THE VALMOREL – DOUCY STAGE APPRECIATED BY ALL THE MUSHERS

In the opinion of all the mushers taking part in La Grande Odyssée VVF, this 8th stage from Valmorel to Doucy ‘was really beautiful’, as expressed by Spaniard Iker Ozkoidi Garcia, the overall leader. An opinion shared by Clément Raux, 4th overall: ‘Very nice stage. It slid really well. The track is superb, but we had to push through the steepest sections and there were quite a few of them,’ admits the tired but happy man from Haute-Savoie, who is taking part in his second Grande Odyssée VVF. In fact, the 26 km trail included 1,300 m of ascent. Starting every three minutes at 4.30pm from the Valmorel toboggan run, the competitors climbed to the top of the slopes at Aigueblanches via forest tracks before descending to Doucy. ‘It’s not a very technical route, but the difference in altitude is substantial for such a distance,’ analyses race director Thibaut Branquart.

It was the Spanish leader who set the fastest time of 1 hour 16 minutes, 2 minutes and 15 seconds faster than his challenger, Frenchwoman Elsa Borgey, who crossed the finish line first to the applause of the many supporters who turned out in spite of the night and the cold.

The overall classification remains unchanged, with Cindy Duport consolidating her 3rd place. She is wearing the Dog Care chasuble sponsored by Royal Canin, for having slowed down to protect her dogs on the previous stage.

In the Nordic category, the gap is widening between leader Jean Combazard, who has been wearing the Suzuki-sponsored leader’s jersey since the first stage, and his pursuers, who are now more than 2 hours 30 minutes behind. His time of 1 hour 40 minutes and 23 seconds gives him a further lead of 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

See you on Tuesday 21 January at Le 7 Laux presented by Aésio Mutuelle for the 9th stage of La Grande Odyssée VVF.

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