Tom Evans finally has the victory he has been chasing at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.
After back-to-back DNFs in 2023 and 2024, the 33-year-old Briton delivered a masterclass in patience and resilience on Saturday in Chamonix, conquering snow, sleet, and a brutal rerouted course to win in 19 hours, 18 minutes, and 58 seconds.
The conditions were among the most punishing in recent UTMB history.
Runners left Chamonix in steady rain that soon turned to heavy downpours, and by the time they reached the Col de la Seigne, they were wading through blizzard-like conditions with half a foot of snow.
Evans tucked in with fellow contenders Ben Dhiman of the United States and Britain’s Jonathan Albon, forming what he later described as a “buddy-buddy system” to check in on one another through the storm.
Attrition soon began to take its toll, with Hayden Hawks, François D’Haene, and Dan Jones all forced to withdraw before the halfway mark, but Evans remained composed.
The decisive move came after the Arnouvaz aid station, around the 100-kilometer point, when Evans attacked the Grand Col Ferret climb into Switzerland.
He opened a gap of more than nine minutes on Dhiman, and from there the lead only grew. By the time he entered Vallorcine in France, Evans was greeted like a Tour de France rider, with crowds creating a tunnel of noise.
He had enough time and composure to high-five spectators and enjoy the moment before the final climb over La Flégère and the downhill run into Chamonix.
The finish was pure Evans: Union Jack tied around his shoulders like a cape, his trademark army salute before the line, and then a celebratory shoey of Red Bull once he was safely home.
He was soon in the arms of his wife, triathlete Sophie Coldwell, and their infant daughter Phoebe, who has become as much a part of his 2025 narrative as any result.
“My goals today weren’t to win. My goals were to be able to look at myself in the mirror after the race and be proud of what I’ve achieved,” Evans said afterwards. “I stuck with my plan, stayed patient, and when the opportunity came, I took it. To win UTMB is a dream come true.”
The victory marks the first for a British man at UTMB since Jez Bragg in 2010, and Evans now joins the small but illustrious club of runners who have won both Western States, which he captured in 2023, and UTMB, the two most iconic races in trail ultrarunning.
It is an achievement that underscores his versatility and staying power, given that his first taste of the sport came only eight years ago at the Marathon des Sables, which he entered on a bet and finished third.
Behind Evans, Dhiman crossed the line in 19:51:37 to claim second after his own string of DNFs in Chamonix. Britain’s Josh Wade ran the race of his life to complete the podium in 20:05:06. China’s Ji Duo and France’s Thibaut Garrivier rounded out the top five.
For Evans, the timing of this win is hard to overstate. He had unfinished business with UTMB after two years of frustration, but 2025 has already been transformative away from the trails with the birth of his daughter.
The combination of redemption and new fatherhood gave his post-race comments a different tone than in years past. “I’ve had two DNFs in the last two years, but hopefully this proves to everyone that if you put your mind to it, anything is achievable.”
In a race that chewed up champions and forced organizers to reroute sections due to hail and freezing winds, Evans not only survived, he thrived. Chamonix has crowned its latest champion, and for the first time in fifteen years, the British flag flew highest on the UTMB men’s podium.
