Ultramarathon

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.9km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 625m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 26% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 24.9km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.8km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.8km–18.0km · Climb of 1928m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 18.0km–32.3km · Descent of 625m averaging 9%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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.
• Fade · 32.3km–69.0km · Climb of 1514m, high point 2381m, descent of 2405m averaging 14%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 69.0km–74.0km · Climb of 335m. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.

Course

The course climbs 4350m+. With 60m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 41% downhill and 15% flat. The longest climb runs 19.7km at an average 7.7% grade (1514m of vertical). The longest descent runs 17.0km at an average 14.1% grade (2405m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 26.4% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 26.4% over 0.3km. Surface: 65% trail, 16% technical, 11% road, and 6% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 104.1 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 18.9km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 47 of 100), with 23% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve 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 24.9km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 18.0–24.9 km · 625 m D−, -9.0% · 49.1 km ahead → control
• #2 · 52.0–69.0 km · 2405 m D−, -14.1% · 5.0 km ahead → your pace

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 18°C to 21°C, with around 4°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 6%.

Results

1,233 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: David Sinclair (United States) in 6:32:24. Women's winner: Blandine L'hirondel (France) in 7:43:47.