UTMB: A Runner's Guide to the Key Race Segments

One of the iconic races on the trail calendar, UTMB attracts runners from across the world to tackle this iconic course. But what should athletes expect when tackling this event? In this article, we profile the verified segments in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, and get an athlete's view of their challenges and opportunities.

UTMB, or Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc, is one of the iconic trail races on the calendar. Launched in 2003, the race has become one of the most competitive trail events in the world, attracting athletes from across the globe to compete in the UTMB World Series finals - a festival of running that features eight different races in total. However, it is the eponymous UTMB that draws the most attention during the week.

A grueling 106 mile / 172.55 km race that traverses three countries (France, Italy and Switzerland) and takes in 32,940 ft / 10,040 meters of elevation gain, UTMB has earned a fearsome reputation amongst the athletes that tackle the race.

UTMB 2024: The Elite Athletes to Follow on Strava

The UTMB route

While UTMB itself is a little over twenty years old, the history of the route can be traced back hundreds of years. Indeed, the origins of the Tour du Mont Blanc - broadly the same route that the race follows - reach as far back as the 1700s when Swiss geologist Horace-Bénédict de Saussure circumnavigated Mont Blanc while looking for a way to the summit.

Saussure's route around Mont Blanc may differ from the 106 mile / 172.5 km route that runners will tackle at UTMB, but the ethos is the same: a circumnavigation of Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc (15,771 feet / 4,807 meters).

To gear up for this year's race, we've worked with the UTMB organizers to produce a series of Verified Segments on some of the most iconic parts of the course. To understand more about what the runners can expect from these segments, we caught up with Ture Dahl Børglum from Strava's Product team, who will be racing the 2024 UTMB. A Chamonix resident, Ture has been competing in trail running since 2015, crewed UTMB for a number of athletes, raced the CCC and TDS, and has recce'd the entire course ahead of this year's race.

UTMB Segment: Les Houches - La Charme

• Segment distance: 3.74 miles / 6.72km

• Elevation gain: 2,654 feet / 809 meters

• QOM: Clare Gallagher - 51:45 (2018)

• KOM: Jim Walmsley - 41:37 (2018)

• Average Segment completion time: 1:14:16

The sleepy hamlet of Les Houches, lying to the Southwest of Chamonix, is where the race really begins. Climbing up to La Charme, runners might not have time to notice the stunning meadows or enjoy the suspension bridge across a river that is fed by the Glacier de Bionnassay.

Ture's perspective: "The field spreads out on the rolling gravel and paved roads from Chamonix to Les Houches. Once you get to Les Houches you start going up the road to La Charme. From a runner's perspective, you need to be smart about this climb - you need to take it easy. Some runners sprint it, but that's gonna bite you in the ass later on. The sensible thing to do is take your time, get out your poles, and get into the rhythm of hiking uphill at a comfortable pace - we’re only getting started."

Fact: The QOM (Clare Gallagher) and KOM (Jim Walmsley) on this segment were taken in the same year (2018) but both runners failed to finish the race that year. Gallagher did win the CCC at UTMB in 2017, while Jim Walmsley became the first American man to win the race in 2023.

UTMB Segment: Les Contamines - La Balme

• Segment distance: 5.32 miles / 8.57 km

• Elevation gain: 1,801 feet / 549 meters

• QOM: Katie Schide - 1:01:05 (2022)

• KOM: Tom Evans - 44:52 (2022)

• Average Segment completion time: 1:30:08

Nineteen miles / 31km into the race, and the real climbing begins. While the segment from Les Contamines to La Balme is by no means the toughest on the course, it is a warning: for the next 62 miles / 100km the majority of the race takes place above 5,900 feet / 1,800m and the mountains simply get tougher.

Ture's perspective: "Les Contamines is the first aid station where you can get help - the first time you can see your crew (although most people don't have a crew there). It’s flat to Notre-Dame de la Gorge, which is a beautiful little church, there's usually a HOKA light show and a gazillion people there. But then, once you're past that church, the segment begins. You start going uphill and this is when you're going into the real mountains. It will be dark for everyone in the race - the fastest or the slowest. You go from the madness of Notre-Dame but as you climb the trail gets very quiet, and it’s just you and your fellow runners. It's a non-technical trail up to La Balme, with some runnable sections."

Fact: Tom Evans grabbed the KOM for this segment ahead of Kilian Jornet in 2022 - although he couldn't stop the UTMB legend from setting a course record that year (19:49:30). Not to be outdone, America's Katie Schide took the QOM the same year en route to her win in the women's race.

UTMB Segment: Les Chapieux - Col de la Seigne

• Segment distance: 6.64 miles / 10.7 km

• Elevation gain: 3,435 feet / 1,047 meters

• QOM: Jessica Brazeau - 1:32:57 (2023)

• KOM: Jordi Gamito - 1:16:08 (2021)

• Average Segment completion time: 2:23:45

The trail up from Les Chapieux up to the Col de la Seigne is a steady climb through beautiful, but increasingly stark settings. The well-marked trail up to the Col de la Seigne (8,227 feet / 2,507 meters) and the Italian border features stunning views of Mont Blanc's wild and remote west face.

Ture's perspective: "For a lot of runners, the trail down to Les Chapieux is very lonely as it’s very remote, but there's normally a little bit of a gathering in the village. You run out of Les Chapieux and begin the long climb up to Col de le Seigne. It starts fairly flat on an asphalt road, then goes into gravel, and finally to singletrack. The trail gets steeper and steeper as you get towards the summit of Col de la Seigne and it's quite wind-exposed. Although it will be dark for most people, it is beautiful up there - you can see all the runners on the trail. It's a tough part of the course but there is some comfort in being at one of the highest points on the route."

Fact: Both the KOM and QOM for this segment were nabbed during training runs. Jordi Gamito took the KOM as he prepared for the race in 2021, while Jessica Brazeau took the QOM during as run with her husband, Jim Walmsley.

UTMB Segment: Courmayeur - Bertone

• Segment distance: 2.53 miles / 4.08 km

• Elevation gain: 2,362 feet / 720 meters

• QOM: Christel Dewalle - 40:51 (2012)

• KOM: Jim Walmsley - 34:32 (2021)

• Average Segment completion time: 1:15:51

It's a relatively short hop between the aid stations and Courmayeur and Bertone, but don't be mistaken: after 50 miles / 83km of running, the constant uphill out of Courmayeur is a challenge even for the pros. Once past the Rifugio Bertone, though, runners are treated to one of the most spectacular parts of the race as they follow the Monte de la Saxe ridge and its picture-perfect views of the Grandes Jorasses, Dent du Géant, and Mont Blanc's Peuterey ridge.

Ture's perspective: "When you get into Courmayeur you are approximately halfway through the race. The fastest runners will come in around 2 a.m., and other runners through the rest of the night and the next day. Whatever time of day, though, there will be a lot of people on the streets.

"From the church, you go up a paved road out of town. It's a couple of kilometers and then you hit the single track. Once you do that it's steep and you need your running poles. It's a 700-meter [2,362 feet] climb over four kilometers [2.53 miles] and it's steep. Some runners feel lonely on this climb, having seen their friends and family, but once you get up to the Bertone Refuge you are on a plateau. This is probably the most beautiful part of the race - it's a long rolling run with amazing scenery of the Massif de Mont Blanc."

Fact: Christel Dewalle only started trail running two years before she took on UTMB in 2012. She competed in one of UTMB's sister events, the CCC, in 2012, finishing fifth overall and taking the QOM for the segment between Courmayeur and Bertone.

UTMB Segment: Arnouvaz - Grand Col Ferret

• Segment distance: 2.49 miles / 4.02 km

• Elevation gain: 2,404 feet / 733 meters

• QOM: Katrina Miller - 41:31 (2021)

• KOM: Manuel Merillas - 31:37 (2021)

• Average Segment completion time: 1:20:20

Perhaps the most iconic climb on the course. The trail to the Grand Col Ferret not only takes runners to one of the the highest points on the course (8,287 feet / 2,526 meters) but also one of the coldest. Most of the pros hit this part of the race towards sunrise - when it is at its coldest - while amateurs arriving at the Col in the day time will be treated to a stunning view of the Swiss Valais on one side and the Val Ferret on the other.

Ture's perspective: "You need to fuel well at the aid station at Arnouvaz because after that you're climbing up to Grand Col Ferret, the last high pass and it's a long way to the next aid station. From the aid station at Arnouvaz, the singletrack just starts going uphill straightaway. This is a brutal climb because you start at 1,800 meters [5,900 feet] and you climb up to above 2,500 meters [8,202 feet]. There are no trees, so if the weather is bad there's nowhere to hide. But it's a beautiful open setting with some waterfalls on your right-hand side. Sometimes the trail can be a little bit difficult to see - halfway through you have a steep part that is a light scramble in places. And then it flattens out up towards the Grand Col Ferret."

Fact: While training to break ascent records on the ascent of Mont Blanc and Mont Rose, Manuel Merillas set the KOM here. Just three days later, he also broke the highly sought-after FKT for summitting Mont Blanc from Courmayeur.

UTMB Segment: Grand Col Ferret - La Fouly

• Segment distance: 5.79 miles / 9.32 km

• Elevation gain: -2,992 feet / -912 meters

• QOM: Ruth Croft - 46:49 (2015)

• KOM: Ludovic Pommeret - 39:17 (2017)

• Average Segment completion time: 1:23:47

The descent from the heights of Grand Col Ferret is a relatively gentle one, and the aid station in the Swiss village of La Fouly welcomes those who have made it through the night.

Ture's perspective: "It's a mellow downhill at the beginning - it's not technical. You can pack away your poles, and depending on the weather you might want to put on a wind jacket because it's quite wind-exposed up there. After the Refuge la Peule the trail becomes more technical down through the treeline. One key thing to remember is that from Grand Col Ferret you have a 20-kilometer [12-mile] downhill with a few small bumps and you have to be careful. So many people have exploded their quads here because they feel good and start charging the downhill, and then they kill their quads."

Fact: Both the KOM and QOM on this segment were set in a different race: UTMB's sister event the CCC. Ludovic Pommeret set his KOM on the descent the year after winning UTMB, while Ruth Croft set the QOM on her way to victory in the race in 2015.

UTMB Segment: La Fouly - Champex-Lac

• Segment distance: 8.4 miles / 13.52 km

• Elevation gain: 1,587 feet / 484 meters

• QOM: Lisa Jansson - 1:16:35 (2022)

• KOM: Jonathan Albon - 1:05:54 (2022)

• Average Segment completion time: 2:17:19

The gentle downhill continues from La Fouly, but while runners may be tempted to let loose, there's a nasty surprise waiting for them at the end of this segment: a short, sharp 1,312 feet / 400m climb up to Champex-Lac. While nowhere near the biggest or highest climb on the course, this 'wall' has undone many a seasoned athlete during UTMB.

Ture's perspective: "It's downhill on gravel and paved roads, you go through multiple small cozy villages - it's a super runnable section and there are always people cheering you on. But don’t fool yourself and forget about the 400-meter [1,312 feet] climb up to Champex-Lac -   this can be brutal. It's through the trees, it's steep in places, and mostly singletrack. It is a hard climb because you just want to get to the aid station - if you're not prepared, this little climb can knock you out of the race."

Fact: Lisa Jansson took the QOM on this segment while running in support of Johan Lantz as he raced CCC in 2022.

UTMB Segment: Champex-Lac - Bovine

• Segment distance: 6.3 miles / 10.09 km

• Elevation gain: 2,477 feet / 755 meters

• QOM: Ruth Croft - 1:05:17 (2018)

• KOM: Thibaut Baronian - 56:43 (2017)

• Average Segment completion time: 2:11:19

After 12 miles / 20km of downhill, the climbing starts again as the course 'turns the corner' (full disclosure: it's a big corner and there's still a long way to go) towards the finish line. The stunning lake at Champex marks the start of a segment that climbs back up to the tree line, crossing streams and rivers along the way.

Ture's perspective: "Champex-Lac is a beautiful little town. You start on a paved road along the lake for the first kilometer and then you go on to a gravel road that descends a little bit. So you think, 'OK, this is easy'. Then suddenly the gravel road starts going uphill and it turns into a single track for the climb up to Bovine. It is a beautiful climb but has some steep technical sections. Just before the Bovine you hit a little farmer's hut and you're almost at the top. You go a little bit further and then you hit a small gate that you need to step over - three steps up, open the gate and three steps down - and that takes you to the end of this segment."

Fact: New Zealand's Ruth Croft capped off a stunning year in 2018 with a win in the OCC that included the QOM on this segment. Thibaut Baronian, meanwhile, took the KOM during a captivating race in the OCC in 2017. Baronian finished second that year, but did nab the KOM.

UTMB Segment: Trient - Les Tseppes

• Segment distance: 2.3 miles / 3.7 km

• Elevation gain: 2,273 feet / 693 meters

• QOM: Mali Noyes - 43:15 (2023)

• KOM: Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz - 34:58 (2024)

• Average Segment completion time: 1:20:24

This is where the race for home begins. Sure, there are plenty are challenges left, but runners know that the finish line in Chamonix isn't far away. Before they get there, though, they have to negotiate a technical climb (roughly 984 feet / 300 meters) that takes them up to the tree line, then follows the trail up to the Refuge du Col du Balme.

Ture's perspective: "When you get to Trient you're 143 km [88 miles] into the race and starting to think, 'Okay, I might be able to finish this.' The climb out of Trient is the last real steep long climb, but it's a hard one. At Trient you see the iconic pink church and from there you drop down and run along the river for a kilometer or two. And then you start going uphill and it gets steep, fast. It's a bit of a technical uphill - you’re stepping over rocks and roots, and can be muddy, depending on the conditions. It's the middle third of the segment that is the toughest part because at first it's flat, then you have a long climb from 1,300 meters [4,265 feet] up to 1900 meters [6,233 feet] that are steep switchbacks. At some point you think, 'Okay, I think I'm almost there now' but you're not. You come up to a plateau where you pass by another farmer's hut, then it goes around on the shoulder of the ridge before flattening out."

Fact: Both the QOM and KOM for this challenging segment were set during training runs. Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz bested Jim Walmsley's KOM as he prepared for the 2024 race, while Mali Noyes set the QOM in preparation for the 2023 CCC.

UTMB Segment: La Flégère - Chamonix

• Segment distance: 4.5 miles / 7.2 km

• Elevation gain: -2,788 feet / -850 meters

• QOM: Caitlin Fielder - 29:59 (2021)

• KOM: Jonathan Albon - 26:54 (2021)

• Average Segment completion time: 1:04:46

The 'sprint' for home. For the majority of runners, this final segment is when they know they have done it. For the pros, though, this is the time to dig deep. Places on the podium have been won and lost in this final, downhill, segment into Chamonix, and as the saying goes, this race 'isn't over until it's over'.

Ture's perspective: "Before you come to the Flégère station, you go up to the ski resort and you can see the aid station up there. Once you have hit the aid station, that's when you know you are going to make it. The key thing here is to be considerate about what you need - make sure you get a little bit of fuel and something to drink, but you might not need to overstock your pack as it’s downhill from here.

"Running down, the first part is a little steep, then you hit a wide section which is a blue ski piste in the winter. Then you get into a single track. The first part is runnable, but then it gets into a very steep singletrack with switchbacks going straight down. You pass multiple creeks and run through the cozy Cafe La Floria. After that, it becomes more runnable and turns into a gravel road towards town, and then just before you hit the river you need to go over a bridge to avoid some traffic and then across the river. Once you are running along the river you're almost there. You pass by the UTMB Village, take a left turn down the main street of Chamonix - no matter what time you finish at, you’ll always see people cheering in the streets. As you do the last turn you’ll see the finish line, with church just behind it, and you know you are a finisher."

Fact: At the start of this segment, Caitlin Fielder was in fourth position and suffering from cramps during the 2021 OCC. She dug deep, set a new QOM, and managed to make up a place in the final kilometers of the race to take third spot overall.