31/08/2026
726 runners didn’t finish UTMB Mont-Blanc’s 2026 flagship race. Here’s where it happened.
Of 2,407 starters, 1,681 reached Chamonix, a 69.8% finish rate overall, though it splits by gender: 71.1% for men, 63.7% for women. The attrition wasn’t spread evently across the course. Two points accounted for more than a third of all DNF’s between them, Courmayeur at km 81 with 138km, and Arnouvaz at km 99 with 122. Both feature big mental barriers for a lot of runners with Courmayeur situated just before one of the biggest climbs on course, and Arnouvaz situated at the 100km mark.
By nationality, France entered 36% of the field and accounted for 199 DNF’s, more than the next three countries combined. But raw numbers don’t tell the whole story: Hong Kong’s smaller contingent of 49 starters posted the highest DNF rate of any group in the top ten, at 44.9%.
Where do you think a race like this actually breaks people, the climbs or the accumulated fatigue?
📈 Inspiration from Ben Pages | Mental Performance Coach
