Press release - Chamonix (France), August 28th 2026
HOKA UTMB® Mont-Blanc 2026 A HISTORIC EVENING AT UTMB AND CCC AFTER A THRILLING BATTLE
What to find in the press release: What you will find in this press release: News of the day: PTL® and CCC® finishes, UTMB® start Coming up: UTMB finishes Did you know? Team HOPE takes on the UTMB to make the course more accessible The number: 2012 – the last edition when the UTMB start was delayed The encounter: Jean-Cyrille, the man conducting the “sweeper” teams Photos and News Access – royalty-free, with credits as indicated CCC Men’s Results: Cristian Minoggio (ITA, UTMB Index 943) / Miguel Arsenio
(POR, UTMB Index 913) / Hans Troyer (USA, UTMB Index 920) CCC Women's Results : Yngvild Kaspersen (NOR, UTMB Index 816) / Toni McCann (RSA, UTMB Index 802) / Miao Yao (CHN, UTMB Index 827) On Thursday evening, the procession of PTL finishers began, led by the Gabioud brothers, who are making their 7th appearance in the race. On the CCC, the twists and turns kept coming throughout a fiercely contested battle in both the men’s and women’s races. After an intense showdown, Cristian Minoggio (ITA, UTMB Index 943) and Yngvild Kaspersen (NOR, UTMB Index
816) for women. As the day draws to a close, the long-awaited 2026 edition of the UTMB has just got underway. The final 174 km race featuring 9700 m of elevation gain, and the flagship event of the week, started from Chamonix at 7:45 p.m., with the start delayed due to storm forecasts and in order to ensure the safety of the runners. The original course was also adjusted and will not pass through the Limestone Pyramids. An unprecedented and historic configuration was put in place for the occasion, allowing the first CCC finishers to arrive while the UTMB was getting underway. The stage is now set for the final spectacle, outstanding performances and another night of racing in the heart of the Mont-Blanc massif!
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NEWS OF THE DAY Starting on Monday, the PTL reached its conclusion after 300 km and 25,000 m of elevation gain at 1:02 a.m. The Jules-Henri and Candide Gabioud brothers completed their adventure in 89 hours, followed at 9:36 a.m. by Nicolas Lehmann and Sébastien Raichon, who were also eagerly awaited. On the Team Adaptive side, Mike Marshall reached the finish arch in Chamonix for the second time, after completing the MCC in 2025. In persistent rain and strong wind gusts, which led to two course modifications, the CCC got underway this morning at 9 a.m. in Courmayeur. The course features 106 km and 6,400 m of elevation gain between Italy and France. In the men’s field, the race was expected to be fiercely contested. From the first few kilometres, the pace was very fast and a leading group quickly formed, including American Hans Troyer (UTMB Index 920) and Frenchmen Benjamin Roubiol (UTMB Index 941) and Thomas Cardin (UTMB Index 935), who immediately took control of the race. Thomas Cardin, one of the pre-race favourites, was unfortunately forced to withdraw between Champex-Lac and Trient. At the front, Hans Troyer maintained a high tempo and held the lead for a long stretch of the race. Elie Hemming (USA, UTMB Index 930) and Miguel Arsenio (UTMB Index 913) stayed in contact, while Cristian Minoggio (ITA, UTMB Index 943) made an impressive comeback to gradually rejoin the leading group and ultimately claiming victory in 10:21. Among the women, Chinese runner Miao Yao (UTMB Index 827) quickly took control of the race, confirming her status as one of the favourites. Toni McCann (RSA, UTMB Index 802) gradually caught up with her before taking the lead. A fierce battle for first place then unfolded. Behind them, the battle was also intense within the leading group between Japanese runner Honoka Akiyama (JAP, UTMB Index 792), American Jennifer Lichter (USA, UTMB Index 849) and Yngvild Kaspersen (NOR, UTMB Index 816), who gradually moved up through the field to catch the two leaders, eventually claiming victory in 12:01.
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COMING SOON At the UTMB, Courtney Dauwalter (USA, UTMB Index 859) will be aiming for a fourth victory in the flagship race that has forged her legend, facing Riley Brady (USA, UTMB Index 826) and others. A late addition following her victory at the Diagonale des Fous, Blandine Lhirondel (FRA, UTMB Index 807) could prove to be a dark horse. In great form, Americans Ben Dhiman (USA, UTMB Index 946) and Caleb Olson (USA, UTMB Index 945), who lead the UTMB Index rankings, will be challenged by the latest Frenchman to leave his mark on the UTMB in 2024, Vincent Bouillard (FRA, UTMB Index 941). The five Team Adaptive athletes will also be closely watched, with two potential French firsts at stake: Jonathan Naboulet (FRA) could become the first team using a joëlette to complete the UTMB within the time limits, set for Sunday at 4:30 p.m., while Julien Veysseyre (FRA) could become the first amputee athlete to complete the race using a transtibial prosthesis.
DID YOU KNOW
THE NUMBER
?
2012
The four wheelchair users taking part in Project HOPE have set out on the UTMB course. Led by UTMB Group and the Marathon des Sables, the project aims to make outdoor sports more inclusive. Alongside the official race, these four athletes have embarked on this collective adventure to test the adaptations required and demonstrate that the mountains can be accessible to as many people as possible. This joint initiative is helping to change practices and open up new perspectives for accessibility in outdoor sports.
The last edition when the UTMB start was delayed to such an extent that the CCC winner finished while the UTMB runners were taking their places on the starting line. Weather conditions forced the organisers to postpone the UTMB start to 7:06 p.m. Just a few minutes earlier, at 6:57 p.m., Spaniard Tòfol Castanyer Bernat completed the CCC and crossed the finish line while the UTMB runners were already gathered on the starting line, creating one of the most memorable finishes in the event’s history.
BEHIND THE SCENE Jean-Cyrille, the man conducting the sweeper teams A volunteer since 2008, Jean-Cyrille coordinates the UTMB sweeper teams and is one of the four people responsible for the race control centre. A retired military serviceman, he is now a high-mountain guide and ski instructor, with the mountains playing a central role in his life. He coordinates the 32 sweepers on the French side, alongside his Italian and Swiss counterparts for their respective countries, forming a team of more than 70 people in total. Each 15- to 30-km section, sometimes involving more than 2,000 m of elevation gain, is covered by one to three teams of two, connected by radio and messaging, which Jean-Cyrille monitors in real time. “Their role is to act like sheepdogs. They bring the last runners from one aid station to the next, so that when the race is over, there is no one left out on the course.” A loyal team: “I’ve had pretty much the same people for the past 10 years.” The profile of his teams, many of whom are former runners or mountain enthusiasts, reflects a genuine diversity: “People from all walks of life come together: people who work for the central administration, farmers, young people, older people. The average age is around 40.” Pierre, one of the team’s sweepers, remembers his favourite moment from 2025: “We brought the whole group of runners still in the race from Les Contamines all the way to Chamonix, via the Col du Joly. It wasn’t a given: they already had 130 km in their legs, but we made it.” What touches Jean-Cyrille most are the bonds that are forged: “It creates unbreakable bonds because we helped them achieve their dream. We become a real family.”
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