Florea ends long wait for Sierre-Zinal victory as Kiriago seals third win
For more than half a century, runners from around the world have travelled to Sierre, Switzerland, to take on the 31-kilometre journey to Zinal, beneath the backdrop of the Alps’ 4000-metre peaks. Now in its 53rd edition, Sierre-Zinal once again brought together the world’s best mountain runners, all chasing one of the most coveted titles in the sport, and it delivered one of the most interesting races we have seen in several years.
With former winners such as Philemon Ombogo Kiriago, Caroline Jepkoech Kimutai (both KEN), Maude Mathys (SUI) and Sophia Laukli (USA), on the start line, as well as a large number of exciting runners who broke into the top 10 here last year, both the men’s and women’s fields had huge depth and unpredictability. Serving as both a Golden Trails and WMRA World Cup race, the level of competition was incredibly high.
It is a hugely important race for this year’s World Cup, coming at a pivotal time in the competition with many of the main players in the World Cup taking part.
The nature of the Sierre-Zinal course is that it climbs from 560m in Sierre all the way up to 2424m in Nava over the course of 24km. Then the runners run downhill for 7km to the finish in Zinal at 1675m. This means that there is potential for huge change in the positions on the long downhill and hard-fought uphill leads can be obliterated in the space of a few kilometres.
WOMEN’S RACE
The women set off first here to ensure equal visibility and focus on the women’s and men’s races. It also means that the first female and male finishers arrive at roughly the same time.
It was no surprise to see last year’s women’s winner Kimutai striking out in the lead early as the women set off, but from very early on Morven Goodrum (GBR), making her debut at Sierre-Zinal, was right on her shoulder. Kirsty Skye Dickson (GBR), who has had some strong results in this year’s World Cup, Madalina Florea (ROU), third here in 2024, and Nienke Brinkman (NED), who was second on her debut here in 2021, were also just behind.
By the 5km point it was Brits Goodrum and Skye Dickson who were leading together, with Florea just behind, with Kimutai and Brinkman completing the leading group. The next group, two minutes behind, consisted of Olympic marathon runner Laura Hottenrott (GER), Oria Liaci (SUI), who finished fourth here last year, and Jessica Paguay (ECU). By the Ponchette aid station the groups remained roughly the same with women’s World Cup leader Ruth Gitonga (KEN), Miriam Chepkirui (KEN), Anna Gibson (USA) and Vivien Bonzi (ITA) also with that chasing pack.
As the climb continued, the top three of Goodrum, Florea and Brinkman seemed to continually change, with rarely more than 20 seconds between them. Skye Dickson had dropped back a little, with Kimutai her main challenger. The chasing group continued to push, with Liaci closing and Gibson slowly moving up, but it was starting to look like the gap to the top five might be too big to close unless something dramatic happened on the downhill.
Once they hit the descent Florea made her move and began to pull away from Goodrum, but the gap remained close at 30 – 40 seconds. At Barneuza (26km) Brinkman was over two minutes behind them, with Liaci 30 seconds further back and Kimutai just behind her. But Kumutai closed the gap and then overtook both Liaci and Brinkman to move into third place. In typical Sierre-Zinal style it was all going to come down to the final, steeper descent and the fast and furious finish on the road.
Florea held on for a brilliant first victory here and Kimutai overtook Goodrum to take second, with Goodrum finishing an extremely impressive third on her debut here. Liaci took fourth again, with Brinkman just 17 seconds behind her.
Women’s top 5
MEN’S RACE
There were some very strong favourites in the men’s race, with former winner Kiriago, runner-up Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) and Elhousine Elazzaoui (MAR), who has won most other big races but never this one. But nothing is a foregone conclusion at Sierre-Zinal.
The men’s race started with Kipngeno and Kiriago setting the pace but Jacob Adkin (GBR), the uphill champion at this year’s European Off-Road Running Championships was in the leading group too. Just behind them sat Julius Ott (GER), Richard Omaya Atuya (KEN), Rodríguez Flores Brayan (MEX), Anthony Felber (FRA), Christian Allen (USA), and, in these early stages, Elazzaoui.
On the long kilometres of climbing, it was Adkin who set the pace, leading through both Ponchette and Chandolin aid stations. Kipngeno remained in close contact, just a few seconds behind, together with Kiriago and Atuya. Allen, Kevin Kibett (KEN), Flores, Elazzaoui and Michael Selelo Saoli (KEN) a minute behind.
Kipngeno and Kiriago decided to attack Adkin while still on the uphill section, and by the time they reached Hotel Weisshorn (20km) they were neck-and-neck, with Atuya now in third, with the three Run2gether team mates working together, and Adkin just behind. The chasing group remained roughly the same, with Allen, Kibett and Flores leading the chase, but now with the addition of Paul Machoka (KEN). It was all going to come down to those downhill kilometres.
Kiriago seemed unable to shake off Kipngeno, with the lead changing hands multiple times and just seconds in it. We were in for a classic Sierre-Zinal sprint finish. Behind them Saoli had stealthily moved through into third but Adkin remained with him, Atuya was fading and it looked like Kibett or Allen may catch them.
Eventually Kiriago managed to pull away from Kipngeno, winning by 32 seconds, his third victory here. There was a gap of three minutes back to Saoli in third, making it a full men’s podium for Kenya and Run2gether On Trail, Adkin hung on for a gritty and impressive fourth and Kibett won the battle for fifth with Allen.
Men’s Top 5
