UTMB 2026: Every Race Start Time, Date, Location and Distance
- 15 hours ago
- 13 min read
By Andy Hood | RunningWestwardHo.co.uk Ultra runner | Cancer survivor | Tour du Mont Blanc two-time finisher
UTMB week 2026 is nearly here, and I'm deciding on my trail shoes, ordering some Precision Fuel and Hydration gels, and finalising checklists before I head out to the mountain town of Chamonix for 10 days over UTMB week.
Can you tell I'm excited.
This year I'm not running the TMB, having completed it twice in 2023 and 2025, albeit outside of the official race, but always in the week leading up to it. Major surgery, unplanned, means I'm not fit enough this year. But I will be exploring the trails around the valley, and I'm hoping to take on the Mont Blanc marathon route as a solo effort.
I'll be in town supporting many runners I know, and joining the Run4Adventure shakeout run with Loyd and Liga.
So here is your guide to all the races during the week, with all the UTMB 2026 start times, date and location., along with everything currently available on the spectator buses.
That second bit matters more than you'd think. If you've never spectated at UTMB before, you cannot just drive up a valley and park. It doesn't work like that anymore, and finding that out on the day will ruin your week.
If you're in town, drop in the comments and let me know, especially if you are racing, as I'd love to find you on the course and support.
What's in this guide
When is UTMB 2026?
HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc 2026 runs from Monday 24 August to Sunday 30 August 2026. It's the 23rd edition, and it's the UTMB World Series Finals.
The flagship UTMB race starts on Friday 28 August 2026 at 17:45 from Place du Triangle de l'Amitié in the centre of Chamonix.
All times below are local time (CEST). And one caveat that anyone who's spent time in these mountains will nod along to: UTMB can and does change routes, distances and start times at short notice if the weather turns. Always check the official race page and LiveTrail before you set off anywhere.
UTMB 2026 Race Schedule: Start Times, Locations and Distances
Here's the full UTMB 2026 race schedule at a glance. I'd bookmark this one.
Race | Date | Start time | Start location | Distance | Elevation gain | Cut-off |
PTL® | Mon 24 Aug | 08:00 | Chamonix, Place du Triangle de l'Amitié | ~300 km | ~25,000 m+ | ~152 hrs |
MCC | Mon 24 Aug | 10:00-10:30 | Martigny-Combe, Place Centrale (CH) | 40 km | 2,350 m+ | 10 hrs |
TDS® | Mon 24 Aug | 23:50 | Courmayeur, Place Brocherel (IT) | 145 km | 9,500 m+ | 44 hrs 55 |
YCC | Tue 25 Aug | 11:00 | Courmayeur, Place Brocherel (IT) | 4-15 km by age | varies | varies |
ETC | Tue 25 Aug | 14:00 | Courmayeur, Place Brocherel (IT) | 15 km | 1,200 m+ | 4 hrs 30 |
YCC The Revenge | Wed 26 Aug | 10:00-11:00 | Chamonix, Champ du Savoy | 2-4 km by age | varies | varies |
OCC | Thu 27 Aug | 08:15-09:00 | Orsières, Place Centrale (CH) | 60 km | 3,500 m+ | 14 hrs 30 |
CCC® | Fri 28 Aug | 09:00-09:30 | Courmayeur, Place Brocherel (IT) | 101 km | 6,050 m+ | 26 hrs 30 |
UTMB® | Fri 28 Aug | 17:45 | Chamonix, Place du Triangle de l'Amitié | 174 km | 9,900 m+ | 46 hrs 45 |
All of these finish in Chamonix at Place du Triangle de l'Amitié, with two exceptions. The ETC and the YCC both finish in Courmayeur at Parc Bollino. YCC The Revenge, on the Wednesday, does finish in Chamonix.
UTMB® | Friday 28 August, 17:45, Chamonix
174 km | 9,900 m+ | 46hr45 cut-off | Chamonix to Chamonix
The big one. The 100M Final of the UTMB World Series, and the race that started all of this back in 2003. It follows the Tour du Mont Blanc anti-clockwise through France, Italy and Switzerland, through Les Contamines, Courmayeur, Champex-Lac and Vallorcine, before the final climb and the descent home.
Note the 2026 route tweak. The Chamonix to Les Houches opening section has been reworked this year, which explains the slight change in distance from previous editions. There's also a mandatory red-light headtorch section through the Réserve des Contamines-Montjoie.
When to be at the finish: first men expected Saturday 29 August around 13:30, first women around 15:30. The last finishers come through on Sunday between 16:00 and 18:00, followed by the official closing ceremony.
Honestly? The last finishers are the ones to watch. More on that below.
CCC® | Friday 28 August, 09:00, Courmayeur
101 km | 6,050 m+ | 26hr30 cut-off | Courmayeur to Chamonix
The 100K Final, and the second half of the UTMB course with a variation at the start that climbs to Col Sapin and runs the grassy ridge of the Tête de la Tronche. It goes off in waves from Place Brocherel between 09:00 and 09:30.
Don't let the smaller number fool you. The CCC is a brutal race in its own right, and the finish into Chamonix is every bit as emotional as the flagship.
Finish watch: first CCC men into Chamonix around 19:00 Friday, first women around 20:45. Last finishers Saturday around midday, with the prize ceremony at 11:00.
OCC | Thursday 27 August, 08:15, Orsières
60 km | 3,500 m+ | 14hr30 cut-off | Orsières to Chamonix
The 50K Final and, for a lot of runners, the doorway into this whole world.
New for 2026: the upper section between Col de Balme and Col des Posettes has been reworked, with a brand new high point at Tête de Balme, 2,321 m. Runners cross to the Swiss side, drop into Vallorcine, climb Col des Posettes, then come through Le Tour and along the valley's northern balcony trails into Chamonix.
Finish watch: first men around 13:30 Thursday, first women around 14:00, last finishers 23:15.
TDS® | Monday 24 August, 23:50, Courmayeur
145 km | 9,500 m+ | 44hr55 cut-off | Courmayeur to Chamonix
The wild one, and the one whose name tells you nothing about where it goes. TDS runs in the opposite direction to the UTMB and CCC, linking the Aosta Valley to the Savoie.
This year's route takes in the Beaufortain, including the Pas d'Outray with its view of the Pierra Menta and Grand Mont, and Hauteluce with its typical hamlets, before rejoining the Tour du Mont Blanc trails for the run home.
Look at those numbers again. Almost as much climbing as the UTMB, in 30 km less distance. Everyone I know who has run it says it's the most technical and demanding course of the week, and I've heard nothing to suggest otherwise.
Finish watch: first men Tuesday around 18:00, first women around 22:00, last finishers Wednesday 20:00.
MCC | Monday 24 August, 10:00, Martigny-Combe
40 km | 2,350 m+ | 10hr cut-off | Martigny-Combe to Chamonix
The PTL sets off two hours earlier, but the MCC gives you the week's first finishers, so this is where the Chamonix finish arch really comes alive for the first time. It's a restricted entry event for volunteers, members of the organisation, partners, and residents of Valais, the Aosta Valley, Savoie and Haute-Savoie. It starts over in Switzerland at Martigny-Combe, Place Centrale, and finishes in Chamonix.
Finish watch: first men around 13:00, first women 13:30, prize ceremony 19:30, last finishers 20:15.
ETC | Tuesday 25 August, 14:00, Courmayeur
15 km | 1,200 m+ | 4hr30 cut-off | Courmayeur loop
Experience Trail Courmayeur. Run in semi-self-sufficiency, and reserved for runners aged 23 and over. Starts and finishes on the Italian side. First finishers into Parc Bollino around 15:10, prize ceremony at 18:00.
YCC | Tuesday 25 August, 11:00, Courmayeur
4-15 km depending on category | Courmayeur
Youth Chamonix Courmayeur, for young runners born between 2007 and 2012. Prize ceremony at Parc Bollino at 15:00.
There's also YCC The Revenge on Wednesday 26 August, going off between 10:00 and 11:00 from Champ du Savoy in Chamonix, with distances split by age group.
PTL® | Monday 24 August, 08:00, Chamonix
~300 km | ~25,000 m+ | teams of 2-3 | ~152 hrs
La Petite Trotte à Léon. No course markings, no aid stations, GPS and roadbook navigation, teams sleeping in huts and gîtes.
It's an expedition dressed as a race. First teams are expected back in Chamonix on Friday afternoon, with the last finishers and the PTL celebration on Sunday at 15:00.
Mini UTMB
Got kids with you? The Mini UTMB pops up all week. Martigny-Combe on Monday at 08:30, Chamonix Champ du Savoy on Wednesday at 14:00, Les Contamines Parc de Loisir du Pontet on Thursday at 12:00, and then Courmayeur, Trient and Vallorcine all at 10:00 on the Saturday.
UTMB 2026 Spectator Buses: How UTMB Mobility Works
Right. This is the bit people get wrong.
You cannot follow the UTMB, CCC, OCC or MCC by private car. Not "it's tricky". Not "it's busy". The organisers have built an entire mobility plan around race week and closed the roads to make it work. For those four races, UTMB Mobility coaches are the only way in.
What's closed
Roads and car parks are closed during race week, making it impossible to reach Les Contamines, Saint-Gervais, Courmayeur, La Fouly, Champex, Col de la Forclaz, Trient and Vallorcine by private car. Parking in those areas is prohibited too.
One honourable exception: Vallorcine is still reachable by train on the Mont-Blanc Express. Worth knowing.
For the TDS, ETC and YCC, coaches are strongly recommended rather than mandatory. You can drive. You'll just spend your day in traffic looking for a space, and I know which I'd rather do.
How the passes work
Spectators need a paid UTMB Mobility pass. They're sold by race, and the two biggest races are split by country because of the border crossings:
UTMB has three separate passes. FRA, ITA and SUI.
CCC has two. ITA and SUI.
Every other race has a single pass.
So if you want to see your runner at Les Contamines and at Courmayeur, that's two passes. It's easy to buy one and assume it covers you everywhere.
2026 pass prices (for reference only, sales are closed)
Before you scroll through these, read the section underneath, because you cannot buy a UTMB Mobility pass now. The 2026 sales window shut on 12 July.
I'm leaving the prices here because they're useful for budgeting a future trip, and because plenty of people arrive in Chamonix assuming they can pay on the day. You can't. Treat this as a planning tool for 2027, not a shopping list for this month.
Pass | 1 adult | 2 adults | 3 adults | 4 adults | 5 adults | Under 12s |
UTMB FRA | €26 | €42 | €57 | €66 | €76 | €5 |
UTMB ITA | €31 | €55 | €78 | €91 | €106 | €5 |
UTMB SUI | €36 | €64 | €90 | €106 | €125 | €5 |
CCC ITA | €31 | €55 | €78 | €91 | €106 | €5 |
CCC SUI | €36 | €64 | €90 | €106 | €124 | €5 |
TDS | €62 | €110 | €155 | €182 | €212 | €5 |
OCC | €36 | €60 | €83 | €96 | €111 | €5 |
MCC | €26 | €46 | €65 | €76 | €89 | €5 |
ETC | €26 | €46 | €65 | €76 | €89 | €5 |
YCC | €26 | €46 | €65 | €76 | €89 | €5 |
There's a 5% discount on your basket for two different passes, and 10% for three. Expect the 2027 figures to land somewhere close to these.
The bit nobody mentions until it's too late
I'll be honest with you, because I'd rather you heard it here than at a bus stop in Les Houches on the Friday afternoon.
UTMB Mobility passes for 2026 were on sale from 9 June to 12 July 2026 only. There are no on-site sales, and resale is not permitted.
That window has closed.
If you're reading this in the run-up to race week without a pass, your realistic options are the Chamonix start and the Chamonix finish, both free and both extraordinary, Vallorcine by train, and whatever you can reach on foot from the valley. Check the official transport page in case anything gets released late, but plan on the assumption that it won't.
It's not the answer I wanted to give you either.
Boarding, and Base Camps
Once you've booked you get a QR code by email. That's your ticket, and it gets scanned on boarding. Book several journeys and they all sit under the one QR code.
If you want a coach to a race start, you also have to reserve a departure time slot, even where transport to the start is bundled into your pass (which it is for UTMB FRA and CCC ITA).
Base Camps are the unsung hero of spectating out here. Free to enter with your UTMB Mobility wristband, dotted along the UTMB, CCC and TDS routes near the aid stations, and open day and night. Warm space to wait in, with refreshment areas nearby selling hot food and drinks.
At 2am on a mountainside in late August, that is not a luxury.
A few rules worth knowing
Children under 3 are not permitted on UTMB Mobility buses. Exceptional derogations exist for families through the Family Pass, with age checked at the Point Info on production of ID.
No animals. Any size, no exceptions.
Exemptions to follow the OCC, CCC or UTMB by car exist for people with disabilities, families with children under 3, and elite support crews.
And if you're racing
Runner shuttles are free with your bib QR code, but booking is mandatory through your MyUTMB account, and bookings for 2026 closed on 12 July.
For the OCC and MCC, using the official shuttle to the start is compulsory. Non-residents staying in Switzerland or Italy have to upload proof of accommodation, and not complying carries a sporting penalty. Return shuttles need booking too, with the exception of the ETC and YCC, and the Chamonix to Courmayeur return runs with Arriva on production of your bib.
Top 5 Tips for Watching UTMB 2026
1. Pick two spots, not five
The biggest spectating mistake is trying to chase your runner around the massif. The buses are good, but the journeys are long and the mountain roads are slow.
Choose one point on the course, and the finish. That's it. You'll see more, you'll be a lot less stressed, and you'll actually be standing there when they come through instead of looking at the back of a coach seat.
2. Live-track, but pad your timings
LiveTrail predictions are genuinely useful and they'll give you a passage-time estimate.
But a runner having a bad patch on a climb can drift two hours in an afternoon, and a runner having a good one will arrive before you've found the barrier. Get to your spot early. Take a book, a flask and some patience.
That's the job.
3. Dress for the mountain, not the town
Chamonix at 25 degrees in the afternoon becomes Champex-Lac at 4 degrees in the dark, and 2025 threw sleet and snow at the high cols.
If you're heading up the valley overnight, take proper layers, a waterproof, a hat, gloves and a headtorch. I'd far rather carry them and not need them.
And remember, spectators get cold quicker than runners do. You're the one standing still.
4. Be useful, not just loud
If you're crewing, know the rules and know the aid station. No pacing is permitted on UTMB. Have your runner's drop bag logic sorted, know exactly what you're handing over, and keep it short and calm.
If you're just spectating, the best thing you can do is cheer for the runners you don't know. The ones grinding through at 3am in the 40th hour of a 46hr45 cut-off are the ones who need it most.
I promise you they remember it.
5. Don't skip the last finishers
Everyone plans their week around the elite finish on Saturday afternoon. Fair enough, it's brilliant.
But the atmosphere in Place du Triangle de l'Amitié on the Sunday between 16:00 and 18:00, as the final UTMB runners come home before the closing ceremony, is the most emotional hour of the entire week. Cowbells, tears, and complete strangers roaring for people they've never met.
If you go to one thing, go to that. Trust me on this.
UTMB 2026 FAQ
What date does UTMB 2026 start?
The UTMB race starts on Friday 28 August 2026 at 17:45 from Place du Triangle de l'Amitié, Chamonix. Race week as a whole runs Monday 24 to Sunday 30 August 2026.
How long is the UTMB 2026 course?
174 km with 9,900 m of elevation gain, crossing France, Italy and Switzerland. The cut-off is 46 hours 45 minutes.
Where does the CCC start in 2026?
Courmayeur, Italy, at Place Brocherel, from 09:00 on Friday 28 August. It's 101 km with 6,050 m+ and a 26hr30 cut-off.
Where does the OCC start in 2026?
Orsières, Switzerland, at Place Centrale, from 08:15 on Thursday 27 August. 60 km, 3,500 m+, 14hr30 cut-off.
Where does the TDS start?
Courmayeur, Place Brocherel, at 23:50 on Monday 24 August. Yes, ten to midnight.
Can I follow UTMB by car?
No. The MCC, OCC, CCC and UTMB can only be followed using UTMB Mobility coaches. Roads and car parks at Les Contamines, Saint-Gervais, Courmayeur, La Fouly, Champex, Col de la Forclaz, Trient and Vallorcine are closed to private vehicles. Limited exemptions exist for people with disabilities, families with children under 3, and elite support crews.
How much do the UTMB spectator buses cost?
For 2026 the passes ran from €26 to €62 for one adult depending on the race and the country, with under-12s at €5 across the board. Do note that these were on sale from 9 June to 12 July 2026 only, so the prices above are now for reference and forward planning rather than purchase.
Do I need a ticket to watch the UTMB start and finish in Chamonix?
No. The start on Place du Triangle de l'Amitié and the finish under the same arch are both free and open to anyone. You only need a UTMB Mobility pass to travel out to the checkpoints and villages along the course.
Can I still buy a spectator pass during race week?
No. There are no on-site sales and resale isn't permitted. If you missed the window, the Chamonix start and finish are free to watch, and Vallorcine is reachable by train on the Mont-Blanc Express.
Where's the best place to watch the UTMB finish?
Place du Triangle de l'Amitié in the centre of Chamonix. Get there early for the elite finishes on Saturday afternoon, first men around 13:30 and first women around 15:30, then come back on the Sunday afternoon for the final finishers.
Are dogs allowed on the shuttle buses?
No. Animals of any size are not permitted on UTMB Mobility buses.
See You Out There
Ten days in the valley. No Tour du Mont Blanc for me this year, and I'll be honest, that stings a bit. I've run that route twice, in 2023 and 2025, always on my own terms in the days before race week. Not being fit enough to go back for a third is something I've had to make my peace with. Surgery took the decision out of my hands.
But there's a version of UTMB week that doesn't depend on covering 170 km, and it's the one I'm looking forward to. The trails above the valley. The Mont Blanc marathon route as a solo effort if my body plays ball. The shakeout run with Loyd and Liga from Run4Adventure. And standing at a barrier somewhere shouting myself hoarse for people I know, and plenty I don't.
The mountains are absolutely my happy place, and this trip is the next step in the rebuild.
So if you're racing this year, or you're just in town, get in the comments and tell me which race and roughly when you expect to come through. I'd love to find you out there.
Good luck to every single one of you.
Lace up, enjoy your miles, and I'll see you in Chamonix.
Andy Hood is an ultra runner, cancer survivor, founder of Check Ya Balls and a Runna Ambassador. He has raised over £27,000 for cancer charities through his running. Follow his 2026 Chamonix and UTMB week coverage at runningwestwardho.co.uk and on Instagram @runningwestwardho.
All race times, distances and transport details are taken from the official HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc 2026 sports programme and transport guide, correct at the time of writing. Routes and timings can change at short notice, so always check montblanc.utmb.world before you travel.
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