In what it calls a move to reinvent the sport of trail running, French sports brand Salomon has appointed a renowned physiologist and researcher in sports science to head up the development of its Athlete Performance Program.
Researcher in Exercise Physiology and Metabolism Aitor Viribay joins the Annecy-based brand as Global Sports Performance Director where he'll be in charge of supporting some of the best trail runners in the world including Courtney Dauwalter, Mathieu Blanchard, Remi Bonnet and Marianne Hogan.
Viribay has worked as Head of Human Science for the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team for three years, where his athletes stood on the podiums of Grand Tours and won Olympic Gold medals. He will be bringing his experience as a researcher and consultant in the fields of exercise metabolism, nutrition and physiology to his role.
"Growing up in the Basque Country, cycling and hiking in the mountains have always been the foundation in my life. After developing myself in professional cycling, I am proud and humbled to join the Salomon brand and to be associated with what it represents – pure innovation," says Viribay.
According to Salomon Global Chief Brand Officer Scott Mellin, his selection is grounded in the brand's mission to revolutionize trail running through cutting edge research.
“We intend to reinvent the sport of trail running from its current state to a future state where athlete performance in the biggest races is highly science-based, engineered and predictable."
This science-based approach is already evident in recent product drops like the S/Lab Ultra Glide, which we reported incorporates six years of biomechanical research by the brand and features its proprietary RelieveSphere outsole, which places spheres under the most sensitive areas of your foot to diffuse pressure and minimize impact and discomfort.
Salomon's trail running shoes have been no stranger to the podium in recent years. Its S/Lab Genesis shoes have been on Dauwalter's feet as she took first at eight 100-mile races in the last two years, and helped Blanchard win the brutal Grand Raid de la Reunion in 2024.
“I am super excited to have Aitor join the Salomon team to help us play with the puzzle pieces of performance, health, and training with a little more background knowledge and expertise," says Dauwalter.
The runner notoriously runs and wins without a plan or a coach, but reveals that she has already started working with Viribay on some aspects of her personalized program together.
