Atuya and Ghelfi victorious at Vauban Mountain Trail Uphill
Richard Omaya Atuya (KEN) and Francesca Ghelfi (ITA) claimed impressive victories as the seventh edition of the Vauban Mountain Trail hosted the WMRA Mountain Running World Cup for the second consecutive year in Briançon, France.
Stage 9 of the 2026 World Cup took athletes from the snow front at the base of the Prorel gondola, in the Briançon sector of Serre Chevalier, all the way to its upper station. Over just 6 km, the Montée Verticale gained 1,150 metres without a single metre of descent.
From the opening metres, the race demanded full commitment. Athletes left Briançon below as the course climbed into open Alpine terrain, surrounded by wide, 360-degree views across the French Alps and towards the peaks of the Briançonnais, the Queyras and the Écrins. It was mountain running in its purest uphill form: one continuous ascent, no opportunity to recover and the summit always above.
MEN’S RACE: ATUYA REPEATS HISTORY IN 40:40
Richard Omaya Atuya (KEN) successfully defended his Vauban Mountain Trail Uphill title in extraordinary fashion. The Kenyan attacked from the very first step of the climb, quickly distancing himself from the rest of the field before running alone to the finish. In a remarkable coincidence, Atuya stopped the clock at 40:40—the identical winning time that brought him victory on the same course in 2025—to claim back-to-back Vauban Mountain Trail Uphill titles and maximum World Cup points.
Behind him, the race for the remaining podium positions remained open throughout much of the climb. Elijah Kamau Kariuki (KEN) held second place for most of the race, but Brayan Rodríguez Flores (MEX) produced one of the performances of the day. Running in third position for the majority of the climb, the Mexican launched a decisive attack over the final 800 metres, overtaking Kariuki to secure second place in 42:38, just 1:58 behind the winner.
Elijah Kamau Kariuki (KEN) completed the podium in 42:55, while Henri Aymonod (ITA) finished fourth, with Théodore Klein (FRA) completing the top five.
Top 10 Men
WOMEN'S RACE: GHELFI MOVES FROM SIXTH TO VICTORY
The women’s race delivered one of the most dramatic stories of the day. At the mid station, Christel Dewalle (FRA), Kirsty Dickson (GBR) and Ruth Gitonga (KEN) were locked together at the front, while Francesca Ghelfi (ITA) passed the checkpoint in sixth position.
From there, Ghelfi transformed the race. The Italian produced a superb second half of the climb, closing the gap on the leaders and moving from sixth to first on the exposed upper slopes. She reached the finish at the Prorel upper station in 49:18, completing a remarkable comeback to claim victory.
Behind her, Gitonga secured second place in 50:12, while Dickson completed the podium just nine seconds later in 50:21. Dewalle finished fourth on home soil in 50:46, with Benedetta Broggi (ITA) taking fifth in 52:35.
Top 10 Women
WORLD CUP ACTION CONTINUES ON SUNDAY
The Vauban Mountain Trail World Cup weekend continues tomorrow with the Grand Parcours Vauban Mountain Trail, Stage 10 of the 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup.
The Classic Up & Down race will provide a completely different challenge from today’s uninterrupted ascent. Starting and finishing around Parc de la Schappe, the 14 km course features approximately 1,000 metres of ascent and descent across the mountain trails surrounding Briançon and its historic Vauban fortifications.
Tomorrow’s race will be the last Classic Up & Down event before the World Cup Finals at Défi des Couleurs in Québec, Canada, in October, giving athletes one final opportunity to strengthen their category positions before the decisive races in Canada.
The Classic Up & Down category is officially sponsored by Turismo Centro de Portugal – “MOVE Centro de Portugal – The Sports Region.”
