The team formed by Kilian Jornet, Didier Blanc and William Bon-Mardion got a hard victory at Mezzalama, with a time of 04:33:59. This race is included in "La Grande Course" circuit and represents the end of the ski season for the athlete from La Cerdanya.
“It has been a very hard race which ended in the last 400 meters sprint" explained Jornet, who (together with his team) achieved a 17 second margin over the second team. “We couldn’t escape from others at anytime and we were fighting against the two other teams till the end of the race’’. The weather also had an important factor during the race, as Jornet says “The meteorological conditions were specially hard today, it was very cold and windy’’, which made the race more difficult’’.
The Jornet team’s victory was not easy. Apart from meteorology, his partner Didier Blanc broke one of the ski bindings on the last descent, and the team had some falls, but ‘’On race you always have some troubles’’ comments Jornet, who tied very good with his partners.
Mezzalama is a teams race, which has some different aspects respect the other races, as explains Jornet ‘’One characteristic of this race is that it’s very technical, we have to go tied with ropes and the greater part of the time takes place at 4000 meters’’ for this reason height is a very important point, which made Jornet and his team partners train on height the 2 previous weeks, to get adaptation to the lack of oxygen.
The Catalan resumes his season, which he considers as ‘’an incredible season’’ and comments that “I think it’s so difficult to surpass, I think at least it’s possible to repeat’’, after the victory few weeks ago on the World Cup, the 3 gold medals got at the Mountain Ski World Cups all celebrated at Claut (Ita), and the victory at the mythical Pierra Menta.
Otherwise, Jornet comments that “There’s no time to rest” and he begins his preparation for the Trail Running season, which starts in Australia. He will participate at the Australia 100K, near Sidney, the dates of 14th and 15th of May.
Race Results:
1. Jornet - Bon Mardion - Didier Blanc. 04:33:59 h
2. Pedrini - Lanfranchi - Seletto. 04:34:17 h. (+17s)
3. Pinsach Rubirola - Boscacci - Antonioli. 04:38:20 (+4:21 m)
Next Events:
With this race, Kilian Jornet ends a magnific winter season, after becoming the world-wide champion in 16th of April, winning 3 gold medals on the World Cups in Claut (ITA) and getting the triumph at the mythical Pierra Menta.
The Trail Running season will start in Australia, near Sydney, where the Catalan athlete will participate on the first ultra-distance race of the season, the Australia 100K, the 14th and 15th of May. (www.thenorthface.com.au/100)
Photo Credit: Foto-Sintesí