Catalin Wins Ultra Tour Monte RosA Stage Race
From the 4th to the 7th of September, the challenging stage race of the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa took runners through stunning scenery in the Swiss and Italian Alps. Catalin was the winner of each individual stage, being crowned champion overall at the end.
Stage 1, from Grächen to Zermatt, covered 36 km and 2115 m of ascent. Catalin arrived first in 4 hours 11 minutes, despite losing some time in Zermatt accidentally following the next day’s course markings. Unfortunately, Stage 2 was cancelled because of bad weather, so next was Stage 3, on Italian soil, from Gressoney to Macugnaga. After 46km and 3200 m of climbing, Catalin was victorious again, this time in just under 5 hours 40 minutes.
The race ended with a shortened fourth stage, again affected by adverse weather, of only 21 km run locally around Macugnaga (and still featuring 1377 m of ascent).
Catalin had been preparing for a multi-day stage race by running in three consecutive races during Bucovina Ultra Rocks, testing fuelling and recovery strategies during and after the runs. Working with the ETT high performance dietitian Rebecca, they put in place nutrition and hydration plans that kept his energy levels up and replenish resources every night. Team high performance sleep expert Charlotte worked to get him to the start line well rested every morning, while performance director & coach Doug ensured pacing strategies were optimised for each day’s challenge.
Well done, Catalin!
