The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) was first run over 20 years ago, in 2003. It’s often called one of the most difficult trail-running races in the world. The course follows a hiking path that circumnavigates Mont Blanc in the French Alps of Europe.
Starting in Chamonix, France, in late August or early September (this year in August), runners taking on the full UTMB race will cover 106 miles (171 kilometers) with just over 32,000 feet (10,000 meters) of elevation gain while traveling through France, Italy, and Switzerland.
Each year, the race attracts some of the biggest names in ultra running, vying to take their place in the upper echelons of endurance runners by winning UTMB.
In recent years, UTMB has become a weeklong festival featuring numerous races. In addition to the UTMB 106-mile race, there is the CCC: Courmayeur—Champex—Chamonix, which is 100km (62 miles), and the OCC: Orsières —Champex—Chamonix, which is 57km (35 miles).
With the 2024 edition right around the corner, here’s everything you need to know about the biggest event in ultra and trail running of the year.
When And How To Watch UTMB
When Is UTMB?
The 2024 UTMB will run from Monday, August 26, until Sunday, September 1.
With multiple races throughout the event, here are the start dates and times of the main races you’ll want to follow.
- UTMB 100M – August 30, 2024 – 6:00 p.m. CET
- CCC 100K – August 30, 2024 – 9:00 a.m. CET
- OCC 50K – August 29, 2024 – 8:15 a.m. CET
How Can I Watch UTMB?
All three races, UTMB, CCC, and OCC, will be free to livestream on Outside TV.
If you miss any of the action, Outside+ members can watch the races on-demand after they finish.
You can also follow the races live on UTMB’s site, where live cams will be set up at various points on the courses. You can also track your favorite athletes.
Link to Outside TV HERE.
Link to UTMB Live HERE.
Course Map And Profile
The UTMB is regarded as one of the most challenging (and largest) trail running events in the world and an essential experience for many ultra-loving trail runners.
The UTMB route follows the Tour du Mont Blanc hiking path, which hikers usually complete in 7 to 9 days. The course is a loop around the highest point in the Alps, Mont Blanc.
It starts from Chamonix, France, and climbs through France to Italy before crossing the border into Switzerland and re-entering France to end at the starting point. For safety reasons, the route varies slightly each year.
UTMB Course Profile
CCC Course Profile
OCC Course Profile
Weather
The weather is one of the biggest challenges athletes face when competing at UTMB. With massive elevation changes through the mountains, the evenings have been known to be extremely cold, while temperatures can reach uncomfortable highs during the day.
Additionally, it is not uncommon for rain and snow to make an appearance throughout the week.
The forecast this coming week seems to promise some challenging weather for athletes to negotiate:
UTMB Prize Money
The UTMB World Series Finals will feature a nearly $400,000 prize pool distributed among the top 10 male and female finishers in the three primary races of the championship week.
This year’s UTMB Mont Blanc winners will receive about $21,500, more than double what Courtney Dauwalter and Jim Walmsley earned last year for their victories.
This boost was largely enabled by the brand’s partnership with Hoka earlier this year when they became the title sponsor of the UTMB World Series.
From this summer, the 171K UTMB Championship race in Mont Blanc will have a prize purse of €119,000 ($128,000). Winners will receive €20,000 ($21,470), second-place finishers €12,000 ($12,882), and third-place €8,000 ($8,600). The prize money will be distributed among the top 10 finishers.
The OCC 50K and CCC 100K races will each have prize purses of €76,000 ($81,700), with podium finishers receiving €13,000 ($13,970), €7,500 ($8,060), and €5,000 ($5,373), respectively. All top 10 finishers will receive cash prizes of at least €1,000 ($1,075).
Women’s Race Preview
This year’s women’s field is packed with talent. Notably, the top four finishers from the 2024 Western States 100 — Katie Schide, Fu-Zhao Xiang, Eszter Csillag, and Emily Hawgood — are set to compete.
Alongside them are seasoned UTMB runners like Marianne Hogan, Blandine L’Hirondel, and Maite Maiora, all of whom have placed in the top five at UTMB in the past two years.
With the absence of reigning champion and course-record holder Courtney Dauwalter, as well as last year’s runner-up Katharina Hartmuth, the competition is wide open.
Men’s Race Preview
Returning champion Jim Walmsley (USA) is the one to watch this year.
After several attempts, he finally mastered the UTMB course last year with a record-breaking time of 19:37.
Looking to challenge him are recent podium finishers Mathieu Blanchard (France), Germain Grangier (France), and Tom Evans (UK), each aiming to improve on their previous results. Adding to the competition is Ludovic Pommeret (France), who recently claimed victory at the Hardrock 100.
