15 March 2025

PIERRA MENTA 2025 Day Four: The Home Champions Dominate the 39th Edition

Pierra Menta Day Four, the Last Dance. Home champions Xavier Gachet – William Bon Mardion and Lorna Bonnel – Axelle Mollaret win the 39th edition of the "Tour de France" of ski mountaineering. On a day that was expected to be marked by fog and low visibility, the weather instead favored athletes and spectators, offering them a memorable final stage with clear skies and nearly 4,000 spectators at high altitude. There were only a few Italian athletes, but they made their presence count. Besides the third-place finishes in both the women’s and men’s categories by Martina Valmassoi and Nadir Maguet, Italian athletes also claimed victories and podiums in the youth race.

In the men's stage ranking, Mathéo Jacquemoud – Samuel Equi finished in second place, while Anselme Damevin – Nadir Maguet once again secured third. In the women’s race, a strong performance by Katie Shide – Martina Valmassoi saw them cross the finish line in second place ahead of Laurie Renoton – Marie Pollet Villard. Unfortunately, the lead built by the two French athletes was enough to prevent them from overtaking in the final overall standings.

The youth race was also spectacular, with 70 pairs in the Under-20, Under-18, and Under-16 categories competing on a dedicated course, yet still in true Pierra Menta style.

A Fitting Conclusion to an Epic Four Days
More than 90 km of true off-piste terrain and about 10,000 meters of positive elevation gain make Pierra Menta one of the toughest and most iconic "old-school" ski mountaineering races—one that thrills the masses and inspires ski mountaineers of all ages. As in the previous days, the final 19 km stage with 2,000 meters of ascent, passing through the electric atmosphere of Col de la Forclaz, saw world champions William Bon Mardion – Xavier Gachet cross the finish line in La Planay first, securing both the stage victory and the overall title. Their total finish time was 10h07'24", allowing them to hold off fellow Frenchmen Mathéo Jacquemoud – Samuel Equi (10h14'24") and the newly formed Franco-Italian duo Anselme Damevin – Nadir Maguet (10h38'16"). The first Italian pair to finish was the Valdostan twins Didier and Jacques Chanoine in 9th place, followed in 20th by Valtellina’s Simone Compagnoni – Edoardo Mottini.

With a streak of four consecutive stage wins, local athletes Lorna Bonnel – Axelle Mollaret dominated with a finish time of 12h50'20". The second-place finish went to their French compatriots Laurie Renoton – Marie Pollet-Villard (13h55'50"), while third place was secured by trail running champions Katy Shide – Martina Valmassoi (14h05'23").

YOUTH RACE:
The dream of crossing the finish line in a race that is myth, tradition, and legend thrilled many young talents. Their excitement was evident in their eyes. In the Under-20 category, the Italian duo from Polisportiva Albosaggia, Luca Curioni – Lorenzo Milesi, claimed victory ahead of Martino Utzeri – Oscar Tonietti and the Swiss-Andorran pair Max Palmmitjavila – Mathieu Pharisa. In the women’s category, the Franco-Spanish duo Camille Maupoix – Laila Sellés took first place, followed by Spaniards Erola Rocia Sacrest – Aina Garreta Farrús and the Italian-Polish team of Alice Maniezzo – Paulina Gomola.

In the Under-18 race, the German-Austrian duo Walter Silas – Kilian Rettensteirn secured first place, ahead of Americans Jakob Landon – Benjamin Bigwood and Italians Mattia Giacomelli – Matteo Pedranzini. In the women’s category, the American pair Heen Desmon – Stella Gillespie took the top spot, followed by the French duo Alice Nard – Julie Cheikh and the Italians Ilaria Bulanti – Siria Pomoni.

Italy claimed the top step of the podium in the Under-16 category with Alex Vavassori – Marco Previsdomini, who finished ahead of the French duo Anatole Gagnaire – Tinoé Vanpé and another Italian team, Leonardo Milesi – Daniel Pellegrino. In the women’s race, the French team of Laura Berthod – Lou Portes emerged victorious over compatriots Mila Hoffman – Charline Cartier and the Italian duo Martina Angelini – Gioia Pozzi.

THE OTHER 2025 STAGES OF LA GRANDE COURSE:
Right after Pierra Menta, the LGC circuit will continue on Saturday, April 5, with the Adamello Ski Raid in the border mountains between Lombardy and Trentino. The 2024-2025 biennium will then conclude on Saturday, April 26, with the legendary Mezzalama Trophy, the Glacier Marathon, which this year will also serve as the ISMF Long Distance World Championship.

The season of great classics has officially begun. Are you ready?