The British Joe Steward and the Austrian Andrea Mayr ahave won the 35° edition of the Challenge Stellina – Trophy of Nations, hit by the rain. Due to the weather condition, the race stopped in Chiamberlando, after 6.5km with 800m of elevation gain.
For the same reason, the commemoration of the partisan battle of Grange Sevine and the award ceremonies also were moved in Venaus.
The start did not change: from the Arch of Augustus in Susa, passing through the streets of the historic centre.
At the beginning of the climb the British Joe Steward, the American Christian Allen and the French Sylvain Cachard were leading the group, closely followed by the first two blues, both debutants at the Stellina, Hannes Perkmann and Luciano Rota.
At the finish line the positions remained unchanged with Steward who stretches and finishes with a 14 second advantage over Allen, Cachard third 30 seconds behind the winner. Perkmann confirms himself as the first of the Azzurri also at the finish line, 1:15 behind Steward, Rota’s performance is also excellent, 7 seconds behind Perkmann. In the top ten also Joseph Demoore (USA), sixth, Timotej Beçan (SLO), seventh, Theodore Klein (FRA) ninth while for the Italian team to underline the eighth place of Andrea Elia and the 10th of Henri Aymonod.
United States won ahead of France A and Great Britain; the two blue teams follow with Italy A ahead of Italy B.
Andrea Mayr, the record holder for the standard course, continued her dominance in the women’s race, even on a shortened track. Taking the lead from the very beginning of the climb, the Austrian athlete arrived at Chiamberlando with a comfortable 28-second lead over British contender Scout Adkin, who secured her second-place finish for the second consecutive year.
Mayr, a seven-time world champion, establishes a gap of approximately one minute ahead of the third-place finisher, American Anna Gibson. Gibson, who triumphed in this season’s vertical test in Broken Arrow, secures her spot. Meanwhile, Kenyan athlete Joyce Muthoni Njeru, the current leader in the World Cup standings, secures the fifth position. Preceding her are French competitor Christelle Dewalle and Lucy Wambui Murigi, both from Italy, who finished ninth and are clubmates.
Andrea Mayr dedicated her victory at the Stellina to Gudrun Pflüger, four-time Mountain Running World Champion that passed away recently.
Gudrun Pflüger also won Challenge Stellina twice, in 1995 and 1996, with a course record that would remain unbeaten for many years.
Great Britain reaffirmed their triumph in the women’s rankings of the Trophy of Nations. Alongside Adkin, the English team boasts additional top-ten placements, including Philippa Williams in sixth place, Sara Willhoit in seventh place, leading ahead of Slovak competitor Silvia Schwaiger, and Kirsty Dickson in the tenth position. Vivien Bonzi achieved the highest ranking for the Italian team, securing the 11th spot with a 7-second lead over Camilla Magliano in 12th place.
In the ranking by nations, Italy A conquered the third step of the podium, preceded by France A, just behind Great Britain, winner of the Trophy for the second consecutive year.
All images copyright Marco Gulberti & Damiano Benedetto
