Vertical Race Victory for Bonnet and Gachet-Morallet

January 25, 2026
1:18 pm

Sunday, Janurary 25, 2026 – Pal Arinsal (AND)

This morning woke up to an unexpectedly sunny day in Andorra, setting the perfect stage for the Vertical Race. The course delivered 690 meters of vertical gain, starting from the Josep Serra chairlift at 1,580 meters and finishing near the Xalet IGLOO at 2,300 meters.

For this edition, the finish line was positioned around 200 meters below and beside the Xalet IGLOO, adding a slightly longer flat section and making the course less fast than in previous years.

Rémi Bonnet and Axelle Gachet-Morallet once again confirmed their dominance in the discipline, expertly controlling the pace to claim victory.

The Vertical Race gathered 90 athletes (34 women and 56 men) representing 20 nations.

Women’s Vertical

The women’s Vertical Race delivered a remarkable sense of déjà vu, with the exact same podium — and even the same top five — as last

week’s race in Courchevel, in identical positions. An incredible and consistent performance from all athletes, once again highlighting the high level of competition at the start of the season.

Axelle Gachet-Mollaret once more demonstrated her excellent early-season form. Controlling the race from start to finish, she secured another convincing victory, confirming that she is feeling strong and fully ready for the upcoming races.

Women’s Vertical Race – Top 5 Results

Axelle Gachet-Mollaret (FRA) – 31:44.4
Emily Harrop (FRA) – 32:39.9 (+55.5)
Sarah Dreier (AUT) – 32:57.5 (+1:13.1)
Margot Ravinel (FRA) – 33:27.2 (+1:42.8)
Giulia Murada (ITA) – 33:36.2 (+1:51.8)

Men’s Vertical

Once again, Rémi Bonnet dominated the men’s Vertical Race. Despite not feeling at his best after battling a mild cold earlier in the week, which affected his breathing, the Swiss athlete still delivered a commanding performance and claimed another victory.

Paul Verbnjak secured second place with a strong and consistent climb. Behind him, the fight for the final podium spot came down to the last meters, where Matteo Sostizzo produced a powerful sprint to overtake Samuel Equy in the final 10 meters, crossing the line in third place and securing an excellent podium finish for Italy.