Luca del Pero and Sara Alonso Claim Victory in the PDA at HOKA Val d’Aran by UTMB®

The PDA is one of the most popular and fiercely competitive races at HOKA Val d’Aran by UTMB®, and once again it delivered an unforgettable contest.

This year, the 55-kilometre race once again proved why it is one of the most anticipated events of HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB®. At 7:00 a.m., more than 1,700 runners gathered in the village of Salardú before setting off in three separate waves at 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00 a.m., all aiming to reach Vielha as quickly as possible.

In the men's race, Italy swept the top two places on the podium. Luca del Pero claimed victory in a time of 5:23:25, leading from the early stages in an exciting battle for the win. Fellow Italian Gianluca Ghiano crossed the finish line in second place in 5:27:42, while France's Anthony Felber completed the podium with a time of 5:29:50.

In the women's race, Spain's Sara Alonso, one of the pre-race favourites, secured victory after completing the course in 6:20:12.

"I think this is the hardest race I've ever done. I suffered from the very beginning, it felt incredibly long, I was extremely hot and I reached the limit of my strength. But the course is absolutely amazing. I gave everything I had because this race deserves it, and I'll leave with fantastic memories," said the runner from San Sebastián, who will compete in the OCC at the UTMB® World Series Finals in Chamonix this August.

Romania's Ioana Madalina Amariei finished second in 6:23:06, while Catalonia's Nuria Gil Clapera completed the women's podium with a time of 6:25:43.

The sixth edition of HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB® continues this Friday with the start of the CDH at 6:00 a.m., followed at 4:00 p.m. by the VDA, the flagship race of HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB® and one of the greatest challenges on the international trail running calendar.