- The two main favourites for UTMB 2026, Courtney Dauwalter and Vincent Bouillard, both retired during the night of 28th to 29th August.
- The 33-year-old Frenchman, winner in 2024, threw in the towel after a gradual drop in pace, despite support from Jim Walmsley.
- The 41-year-old American, a three-time winner of the event, withdrew at the 70-kilometre mark around 4 am.
- Following these withdrawals, France’s Blandine L’Hirondel took the lead in the women’s race, passing the 110-kilometre mark.
A Double Night-Time Drama
The 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) edition was marked by a significant double drama during the night of Friday 28th to Saturday 29th August. The two main favourites for this edition, France’s Vincent Bouillard and America’s Courtney Dauwalter, were successively forced to withdraw. This unexpected double retirement completely upends the predictions for this legendary 174-kilometre race with approximately 9,900 metres of positive elevation gain, which annually brings together the world’s elite in the discipline around the Mont Blanc massif. This double night-time withdrawal prematurely deprives the event of two of its most prestigious contenders for overall victory in Chamonix.
Vincent Bouillard’s Dip in Form
A surprise winner of the 2024 edition, 33-year-old Frenchman Vincent Bouillard was among the most anticipated athletes at the start of this flagship race. Positioned at the front from the very first hours of the event, he managed to stay within the leading group until the difficult ascent of the Col du Bonhomme. However, the runner then experienced a gradual drop in pace before declaring his retirement. Despite the assistance provided during the refuelling stop at Les Contamines-Montjoie by his Hoka teammate Jim Walmsley, winner of the 2023 edition, the Frenchman was forced to withdraw from the race. The precise reasons for his retirement remain unknown for now.
Queen Courtney Dauwalter Gives Up at 70 Kilometres
On the women’s competition side, the surprise is just as immense with the premature withdrawal of Courtney Dauwalter. At 41, the American, a true icon of the discipline and a three-time winner in Chamonix in 2019, 2021, and 2023, also gave up in the heart of the Alpine night. After clinging to the front for a long time, she finally chose to stop her effort around 4 am at the 70-kilometre mark. This setback follows an already difficult 2025 edition for the athlete, which she finished in tenth place in suffering. The American will not manage to claim another crown in this particularly demanding edition.
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Blandine L’Hirondel Takes the Reins of the Race
Following the American favourite’s failure, the situation quickly evolved at the front of the women’s race. It was France’s Blandine L’Hirondel who seized this opportunity to take command of the event during the night. Solid and consistent, she was leading the proceedings this Saturday morning, continuing her progress beyond the 110-kilometre mark. The French trail runner is now in an ideal position for the remainder of this grand loop connecting France, Italy, and Switzerland. The end of the course around the Mont Blanc massif promises to be decisive in determining the future winner of this UTMB 2026.
