Highlights from UTMB Mont Blanc Week: Races and Recovery
The UTMB Mont Blanc week showcased intense competition despite challenging weather conditions, including rain and delays. The event featured three major races, each with remarkable outcomes.
The OCC race opened the week with a dramatic finish, where Lauren Gregory narrowly defeated Naomi Lang by three seconds. In the men's race, Frédéric Tranchand secured victory with a significant lead, marking the first French win in a decade.
On Friday, Yngvild Kaspersen made history by winning the CCC for the second time, while Cristian Minoggio executed a late-race strategy to claim victory in the men's category. The UTMB race, starting late due to thunderstorms, saw Ben Dhiman break the 18-hour barrier for the first time, finishing in 18:16:29. Blandine L’Hirondel also made headlines by becoming the first woman to finish under 22 hours. Meanwhile, ultrarunner Jeff Browning suffered a heart attack during the TDS race but is recovering well after medical intervention.