elevation, 1.137m descent
Start line: Varadouro
Finish line: Porti dos Cedros
With fog thicker than soup the views weren’t a distraction!
The second stage of the Golden Trail Championship saw the clouds descend and swamp the route in fog. The race start, nestled down by the coast, gave them a short respite from the battering winds awaiting them for a second day on top of the caldera. In these conditions it was the Polish Bart Przedwojewski (Team Salomon) and the Swiss Maude Mathys (Team Salomon) who collected the yellow bib.
Mud glorious mud!
Although the conditions may have made this second stage especially muddy and therefore exhausting and tough to tackle, the course was in itself less technical than the previous day, particularly the second half, which enabled the fast runners to finally stretch out their stride. Therefore, it was no surprise to find guys like Jim Walmsley (Team Hoka One One), Bart Przedwojewski (Team Salomon), Elhousine Elazzaoui (Team Salomon), and Stian Angermund (Team Salomon) up front. In the end it was the long easy rolling downhill where the Polish Bart let loose and left his adversaries behind him. The long coastal trail wasn’t quite long enough to enable Jim Walmsley (Team Hoka One One) to narrow the gap, and Bart Przedwojewski (Team Salomon) finished in front of the American and in doing so robs Frédéric Tranchand (Team Nvii SPORT) of the yellow bib, now in second place 3 minutes behind the Pole. Elhousine Elazzaoui and Stian Angermund cross the line together.
In the women’s race Maude Mathys (Team Salomon) appeared to deal with the successive stages better than the yellow bib holder Tove Alexandersson (Team Icebug), who finished in second place 2 minutes behind the Swiss athlete. “I don’t feel too bad,” Maude Mathys explains, “of course the legs are taking a beating in the downhill, but this stage is more suited to me and my body seems to be withstanding the successive days well.” On the other hand, Tove Alexandersson seems to be starting to suffer. “It was more difficult for me today even if my ankle is much better. I’m used to one day’s racing at a time, so it’s a real challenge for me to do several. I don’t know how it will pan out”. She still keeps her yellow bib with a 5-minute lead on Maude Mathys.
The World Champion Blandine L’Hirondel rounds off the podium.
The Swiss came out on top!
Today’s race to the top was more of a battle than yesterday. In the men’s game Jim Walmsley (Team Hoka One One) and Rémi Bonnet (Team Salomon) once again engaged in a fierce duel and this time it was the American who proved to be the strongest. “I lost a lot of time in the huge lumps of earth where you had to use your hands on the ground,” explains Rémi Bonnet, “it was harder for me than yesterday, but I tried to keep it up and not give Jim too much of a gap, to keep hold of the bib”. The Swiss stays 6 seconds ahead of Walmsley. Among the girls, Maude Mathys (Team Salomon) keeps widening the gap with Iris Pessey (Team Scott Sports) and Tove Alexandersson (Team Icebug). Untouchable in the climb, the Swiss now has more than 2’30 on Iris Pessey (Team Scott).
The Untouchables!
The downhillers are having a ball, Anders Kjærevik (Team Bergen Running) seems completely out of reach. The Norwegian won the day’s segment again and now has more than 1 minute in front of his direct pursuer, Pole Bart Przedwojewski (Team Salomon). There’s no change for the women either, Ana Cufer (Team Salomon) is still ahead in the downhill and holds onto her blue bib for tomorrow’s stage 3. She has now overtaken Tove Alexandersson (Team Icebug) and therefore is officially the best downhiller of these first two stages.
Sprinting fast, at last!
Unlike yesterday’s stage, today’s sprint really gave the runners a chance to express themselves. Covering 1.4km, on a wide runnable track flanking the ocean, it at last gave runners the chance to lengthen their stride. However, the Spaniard Andreu Blanes Reig (Team Carnicas Serrano) has once again shown that he is the force and is 4 seconds ahead of Frenchman Théo Détienne (Team Salomon), bringing his total lead to 7 seconds. Détienne will therefore have to really haul ass on the next two stages if he wants to recover the green bib.
In the women’s category, another Spaniard takes the winning sprint bib. After getting lost, Gisela Carrion (Team La Sportiva) released her rage on this section near the finish and with it robs Anaïs Sabrié (Team Matryx) of the green bib, by ranking 3rd overall in the sprint ranking behind Maude Mathys (red bib) and Tove Alexandersson (yellow bib). It should be noted that Anaïs Sabrié had a very serious problem at the end of this second stage just after the finish and the Frenchwoman had to be taken care of by the organization’s emergency services.
The sun won’t show, so no Pico!
The third stage was originally set to take place on Pico Island, on very technical and dangerous volcanic terrain. As the weather conditions over the past few days have continued to deteriorate, the organization made the difficult decision not to send the runners to the neighbouring island. Stage 3 will therefore be run on Faial on a 30.9 km loop west of the caldera. The total vertical elevation will be reduced to 1,453m.
Rankings of the 2nd Stage
Overall
Men
1 – BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (PL) TEAM SALOMON: 01:56:03.263
2 – JIM WALMSLEY (USA) TEAM HOKA ONE ONE: 01:56:48.007
3 – STIAN ANGERMUND (NOR) TEAM SALOMON: 01:57:54.513
4 – ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI (MAR) TEAM SALOMON: 01:57:55.247
5 – ORIOL CARDONA COLL (SP) TEAM DYNAFIT: 01:59:11.487
Women
1 – MAUDE MATHYS (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 02:13:15.247
2 – TOVE ALEXANDERSSON (SW) TEAM ICEBUG: 02:15:48.117
3 – BLANDINE L’HIRONDEL (FR): 02:17:42.567
4 – RACHEL DRAKE (USA) TEAM NIKE TRAIL: 02:18:53.447
5 – JOHANNA ÅSTRÖM (SW) TEAM ARC TERYX: 02:22:32.667
Climb Ranking
Men
1 – JAMES WALMSLEY (USA) TEAM HOKA ONE ONE: 00:24:58.656
2 – RÉMI BONNET (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00:25:07.560
3 – BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (PL) TEAM SALOMON: 00:25:28.740
4 – FREDERIC TRANCHAND (FR) TEAM Nvii SPORT: 00:26:21.320
5 – STIAN ANGERMUND (NOR) TEAM SALOMON: 00:26:25.377
Women
1 – MAUDE MATHYS (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00:29:14.180
2 – IRIS PESSEY (FR) TEAM SCOTT SPORTS: 00:30:39.930
3 – RACHEL DRAKE (USA) TEAM NIKE TRAIL: 00:31:32.716
4 – TOVE ALEXANDERSSON (SW) TEAM ICEBUG: 00:32:07.484
5 – BLANDINE L’HIRONDEL (FR): 00:32:14.440
Downhill Ranking
Men
1 – ANDERS KJÆREVIK (NOR) TEAM BERGEN RUNNING: 00:03:38.130
2 – JOHN LUNA-LIMA (USA) TEAM ASCENT PROTEIN: 00:03:59.147
3 – BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (PL) TEAM SALOMON: 00:04:04.286
4 – JAMES WALMSLEY (USA) TEAM HOKA ONE ONE: 00:04:05.493
5 – JAN MARGARIT (SP) TEAM SALOMON: 00:04:08.474
Women
1 – ANA CUFER (SLO) TEAM SALOMON: 00.04.04.627
2 – KIMBER MATTOX (USA) TEAM BROOKS: 00.04.23.393
3 – ELI ANNE DVERGSDAL (NO) TEAM SALOMON: 00.04.25.316
4 – MAUDE MATHYS (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00.04.28.190
5 – SARA WILLHOIT (GB) TEAM MERCIA FELL RUNNERS: 00.04.32.893
Sprint Ranking
Men
1 – ANDREU BLANES REIG (SP) TEAM CARNICAS SERRANO: 00:03:36.143
2 – THÉO DETIENNE (FR) TEAM SALOMON: 00:03:40.210
3 – FRANCESCO PUPPI (IT) TEAM NIKE TRAIL: 00:04:12.297
4 – JAMES WALMSLEY (USA) TEAM HOKA ONE ONE: 00:04:12.773
5 – MÅRTEN BOSTRÖM (FI) TEAM TRAIL RUNNING FINLAND: 00:04:16.914
Women
1 – GISELA CARRION (SP) TEAM LA SPORTIVA: 00:04:38.190
2 – SARA WILLHOIT (GB) TEAM MERCIA FELL RUNNERS: 00:04:46.483
3 – KIMBER MATTOX (USA) TEAM BROOKS: 00:04:53.713
4 – JÚLIA FONT (SP) TEAM NIKE TRAIL: 00:04:56.624
5 – MAUDE MATHYS (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00:04:56.930
OVERALL LEADERS
Overall Ranking
Men
1 – BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (PL) TEAM SALOMON: 03:49:50.996 (yellow bib)
2 – FREDERIC TRANCHAND (FR) TEAM Nvii SPORT: 03:52:42.643
3 – ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI (MAR) TEAM SALOMON: 03:55:45.847
4 – STIAN ANGERMUND (NOR) TEAM SALOMON: 03:55:50.700
5 – JIM WALMSLEY (USA) TEAM HOKA ONE ONE: 03:55:52.430
Women
1- TOVE ALEXANDERSSON (SW) TEAM ICEBUG: 04:25:48.134 (yellow bib)
2 – MAUDE MATHYS (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 04:30:09.197
3 – BLANDINE L’HIRONDEL (FR): 04:35:53.764
4 – RACHEL DRAKE (USA) TEAM NIKE TRAIL: 04:39:05.834
5 – JOHANNA ÅSTRÖM (SW) TEAM ARC’TERYX: 04:49:54.024
Climb Ranking (red bib)
Men
1 – REMI BONNET (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00:38:19.496 (red bib)
2 – JIM WALMSLEY (USA) TEAM HOKA ONE ONE: 00:38:25.989
3 – BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (PL) TEAM SALOMON: 00:38:56.336
4 – FREDERIC TRANCHAND (FR) TEAM Nvii SPORT: 00:39:59.222
5 – STIAN ANGERMUND (NOR) TEAM SALOMON: 00:40:03.304
Women
1 – MAUDE MATHYS (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00:44:54.775 (red bib)
2 – IRIS PESSEY (FR) TEAM SCOTT: 00:47:30.336
3 – RACHEL DRAKE (USA) TEAM NIKE TRAIL: 00:48:32.942
4 – TOVE ALEXANDERSSON (CH) TEAM ICEBUG: 00:48:52.557
5 – BLANDINE L’HIRONDEL (FR): 00:49:10.673
Downhill Ranking (blue bib)
Men
1 – ANDERS KJÆREVIK (NOR) TEAM BERGEN RUNNING: 00:10:13.626 (blue bib)
2 – BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (PL) TEAM SALOMON: 00:11:20.370
3 – JOHN LUNA-LIMA (USA) TEAM ASCENT PROTEIN: 00:11:33.860
4 – FREDERIC TRANCHAND (FR) TEAM Nvii SPORT: 00:11:39.889
5 – SEBASTIAN LJUNGDAHL (SW) TEAM SALMING: 00:11:46.767
Women
1 – ANA CUFER (SLO – SALOMON: 00.12.29.502 (blue bib)
2 – TOVE ALEXANDERSSON (NOR) TEAM ICEBUG: 00.12.43.921
3 – ELI ANNE DVERGSDAL (NOR) TEAM SALOMON: 00.13.36.056
4 – BLANDINE L’HIRONDEL (FRA): 00.14.00.506
5 – JOHANNA ÅSTRÖM (SW) TEAM ARC’TERYX: 00.14.25.706
Sprint Ranking (green bib)
Men
1 – ANDREU BLANES REIG (SP) TEAM CARNICAS SERRANO: 00:12:32.810 (green bib)
2 – THEO DETIENNE (FR) TEAM SALOMON: 00:12:39.960
3 – ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI (MAR) TEAM SALOMON: 00:13:43.339
4 – BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (PL) TEAM SALOMON: 00:13:44.366
5 – FREDERIC TRANCHAND (FR) TEAM Nvii SPORT: 00:13:48.340
Women
1 – MAUDE MATHYS (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00:16:07.603 (red bib)
2 – TOVE ALEXANDERSSON (NOR) TEAM ICEBUG: 00:16:31.009 (yellow bib)
3 – GISELA CARRION (SP) TEAM LA SPORTIVA: 00:16:38.124 (green bib)
4 – BLANDINE L’HIRONDEL (FR): 00:16:43.159
5 – ANAIS SABRIE (CH) TEAM SALOMON: 00:17:09.629
Golden Trail Championship: Full Programme
29th October – 11 am CET (9:15 am local time): 1st Stage
24.1 km – 1 073 m D+
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34505537
30th October – 11 am CET (9:15 am local time): 2nd Stage
24.5 km – 1 158 m D+
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34338641
31st October – 11 am CET (9:15 am local time): 3rd Stage
30,9 km – 1 453 m D+
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34542999
1er November – 11:00 am CET (9:15 am local time) : 4th Stage
29.8 km – 1 345 m D+
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33993142
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