Ephantus Mwangi Njeri (KEN) claimed his first WMRA Mountain Running World Cup victory of his career after overturning Richard Omaya Atuya’s lead on a decisive descent, while Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga (KEN) took the women’s race win and moved to the top of the overall World Cup standings at the Vauban Mountain Trail Classic Up & Down in Briançon, France.
One day after the continuous climb of the Montée Verticale, Stage 10 of the 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup presented athletes with a completely different challenge: 14 km with approximately 1,000 metres of ascent and descent through one of the most distinctive and beautiful settings in international mountain running.
Starting from Parc de la Schappe, beneath Briançon’s fortified old town, the athletes climbed away from the city towards the Croix de Toulouse, the highest point of the course at around 1,950 metres. From there, the route plunged back towards Briançon and here’s how the two races unfolded…
Men’s race
Twenty-four hours after winning Saturday’s Uphill race, Richard Omaya Atuya again showed his climbing strength and was the first athlete to reach the high point above Briançon’s fortifications.
Atuya appeared to be moving towards a second victory of the weekend, but the Classic Up & Down race still had its decisive kilometres ahead. Once the course turned downhill, Ephantus Mwangi Njeri (KEN) began to close the gap.
Njeri moved past Atuya on the fast descent towards Briançon and continued to build his advantage on the return to Parc de la Schappe. By the finish, he had opened a 27-second margin, crossing the line in 1:03:01 to secure the first WMRA World Cup victory of his career.
It was a breakthrough moment for Njeri. After finishing sixth in Saturday’s pure uphill contest, he returned one day later and used the speed and technical demands of the Classic Up & Down course to claim the biggest international victory of his career so far.
Atuya finished second in 1:03:28, completing an exceptional weekend in Briançon with one victory and one runner-up finish across two very different mountain-running disciplines.
Elijah Kamau Kariuki (KEN) secured third in 1:05:06, completing an all-Kenyan men’s podium. Brayan Rodríguez Flores (MEX) finished fourth in 1:05:43, while Paul Machoka (KEN) completed the top five in 1:06:14.
Women’s race
After finishing second in Saturday’s Montée Verticale, Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga returned to the start line determined to go one better in the Classic Up & Down.
And she led throughout, crossing the finish line at Parc de la Schappe in 1:14:03, completing her Briançon weekend with a runner-up finish and a victory.
Those two results move her to the top of the overall 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup standings.
The race for victory remained close until the finish, with Gloria Chebet (KEN) crossing the line only 19 seconds behind in 1:14:22.
Miriam Chepkirui (KEN) completed another all-Kenyan podium in 1:19:08, but the battle for third continued until the final metres.
Just five seconds behind Chepkirui, Arianna Dentis (ITA) produced one of the breakthrough performances of the weekend. Dentis finished fourth in 1:19:13, recording her first major World Cup result and coming within only five seconds of a sensational podium place. Elle Twentyman (GBR) completed the women’s top five in 1:20:08.
Vauban Classic Up & Down results
MEN
| Position | Athlete | Nationality | Overall Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ephantus Mwangi Njeri | KEN | 1:03:01 |
| 2 | Richard Omaya Atuya | KEN | 1:03:28 |
| 3 | Elijah Kamau Kariuki | KEN | 1:05:06 |
| 4 | Brayan Rodríguez Flores | MEX | 1:05:43 |
| 5 | Paul Machoka | KEN | 1:06:14 |
| 6 | Théodore Klein | FRA | 1:06:42 |
| 7 | Martin Nilsson | SWE | 1:07:05 |
| 8 | Lukas Ehrle | GER | 1:07:06 |
| 9 | Noé Daviaud | FRA | 1:07:41 |
| 10 | Matt Knowles | GBR | 1:08:04 |
WOMEN
| Position | Athlete | Nationality | Overall Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga | KEN | 1:14:03 |
| 2 | Gloria Chebet | KEN | 1:14:22 |
| 3 | Miriam Chepkirui | KEN | 1:19:08 |
| 4 | Arianna Dentis | ITA | 1:19:13 |
| 5 | Elle Twentyman | GBR | 1:20:08 |
| 6 | Benedetta Broggi | ITA | 1:23:53 |
| 7 | Selina Burch | SUI | 1:23:59 |
| 8 | Céline Jeannier | FRA | 1:25:11 |
| 9 | Bethany Bergstrand | GBR | 1:26:47 |
| 10 | Gabrielle Pilote Fortin | CAN | 1:27:59 |
