Andorran Arnau Soldevila Finishes 36th in Mathesyns Skyrace

Andorran mountaineer Arnau Soldevila finished 36th in the Mathesyns Skyrace, the third round of the Merrell Sky World Series, held over the weekend in the French village of Mathesyns.

The 25km course featured 1,950m of positive elevation gain, testing competitors on steep climbs and technical descents. Representing the Andorran Mountaineering Federation (FAM), Soldevila employed a cautious start, avoiding the leaders' aggressive pace to sustain his effort. This approach enabled steady progress, especially uphill, where he climbed into the top 15 at the highest point.

However, the descent proved challenging once again. Still recovering from an injury, he took a conservative line on the tricky terrain, allowing more daring rivals to overtake him. He crossed the finish line in 2:41:07—comparable to his times from previous seasons—securing a top-40 spot in one of the series' toughest races.

France's Frédéric Tranchand claimed victory, with Italians Alex Oberbacher and Mattia Bertoncini taking second and third.

Reflecting afterward, Soldevila described a "bittersweet" performance, pleased with his climbing but pinpointing the downhill as key to improvement. "We have to focus on that point. I lost a lot of positions there, and that's where I need to make a step forward," he said.

Soldevila's next outing is the Vertical de la Travessa d'Encamp on Friday, 22 May, where he aims to build on his strengths in technical sections.