Diable 20K

Race strategy

Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.

• 613m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 643m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 14.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 19.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.6km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.6km–14.9km · Climb of 782m, descent of 613m averaging 10%. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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.
• Work · 14.9km–19.9km · Climb of 523m, high point 873m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 19.9km–24.9km · Descent of 643m averaging 13%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 1645m+. With 62m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 48% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 6% flat. The longest climb runs 8.5km at an average 9.2% grade (782m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.4km at an average 9.5% grade (613m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 23.8% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 25.1% over 0.3km. Surface: 68% trail and 15% technical. Flat-equivalent effort: 40.3 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Pic White (878m), 8.7km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Mont Timber (760m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 4.1km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 21 of 100), with 37% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 14.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 19.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 8.5–14.9 km · 613 m D−, -9.5% · 10.0 km ahead → control
• 19.9–24.9 km · 643 m D−, -12.9% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 15°C to 22°C, with around 18°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 46%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 7% of days around this date.

Results

858 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Romain Menard (France) in 2:27:58. Women's winner: Marie-Claude Pouliot-Bélair (Canada) in 2:54:02.