Big WMRA World Cup race takes place on Saturday in the Valais Alps in Switzerland

The countdown is on for an ironclad highlight of the World Cup – it’s time for Sierre-Zinal! It’s an iconic race for many reasons and it never fails to produce the highest level of racing, often resulting in a few surprises. Over the years it’s provided the backdrop for some of the most exciting showdowns of the World Cup and this year is shaping up to be another classic.

Sierre-Zinal is our next long mountain race at 31km, with 2200m of elevation and 1100m descent. The scale of the scenery alone makes it very special; it’s known as ‘la course des cinq 4000’ because the runners get to enjoy views of five peaks over 4000m along the way (Weisshorn (4506m), Zinalrothorn (4221m), Obergabelhorn (4073m), Matterhorn (4478m) and Dent Blanche (4357m)).

The race route tests every aspect of the athlete’s skillset, with steep climbing, technical singletrack, fast and wide paths, alpine meadows and a final frantic 7km downhill to the finish, where the race is often decided. To win Sierre-Zinal you have to be good at everything and execute your race plan perfectly.

The first Sierre-Zinal took place in 1974 and over the years it has attracted some big names of the sport. Famously, Kilian Jornet achieved his tenth win in 2024, in a nail-biting sprint finish against Philemon Ombogo Kiriago. Anna Pichrtova and Maude Mathys both won four in a row, Ricardo Mejia topped the podium five times and Pablo Vigil took four consecutive titles from 1979 to 1982.

But for every serial winner, there is also an athlete who tears up the rulebook to take a shock victory. Last year it was Joyline Chepngeno of Kenya, who achieved a breakout performance in what was, incredibly, her debut international trail race.

2025 main contenders

This year’s line-up includes no fewer than 23 men who have run this course in under 2hr 40min and 11 women who have run sub-3hr 10min. There’s no Jornet this year but there are 15 men from last year‘s top 20 and 7 of last year’s top 10 women.

Four former winners will toe the start line. Kenyan Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Run2gether) won in 2023 (and was second in 2024) and Spain’s Andreu Blanes (HOKA) won in 2022. Kenyan Joyline Chepngeno (Salomon) defends her title, after banking a year of experience including a win at Marathon du Mont Blanc, and Swiss Maude Mathys (ASICS) returns. Former Sierre-Zinal podium placers returning this year include Patrick Kipngeno (Run2gether), second in 2022 and 2023 and third in 2024, Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Nnormal), second in 2023, Philaries Kisang (Run2gether), third in 2023, and Madalina Florea (Scott), a memorable third last year.

But Sierre-Zinal rarely follows the script. Athletes striving to make the podium are queuing up in one of the deepest fields we’ve ever seen. Elhousine Elazzaoui (Nnormal) is seemingly unbeatable in other races, but Sierre-Zinal has always eluded him. Could this be his year? Christian Allen (Nike) made his debut last year, but his star is very much in the ascendent. Other men to watch include Sylvain Cachard (HOKA), Roberto Delorenzi (Brooks), Leonard Chemutai and Francesco Puppi (HOKA).

In the women’s race Anna Gibson (Brooks) is in strong form following a double podium at Broken Arrow. Yao Miao (Salomon) was fourth here in 2023 and comes off a recent win at the Val d’Aran 50k. Another athlete more familiar for ultrarunning is Katie Schide (On Running) and it will be exciting to see her compete here. Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Run2gether) finished fourth and Oria Liaci (Brooks) finished in the top 10 here last year, Alice Gaggi (Brooks) was fifth here in 2023 and Lauren Gregory (Nike) could definitely be one to watch.

World Cup

In terms of the World Cup competition we won’t see the women’s leader, Scout Adkin, in action, but we will see the men’s leader, Paul Machoka (Atletica Saluzzo). Kiriago will be looking to gain some important points to close the gap, as will Michael Selelo Saoli (Run2gether) and Andrea Rostan (La Sportiva/Atletica Saluzzo). Kevin Kibet (Atletica Saluzzo), Alberto Vender (New Balance) and Henri Aymonod (The North Face) will also be fighting for their places in the top 10.

For the women Valentine Jepkoech Rutto (Atletica Saluzzo) could close the gap to Adkin, as could Muthoni Njeru. Kisang could also earn enough points here to overtake Gloria Chebet (who isn’t running) and break into the top three of the World Cup competition.

This could be the race that decides the World Cup, with just two more stages to go at the end of this month.