Featured Image: Jeremy Bernard

After several agonizing days waiting for the weather to clear, the skies parted and the party was on in Val Thorens, France, for the second stop of the 2026 Freeride World Tour season. Tour organizers had their work cut out for them, with winds, snow conditions and visibility all making it difficult to safely secure a venue. On Monday, January 26, the forecast rang true, and it was all systems go.

A recent addition to the Tour lineup, Val Thorens is a formidable stop for even the most seasoned riders. A total of 10 skiers finished with no score (NS) today after stumbling in their lines and losing a ski. Rocks were hidden under fresh snow and, since the comp face was moved from Cime Caron to Pointe de Thorens, these skiers had minimal time to accurately assess what they were dealing with.

But that's the way things go when you depend on Mother Nature for a competition. Despite the challenges, each competitor ponied up to the task and we had massive sends, beautiful 360s and ample textbook fall line ripping. Let's dive into the highlights and results from Val Thorens.

EXPLORE HEAD'S LATEST SKIS

In the Ski Women’s Field, we saw history made as HEAD rider Agostina Vietti became the first Argentinian woman to win a stop on the Tour. And with the dramatic French Alps glowing in the background, few other stops that would have been as fitting for Vietti's technically masterful style. Dropping fifth in the field, she had the opportunity to watch the whole of the ski men's field and several of her competitors ski the face first, observing what parts of the face played to her strengths.

But getting to watch others rider first also meant that these women had to drop after all other fields had gone, meaning the face was bound to be tracked out. She skied an impeccably smooth run, stomping several cliffs and executing big, high-speed turns without hesitation to earn a 77.33. Congratulations to Vietti for stamping her name in the history books!

Behind Vietti by just three points was the Swiss wiz Sybille Blanjean. Hailing from Verbier, she's been working through injuries but has returned with full health for the first time in years. Her confidence looked stronger than ever as she navigated the chewed-up venue and secured a 74.33. In third place was Wynter McBride. This was the first podium run for the American FWT rookie, who notched a few solid airs to outpace her competitors.

“My run felt amazing. I did exactly what I wanted to do. I skipped a few features, but the plan worked perfectly and I’m really stoked. I wasn’t as stressed as I used to be at the start gate; I’m learning to manage that energy better. I’ve realized that nerves can actually be a source of strength, and they really help me perform.” - Agostina Vietti, 2026 Val Thorens Pro Ski Women winner

In the Ski Men’s Field, carnage was the word of the day. Seven of the total 22 riders lost a ski and couldn't finish their runs, with seven more spilling out and not completing their runs. Shoutout to the 2017 FWT World Champion Leo Slemett for accepting the Wild Card invitation and competing on his home turf in France. Though he just over-rotated on a huge backflip to close out the course, it was still awesome to see classic Leo riding back on the Tour.

Though there were plenty of falls, we also saw a slew of impressive riding from the top finishers. HEAD athlete Max Hitzig ditched the tricks and opted for pure big mountain freeride style, and with so many miscalculations by other riders on various features, it was clearly the right call, as his strong riding landed him in fourth place. Just 1.33 points ahead was a familiar face, Tahoe's own Ross Tester. Ross the Boss has become a staple of modern freeride, making aggressive lines and daunting landings look too easy. He laced his line with minimal disruptions, stomping an iconic mute three to close out his run.

In second place was another American rider, Tour rookie Joey Leonardo. The Bridger Bowl rider is no stranger to cold pow and big features, and with multiple 360s, a backflip and some big stomps in flat landings. Congrats to the young gun on his first podium! But it wasn't enough to tackle the big dog Ben Richards. The Kiwi already secured first place at the first stop of the season, but he was hungry for more. His riding is looking as clean as it gets, and with an incredibly technical and trick-filled line, he locked down an impressive 92.00 from the judges.

"I’m so happy. I took inspiration from Toby and Fynn, who dropped first, and they really helped confirm my line choice. I’m incredibly thankful to them and I can’t believe I won once again." - Ben Richards, 2026 Val Thorens Pro Ski Men winner

Below, you’ll find the podium results, winning runs and a full photo gallery of the event.

Click here to watch the full replay from the Val Thorens on the official FWT website.

Ski Women’s Stop Two Results

🥇 Agostina Vietti (ARG) 77.33

🥈 Sybille Blanjean (SUI) 74.33

🥉 Wynter McBride (USA) 72.00

Ski Men’s Stop Two Results

🥇 Ben Richards (NZL) 92.00

🥈 Joey Leonardo (USA) 89.00

🥉 Ross Tester (USA) 84.33

Photo Gallery

Images: Dom Daher & Jeremy Bernard, Courtesy of the Freeride World Tour

Keep an eye out for Stop Three of the 2026 Freeride World Tour in the fabled Caucasus Mountains of Georgia, with a weather window from February 21 - 27.