WEEKEND RECAP: Malen Osa Ansa Claims the Crown in Cortina

Malen Osa Ansa headed to the iconic Dolomites with clear goals: chase the win, target the course record, and above all, find ultimate joy on one of the sport's most beautiful and historic stages. Mission accomplished. With a spectacular performance at the Lavaredo Ultra Trail (LUT) 50K, Malen stood on top of the podium, securing a massive victory and confirming her incredible fitness ahead of the OCC at the end of August.

But dominating the sharp peaks of Cortina meant navigating challenging conditions, including thin alpine altitude, high temperatures, and unexpected mid-race hurdles.

The Strategy of Performance: Malen’s Dolomite Blueprint

To back her aggressive racing style and pursue the course record, Malen and her team mapped out an elite nutrition protocol built for heavy energy turnover: an ambitious target of ~100g of carbohydrates per hour, a high hydration rate of 750ml of fluid per hour, and a total of 3,700mg of sodium.

• The Race-Pace Preparation: This level of intake wasn't left to chance. Malen heavily practiced this exact high-carb strategy during her intense race-pace training blocks, ensuring her body was primed for maximum absorption.

• The High-Performance Base: Her race-day strategy relied heavily onBOOST™ gels to deliver a steady, rapid stream of clean energy to her working muscles on the steep climbs.

• The Post-Race Windows: To immediately kickstart her recovery and reward her body after taking the tape, she refueled with her go-toULTRA™ Complete Recovery Mix Vanilla Chaï.

Adapting on the Fly to Stomach Hurdles

Even for the best in the world, race day throws unexpected curveballs. During the second half of the race, the combination of the heat, altitude, and testing a high-carb prototype brought on some unexpected stomach issues.

Showing great composure and deep resilience, Malen didn't let the distress derail her race. She adapted instantly on the trails, modifying her intake on the fly. While she ultimately missed her initial target by about 10g of carbohydrates per hour in the final stages, her smart pacing and quick adjustments saved her stomach, protected her lead, and carried her straight to a golden finish in Cortina.

The Plan of Nutrition: Lavaredo Ultra Trail in Details