France swept all before them on second day of the Annecy 2024 European Athletics Off-Road Running Championships as the host nation dominated the women's and men's trail events in unprecedented style.
France won all three individual medals in both races, as well as both team titles. The superiority of the French athletes was evident from the start in Faverges. All four formed the leading group in both the men's and women's races.
Cardin leads French home
In the men's race, British runner Thomas Roach and the Italian Christian Minoggio were able to keep pace in the early stages, with Minoggio in fifth place after 5.7km in La Motte, fourth after 12.9km in Parfeu and leading a five-man breakaway on the second turn in Faverges.
But on the second ascent of the race, a 500-metre climb over two kilometres to Le Chenai, Thomas Cardin, Benjamin Roubiol and compatriot Hugo Deck took control. Only Roach was able to keep up with the French.
Although the names at the front remained the same, the time gaps grew.
Cardin delivered a consistent race at the highest level, leading Roach by 1:19 after 22.8km in Montmin, by 59 seconds at the Col de Nantets (28.8km) and holding the leadsby by 43 seconds at the Col de l'Aup 1200m later, but this time over his compatriot Roubiol.
At Villard-Dessus (35.8km) the duo were level, but the 2023 world long trail champion and Annecy hometown hero Roubiol had to let Cardin go again. At the feed station in Menthon at 41km a one-minute gap had been established, but, when one went out and the other went in, they met on the course and the two Frenchmen exchanged friendly high-fives.
The next time they saw each other was at the finish. At the Chemin de Rampon (46.1km), Cardin had a 3:31 lead, by Chez Chapet (54.3km) on the long descent into Annecy after they had passed the summit of Mont Baron at 50km it was four-and-a-half minutes, and Cardin's advantage kept on growing. At the finish, it was 5:39 as Cardin took the gold in 4:58:22, Roubiol the silver in 5:04:01.
Bronze battle
But while the two big favourites - Roubiol is the reigning Long Trail World Champion, Cardin was third at the inaugeral European Athletics Off Road-Running Championship two years ago - secured the first two places, a fierce battle for bronze ensued behind them.
Thomas Roach, runner-up at the 2023 World Championships in the Short Trail, seemed on course to prevent the Frenchmen from taking the whole medal set. He was in third place between the Col de l'Aup and Chez Chapet, but was overtaken by Loic Rolland on the highest point of the final climb at Mont Baron.
When Roach tried to re-pass the Frenchman on the descent, he fell hard and suffered abrasions to his hand and forearm. His chance of a medal was gone and he finished fourth. Rolland took bronze in 5:07:38 while Roach's clock stopped at 5:09:51.
It meant France also collected the team title with the minimum six points. with Poland taking team silver led by fifth-placed Rafal Matuszczak and Czechia grabbed bronze headed by 12th-placed Tomas Macecek.
"the top result I've been working for"
The new champion Thomas Cardin was delighted his hard work had paid dividends. “It's been seven years that I've been improving step-by-step,” he said. “Now I've got the top result I've been working for.
“I took a conservative and cautious approach to the race and was actually surprised when I found myself in the lead. Then I made sure to keep the pace and keep the gap to others.
“It was only towards the end of the race, on the final climb, that I got some information about my lead and realised that I could actually win the championship. But the big emotions came on the final straight.
“The high five between Benjamin and me was a sign of what makes us tick, it's our state of mind. We're not just running for ourselves, but also for the success of the team. Three people have been the most supportive in my career: my wife, my little daughter and my coach - and when I saw them out on the trail, I loved kissing them!”
Looking to the future, he said: “Next goals? A cycling tour of Europe this summer and, in the medium term, the 2025 World Championships [in Canfranc, Spain].”
Unheralded bronze medallist Loic Rolland added: “I didn't think I could finish on the podium in the individual race, but after a cautious start I got a perfect race for me. At the last aid station, I was told I was minutes behind Thomas Roach and I thought I couldn't catch him anymore. I caught Roach at the very end of the last climb, passed him and when he attacked he crashed.”
Thomas Roach, fourth, said “It was the last descent that decided third place, I tried to overtake and fell hands first. It was all my fault. I have mixed feelings, I'm proud of what I've achieved, I've had a great race, but I'm unhappy because the medal was within reach.
“The French supporters on the course were very kind to me, the performance of their athletes is just incredible.”
Geoffray adds European gold to world title
In the women’s race, Clementine Geoffray added the European crown to the world title she gained last year. In this instance, the hosts dominated the women's race even more than the men, with the first four women being Les Bleus.
Geoffray won in 5:44:37, ahead of Blandine L'Hirondel in 5:53:49 and Adeline Martin in 5:56:44. The quartet was completed by Julie Roux finishing fourth in 6:02:15. About eight minutes later, Ioana Madalina Amariei of Romania crossed the line in fifth.
L’Hirondel, 2019 world champion, made the early running. At La in La Motte (5.7km), Parfeu (12.9km), Prafeu (12.9km), Faverges (14.2km) and also Montmin (22.8km), L'Hirondel was more or less a minute ahead of Geoffray, but the picture changed at the Col des Nantets (28.8km) and Col de l'Aup (30km), where last year's world trail short champion came within a few seconds of the leader.
Stomach problems meant that Geoffray again lost half a minute by Villard-Dessus (35.8km), but she dictated the pace in the second half of the race.
At the Menthon support station, L'Hirondel was just 15 seconds in front, but by the Chemin de Rampon (46.1km), Geoffray had overtaken her and was 55 seconds away.
She never relinquished this lead. At Mont Baron (50km) the gap was just under five minutes, at Chez Chappet (54.3km) over six minutes and at the Passarelle almost nine minutes. At the finish line, 9:12 minutes separated the two best trail runners in Europe.
It meant also France took the team title ahead of Spain whose leading runner was eighth-placed Oihana Kortazar, whilst Italy grabbed bronze with Camilla Magliano their leading light in 12th place.
Afterwards Geoffray said: “I have had a difficult time over the last few months and missed the French Championships due to injury. So my expectations weren't too high, I just wanted to give a solid performance and contribute to the team classification.
“Before the race I was impressed by the climbs, but I felt very comfortable on them. I think I won the championship more on those sections than on the descents. But above all I was mentally strong. “I prefer technical descents, but most of them here in Annecy were easy and didn't really suit me.”
“When I passed Blandine I thought to myself: OK, you're in the lead, but the race is still a long one, so stay with yourself and make sure you keep the pace. Stomach problems slowed me down, I also had to go to the toilet and risked losing time.”
“I became world champion in 2023, which was unexpected. That year I doubted my form, my strength, I didn't know if the distance was too long for me and I wasn't confident. Therefore, my success in 2024 was also unexpected.”
Proud L'Hirondel
Runner-up L'Hirondel said “I started with the aim of winning, I started fast and pushed very hard, as I usually do. “The length of the course is very difficult, you can never rest. Leg problems didn't make it any easier, but when I knew Clementine was behind me, I forgot about them and did my best.”
“I'm proud of myself because I rode a very good race. Someone else was stronger than me today, luckily it's a friend and I'm happy for her. No, there is no disappointment. I had a goal and I didn't achieve it. But I'm happy with myself.”
Egon Thiener for European Athletics
Photos courtesy of Alanis Duc (FFA)