UTMB Finals 2026 Preview: The Biggest Week in Trail Running Begins
Courtney Dauwalter UTMB
Update (August 21): The men's race has changed dramatically in the space of 24 hours. Four-time UTMB champion Kilian Jornet has officially withdrawn to undergo knee surgery, while former champion Jim Walmsley has also been removed from the start list. Their absence leaves the men's race more open than it has been in years, with Jonathan Albon, Vincent Bouillard, Baptiste Chassagne, Ben Dhiman and Hannes Namberger now leading a fascinating battle for the title in the 100M race.
For one week, the streets of Chamonix change.
The cafés fill with runners quietly studying course profiles over espresso. Prototype shoes appear long before they're officially announced. Camera crews follow the sport's biggest stars through town, while thousands of runners make one last trip to bib collection before race day.
The race itself doesn't begin until Friday evening.
In many ways, though, UTMB starts the moment the first athletes arrive beneath Mont Blanc.
There are bigger marathons. There are races with richer history. But no event gathers the trail-running world quite like this one. More than 10,000 runners will take part across eight races during the week, while the flagship UTMB remains the sport's defining championship over 100 miles.
This year's elite fields suggest one thing above everything else.
Nothing feels certain.
The Men's Race: A New Generation Meets the Legends
Some editions of UTMB have an obvious favourite.
This isn't one of them.
Only a few days ago, much of the conversation centred around Kilian Jornet and Jim Walmsley. With both former champions now out, the race has taken on an entirely different complexion. Jonathan Albon suddenly becomes one of the leading favourites in his second attempt at UTMB, while defending Western States champion Vincent Bouillard, Baptiste Chassagne, Ben Dhiman, Hannes Namberger and Caleb Olson all move further into the spotlight.
Caleb Olson continues to fly under the radar despite consistently producing world-class performances. Ben Dhiman has quietly developed into one of the strongest American ultrarunners on the circuit, while Germany's Hannes Namberger and Italy's Andreas Reiterer have built reputations on consistency rather than headlines.
Then there is Zach Miller.
No athlete changes the mood of a race quite like Miller. He has never been interested in waiting for the perfect moment. If he feels good, he'll attack. Sometimes it ends in heartbreak. Sometimes it produces unforgettable racing. Either way, when Zach Miller is near the front, everyone starts watching LiveTrail a little more often.
Jon Albon UTMB
The Women's Race May Be Even Better
If the men's race lacks a clear favourite, the women's race revolves around one simple question.
Can anyone stop Courtney Dauwalter?
Three UTMB victories have already secured her place among the greatest ultrarunners in history, but this year's field might be the deepest she's faced in Chamonix.
Rachel Entrekin arrives as perhaps the fastest-rising star in the sport after a remarkable season that has established her among the world's elite. Defending champion Ruth Croft knows exactly what it takes to win around Mont Blanc.
Behind them is an extraordinary collection of talent.
Fuzhao Xiang has repeatedly shown she belongs among the very best. Riley Brady continues to improve every season. Sunmaya Budha carries the hopes of Nepal's rapidly growing trail-running community, while Abby Hall returns with one of the strongest comeback stories in the sport after overcoming serious injury. Add Blandine L'Hirondel, Lucy Bartholomew and Ida Nilsson to the equation, and it becomes difficult to remember a stronger women's field.
This may not simply be another battle for victory.
It could become one of the defining women's UTMB races of the decade.
Beyond The Finish Line
UTMB has always been about more than one race.
For brands, it's launch week. Expect major shoe releases, apparel collections and athlete announcements throughout the village. For photographers and filmmakers, it's the biggest content week of the year. For thousands of amateur runners, it's the culmination of years of training and a lifelong dream.
For everyone else, it's simply the best week in trail running.
By Sunday afternoon, new champions will have crossed the finish line beneath the famous arch in Chamonix.
Until then, all we have are possibilities.
And with fields like these, that might be the most exciting part of all.
