Live Français – UTMB® – Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® por UltraTrailMontBlanc
AKA how to experience a fantastic adventure through 5 ultras around the Mont-Blanc Range!
UTMB® [Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®]: 3 countries – 170 km and 10,000 m of vertical gain, semi self-sufficient – 2300 runners will stand at the starting line on Friday, August 28, at 18:00, to run from Chamonix to Chamonix in 46 hours max.
CCC® [Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix]: 3 countries – 100km and 6000 m of vertical gain, semi self-sufficient – 1900 runners >will stand at the starting line on Friday, August 28, at 09:00, to run from Courmayeur to Chamonix in 26.5 hours max.
TDS® [Traces des Ducs de Savoie]: 119 km and 7250 m of vertical gain, semi self-sufficient – 1600 runners >will stand at the starting line on Wednesday, August 26, at 06:00, to run from Courmayeur to Chamonix in 33 hours max.
PTL® [Petite Trotte à Léon]: 3 countries – approximately 300km and 26,000 m of vertical gain, completely self-sufficient ->A non-stop effort with no ranking open to 100 teams (Maximum of 250 runners). Start, Monday, August 24, at 17:30, to run from Chamonix to Chamonix in 142 hours max.
OCC [Orsières-Champex-Chamonix]: 53 km and 3300 m of vertical gain, semi self-sufficient – 1200 runners >will stand at the starting line on Thursday, August 27, at 08:15, to run from Orsières to Chamonix in 14 hours max.
Pau Bartolo and Andrea Huser win the TDS®
Around 20:30, the spectators standing at Triangle de l’Amitié square cheered the week’s very first champions.
The expected a French/Spanish podium became a reality with the victory by Catalan native Pau Bartolo (6th at the 2015 Tarawera Ultramarathon (103 km)), who led the race from start to finish. “This is the world’s foremost race, with such an incredible amount of spectators… THANK YOU to everyone present along the race course and here at the finish line. The TDS® is a long race, and even though I prefer shorter, faster races, I’m completely ecstatic…” After winning the 2014 CCC®, only a UTMB® victory remains for Pau to become the second person to win all three races, following Xavier Thévenard’s triple feat.
Seventeen minutes later, Frenchman Cyril Cointre finally earned a place on the podium. With several top ten finishes, this second-place finish is a victory for him, “I never wear a watch, so I don’t know my time but I’m really pleased. I was able to keep up on the climbs and descents, but Pau was masterful on the flat sections. Due to problems with a shoe lace, I lost several precious minutes. I knew that I would not be able to catch up, but with Antoine Guillon right behind me, I kept pushing.”
In third place, Antoine Guillon and Lionel Trivel crossed the finish line hand-in-hand, just like in 2012 at the very same race, reinforcing the ever-present trail-running spirit at all five events. Antoine confirms that, “The incredibly fast pace was mind-blowing.”
First for the women, Andréa Huser ran the perfect race. With a first-place finish at the Swiss Irontrail and second place at the 2015 Eiger Ultra-Trail®, she was expected to win. However, having finished 13th overall in just 16hrs 35 min., she now holds the women’s record for the course. “This is an incredible and difficult race, where you have to run at a fast clip… which is not what I usually prefer…”
Thirty minutes later, Cristina Bes Ginesta took second place, also with an impressive time. Frenchwoman Juliette Blanchet crossed the finish line in third, just before midnight.
FINAL RESULTS FOR THE TDS®
Men
1- Pau BARTOLO – ESP in 14:26:40
2- Cyril COINTRE – FRA in 14:43:02
3- Lionel TRIVEL – FRA and Antoine GUILLON – FRA in 15:00:03
Women
1- Andrea HUSER – SUI in 16:35:29
2- Cristina BES GINESTA – ESP in 17:04:52
3- Juliette BLANCHET – FRA in 17:52:20
WEEKLONG PROGRAM for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®
Friday, August 28 – Courmayeur and Chamonix
- 09:00: Start, CCC®, Courmayeur (Italy)
- 09:00-13:00: Salon Ultra-Trail® expo village
- 18:00: Start, UTMB®
- 20:30: First CCC® finishers
Saturday, August 29- Chamonix
- All morning long, runners finishing the CCC®
- 14:00: First UTMB® finishers
Sunday, August 30 – Chamonix
- All morning long, runners finishing the UTMB®
- 10:00-11:00: Final press conference
- 15:00: Official closing ceremony for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®
- 15:30: Last runners finishing the UTMB® & PTL®
