LGCT Chantilly: Race to be crowned cream of the show jumping crop

It’s better known as a home for horse racing, but the picturesque French city of Chantilly has this weekend opened its doors to show jumping.

With just five events remaining in the Longines Global Champions Tour – the world’s premier individual show jumping event – the race to be crowned “Champion of Champions” is hotting up.

It’s an all-Dutch affair at the top of the Tour standings, with Harrie Smolders currently holding a 22-point lead over countryman Maikel van der Vleuten, and both riders are going in search of their first ever championship crown.

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“It’s a special competition to win,” van der Vleuten, who is competing in his third season, tells CNN Equestrian.

“It says a lot about the rider himself, about his horses, and about the way he’s working with his horses over a long period.”

Sergio Alvarez Moya claimed his maiden LGCT Grand Prix win in Cannes, pipping home favorite Simon Delestre to the top of the podium.

"Grand Prix are so hard to win. There were so many riders in the jump off today but it turned out to be fantastic, especially for me," the triumphant Spaniard said.

Delestre, riding Hermes Ryan, was buoyed by the home crowd but finished second in a time of 36.70 seconds -- 0.94 seconds behind the unstoppable pair of Moya and his horse Arrayan.

Germany's Daniel Deusser eventually took third place after setting an early time of 37.63 seconds. Riding 10-year-old SX Hidalgo V, Deusser was the first of 10 riders to post clear rides.

The top three celebrate on the podium, although the result has little bearing on the overall LGCT leaderboard. Delestre and Deusser are 11th and 12th, respectively, while Moya's first ever win puts him in 41st place.

Holland's Harrie Smolders climbed to the top of the overall LGCT leaderboard, after his clear ride atop Emerald N.O.P.

Smolders' consistent performances have seen him overtake Italian Lorenzo de Luca, although his lead stands at a slender 17 points. "My strength is in my horses," Smolders said. "In the end the key word will be consistency ... which is not so easy."

Christian Ahlmann, riding Colorit, took ninth place in Cannes to keep him within touching distance of new leader Smolders. The German is now 33 points behind his rival.

Alberto Zorzi recorded a time of 38.30 seconds on MHS Going Global to secure an impressive fourth place in Cannes. The Italian remains in the mix in the overall standings, sitting in fifth with 105 points -- 45 off the lead.

Two-time Cannes Grand Prix champion Roger-Yves Bost was another of the 10 riders to post clear runs. Riding Sydney une Prince, the Frenchman was unable to secure a hat-trick on the Riviera and posted a time of 37.48 seconds to take sixth place.

The Cannes Grand Prix welcomes over 15,000 spectators over the course of the weekend. Held under the evening lights on the glamorous French Riviera, Cannes has become a mainstay on the 15-leg LGCT.

Smolders' compatriot Eric van der Vleuten came fifth in a time of 43.84 on Wunschkind 19. Van der Vleuten sits way back in 44th place, although banks €18,000 for his weekend's work.

LGCT Cannes: Sergio Alvarez Moya wins first in spectacular style

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Having previously finished 15th and 33rd on the Tour, van der Vleuten is enjoying his best season to date. With runner-up in Shanghai and Cascais Estoril and third-place finishes in Madrid and Mexico City, he has helped himself to more than $330,000 in prize money.

A grand prix victory has also alluded Smolders, although four top five finishes mean he currently heads the overall standings.

In the shadow of the magnificent Château de Chantilly, both men will be hoping to go one step further this weekend.

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Smolders in the flow

The LGCT visits 15 global destinations, starting the season in Miami, Mexico City, and Shanghai before moving to Europe.

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It’s a competition that lasts over sevens months and attracts the sport’s biggest names, including show jumping veterans and Olympic gold medalists.

“If you want to compete in all the events of the season, you need the right horses,” explains van der Vleuten.

“You need competitive horses, who are able to bring the right results in all kinds of arenas. You have to be consistent.

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“The man to beat this season I think is Harrie Smolders. He’s a very strong rider, he’s in the right flow.”