Kilian Jornet Wins Marathon du Mont Blanc

CHAMONIX, France (July 2, 2018) — At the Marathon du Mont Blanc, the second stop of the Golden Trail Series that took place Sunday, Salomon athlete Kilian Jornet answered emphatically that he is back from the broken leg he suffered this winter, winning the 26-mile race for the fifth time in 3 hours, 55 minutes and 54 seconds. Jornet bested Salomon running teammates Marc Lauenstein (2nd in 3:58:15), Stian Angermund-Vik (3rd in 4:00:07), Thibaut Baronian (4th in 4:00:49) and Aritz Egea (5th in 4:02:28) for a Salomon sweep of the top-5 places.

“On the ascent to Posettes (13.7 miles) I could see it was going well,” Jornet said. “After that, I knew there was a technical descent where I wasn’t going to lose time. I tried to set a good speed, aiming to go a little faster but controlling so as not to get cramps or heat stroke.”

Jornet ran with a very concentrated expression for the majority of the race, leaving spectators wondering how he was feeling and whether or not he was fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered in a skimo race this winter. As is often the case with those who doubt Jornet, these same skeptics were proven wrong when the Salomon athlete pulled away late in the race, around the 23-mile mark, after an entertaining battle among many of the world’s best.

In his first race back, Jornet used S/Lab Ultra shoes from Salomon and a full S/Lab Modular apparel kit.

“I used the S/Lab Ultra shoe with the trail running sole, but with a Vibe Technology midsole from the Salomon road running range because it offered a lot of cushion on this terrain,” Jornet said. “The apparel was the S/LAB Modular range because it is very light and breathable in this kind of hot weather. I can carry my gear in the S/LAB modular belt. I also had the Bonatti waterproof jacket because it’s mandatory to carry.”

“It was very hot and that made the race hard,” Jornet added. “It’s a matter of managing it well, to set out to control thing so as to reach the end which is where the race really begins in order to avoid muscular problems or an attack of heat stroke.”

He was not the only one feeling the heat.

“It was a fun fight and I’m very happy,” said Lauenstein, the 2nd-place finisher of Switzerland who has been producing great results this season against the sport’s most elite fields, including a 4th place finish at Zegama. “I can’t say it was fun overall because it was hot and that played a role. But it was back and forth throughout the race and not until the end that I made the decision to go for second place.”

Angermund-Vik made a late charge on the final climbs, as he often does, to move from fifth into third.

“I was struggling in the heat and I had a bottle of water over my head and a Coca-Cola at the last aid station and that really woke me up and I had a boost of energy,” said the Norwegian.

In the women’s race, Ruth Croft ran an impressive, consistent race to win in 4:37:30 over Salomon athletes Ida Nilsson (4:39:37) and Eli Gordon (4:41:01). For Croft, it’s another great result in the Golden Trail Series after finishing third at Zegama in May. Although the day didn’t go as planned for Nilsson, she was happy to have stuck it out.

“I felt kind of bad in the beginning,” Nilsson said. “The whole race I had to fight a lot, but it’s a long race so if you try your best the whole time you never know what can happen.”

The Golden Series now moves to Switzerland for the third leg at Sierre-Zinal on August 12 where Jornet is expected to step to the starting line again. The winner at Zegama, Switzerland’s Remi Bonnet, should also be there after missing the race in Chamonix due an injury suffered a week earlier. Expect another stacked field in the Swiss Alps.

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About Salomon: Born in the French Alps in 1947, Salomon is committed to pushing the boundaries of mountain sports through the creation of innovative equipment that allows people to play, progress and challenge themselves in their chosen outdoor sports. The company produces and sells premium footwear, winter sports and mountaineering equipment, hiking equipment, and apparel specifically designed for all of those disciplines. Products are developed in the company’s Annecy Design Center, where engineers, designers and athletes collaborate to create innovative solutions that continually improve the outdoor experiences of those who see nature as a vast playground.

Contact: Emily Banks
emily.banks@rygr.us
970-924-0704 ext: 103