MCC

Race strategy

Run the climb at race pace, build your speed on the downhill, and go all out at the finish.

• Steep 31% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Start easy and control your HR up to the Col de Balme pass.
• Hold your race pace up to the aid station at 27.0km, but stay in control.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 35.5km.
• 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–16.2km · Climb of 1910m, high point 2212m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 16.2km–26.9km · Descent of 1074m averaging 10%. 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.
• Fade · 26.9km–35.5km · Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 35.5km–37.7km · Descent of 182m averaging 8%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line.

Course

The course climbs 2350m+. With 59m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 46% of the distance is uphill, 33% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 16.2km at an average 11.8% grade (1910m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.6km at an average 10.1% grade (1074m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 34.1% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 20.6% over 2.5km. Surface: 70% trail, 17% road, 7% smooth, and 6% technical. Flat-equivalent effort: 57.8 FlatKM.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 5.8km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 24 of 100), with 26% 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, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 35.5km.
• #1 · 16.2–26.9 km · 1074 m D−, -10.1% · 10.9 km ahead → your pace

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 17°C to 28°C, with around 15°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 44%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 9% of days around this date.

Results

1,350 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Gatien Airiau (France) in 3:26:58. Women's winner: Noemie Lepoutre (Belgium) in 3:55:55.