CCC

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.4km gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• 1574m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 849m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 69.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 92.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.5km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.5km–8.8km · Climb of 1376m, high point 2569m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 8.8km–53.4km · Descent of 688m averaging 11%, descent of 278m averaging 13%, descent of 1574m averaging 8%. Plus 2 more climbs. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 53.4km–92.6km · Descent of 768m averaging 14%, climb of 784m, climb of 731m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 92.6km–99.4km · Descent of 849m averaging 13%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 6100m+ and descends 6050m−. With 60m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 37% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 17% flat. The longest climb runs 8.8km at an average 15.7% grade (1376m of vertical). The longest descent runs 19.9km at an average 7.9% grade (1574m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 39.3% over 0.7km. The steepest descent drops at 35.3% over 0.4km. Surface: 80% trail, 11% road, and 5% technical. Flat-equivalent effort: 147.8 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Tête de la Tronche (2584m), 8.8km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Mont de la Saxe (2346m) and Le Béchar (1720m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 15.5km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 60 of 100), with 48% of the load in the first half: 4 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 69.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 92.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 8.8–15.1 km · 688 m D−, -10.9% · 84.2 km ahead → control
• #4 · 23.6–25.7 km · 278 m D−, -13.1% · 73.6 km ahead → control
• #1 · 30.0–49.9 km · 1574 m D−, -7.9% · 49.5 km ahead → control
• #3 · 63.6–69.3 km · 768 m D−, -13.6% · 30.1 km ahead → control
• 92.6–99.4 km · 849 m D−, -12.5% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 7°C to 14°C, with around 8°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 44%.

Results

1,641 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Francesco Puppi (Italy) in 10:06:02. Women's winner: Martyna Mlynarczyk (Poland) in 11:41:55.