Act 4 - DYNASTAR KV COURCHEVEL - Sunday 21 August 2016

Mikael Callego and Fanny Leleu take the records at the Dynastar KV Courchevel 2016.

The final of the Dynastar KV Courchevel 2016 took place this Sunday 21 August with more than 100 cyclists at the start and a very encouraging review for this 1st edition, with 273 starts recorded and 214 different competitors ranked. After 3 rounds held this season on this new cycling Vertical Kilometre (KV) course, 15.5 km long with 1,000 m of elevation gain, a fine field of athletes had gathered for this last climb and above all to go for the men’s and women’s records, rewarded with €500. Among them, Laurent Brochard, 1997 road cycling world champion, and Jeannie Longo, the international icon of women’s cycling, were in the field.

The verdict came on this last ascent. The winner of the Cyclo’Courch in 2013 and 2014, Mikael Gallego won this 4th round, setting the 2016 Dynastar KV Courchevel record in 41min25s. In second position came Simon Bellabouvier of the ESF Val D’Isère in 42min57s, followed by Cédric Paluello in 43min08s. Julien Lodolo, who will be part of the “Courchevel” team at the Haute Route des Alpes from 27 August to 3 September, with a stage finish in Courchevel on 1 September, alongside Mathéo Jacquemoud and Nicolas Raybaut, missed the podium in 44min24s ahead of Tao Quéméré, winner of the 2016 Tour stage, in 44min57s. Laurent Brochard took 20th place in 50min01s.

In the women’s race, the holder of the provisional record since the 3rd round, Fanny Leleu, despite the pressure of a strong international field, remained untouchable and broke the women’s record in 48min55s. A member of the French ski mountaineering and trail running teams, Axelle Mollaret, winner of the 2016 Pierra Menta with Laetitia Roux, came second in 52min48s. The Colombian, Monica Calderon Martinez of the Italian national team Tre Colli Chirio D’Asolo, completed the podium in 52min50s ahead of Jeannie Longo (54min13s) and the Colombian Bibiana Narvaez, also a member of the Italian national team (54min42s).

To close this 2016 edition in style, the competitors were invited after the race to the traditional meal of the Courchevel Village festival, where the prize-giving took place in the presence of Philippe Mugnier, mayor of the resort, Germain Maurer, representing the partner company Dynastar, and Jean-Luc Chedal, President of the Amicale Cycliste De Courchevel, organiser of the event.

While the cycling KVs are now over, the trail running KVs continue with the final of the Plum KV Courchevel, which will take place this Wednesday 24 August, and the ski mountaineering KVs, which will begin on 30 December. The 214 cyclists ranked in the Dynastar KV Courchevel 2016 can now go for the “Challenge X3 KV Courchevel 2017”, which, to be ranked, requires taking part at least once in each of the 3 Vertical Kilometre events offered in Courchevel. For the best men’s and women’s time of the season, by adding the 3 best performances in cycling, trail running and ski mountaineering: prize money of €800. €500 for the runners-up and €200 for the third places. With 8 ski mountaineers ranked among the top 12 of the overall standings of this 4th round of the Dynastar KV Courchevel, there is no doubt that the battle for the top places in this challenge will rage.
A good way to prepare for the extraordinary triathlon that has become the unmissable event for outdoor sports enthusiasts, combining these 3 disciplines in one day: the “Dynastar X3 Courchevel”, which will take place on 16 April 2017.

Dynastar KV Courchevel 2016 - Official overall standings (top 10):

1 Mikael Gallego (41:25:48), 2 Jérémy Defaye (42:15:00), 3 Simon Bellabouvier (42:57:02), 4 Cédric Paluello (43:08:48), 5 Simon Négrignat (43:29:80), 6 Julien Lodolo (43:52:38), 7 Florian Hudry (44:50:01), 8 Tao Quéméré (44:57:61), 9 Simon Combes (45:05:84), 10 Lucas Clocher (45:25:23).

1 Fanny Leleu (48:55:56), 2 Axelle Mollaret (52:48:63), 3 Monica Calderon Martinez (52:50:93), 4 Laure Anne Ferrent (53:02:70), 5 Jeannie Longo (54:13:56), 6 Bibiana Narvaez (54:42:54), 7 Stéphanie Duc (55:56:33), 8 Catherine Juillaguet (58:35:50), 9 Virginie Loyer (01:00:05:29), 10 Géraldine Bau (01:00:18:54).

Next date: TRAIL Wednesday 24 August.