Another trip around the sun is complete, and UTMB is back! At 6 p.m. local time (CEST) on August 30, 2024, some 2,500 hopefuls will begin their circuit of Mont Blanc from Chamonix, France. They will have 46.5 hours to make it back to Chamonix, but some will need less than half that. Below, we have detailed who will most likely be the fastest men taking on the big loop.
Returning champion Jim Walmsley (U.S.) is hard to argue against as the favorite. It took him a few years to crack UTMB, but when he did, he did so in spectacular fashion, winning last year’s race in a course-record time of 19:37. Also in contention are recent podium finishers Mathieu Blanchard (France), Germain Grangier (France), and Tom Evans (U.K.). Each of these men will be hoping to climb a step or two higher on the podium this year. Also in the mix is recent Hardrock 100 winner Ludovic Pommeret (France).
For those who are new here, UTMB roughly follows the iconic Tour de Mont Blanc trail — a 176-kilometer (more than 109-mile) loop covering nearly 10,000 meters (32,700 feet) of elevation gain and taking in three countries — France, Italy, and Switzerland. It is seen by many as the pinnacle event in trail running, a bucket list race for recreational ultrarunners, and the ultimate showdown for elites.
A special thanks to HOKA for making our coverage of UTMB possible!
Tune in to our UTMB live race coverage starting at 6 p.m. CEST (10 a.m. MDT in the U.S.) on Friday, August 30, right here on iRunFar. Stay tuned!
Also, be sure to check out our preview of the 2024 UTMB women’s race.
The start of the 2022 UTMB. Photo: iRunFar/Kirsten Kortebein
2024 UTMB Men’s Favorites for the Win
Jim Walmsley
Ultrarunning fans everywhere will delight at seeing reigning UTMB men’s champion Jim Walmsley back on the start list for 2024. Having recently won the 2024 Western States 100, his fourth win at the revered 100 miler where he holds the course record, the American looks like a strong contender to be the first man in 13 years to win both Western States and UTMB in one season. From what we can tell, Walmsley has won almost every ultra he’s started since 2021, with the only exception being the 2022 UTMB, where he placed fourth and the 2021 UTMB, which he didn’t finish. Having spent two years living in France to specify his training for the UTMB course, we think it’s highly likely he could double down on last year’s win and produce another showstopper.
Frenchman Mathieu Blanchard put on a spectacular display at the 2022 UTMB when he challenged Kilian Jornet to a duel, eventually placing second after running neck-and-neck until late in the race. His 2023 season — although solid, with a sixth-place finish at Western States 100 and fourth at UTMB — didn’t quite live up to the expectations set by that 2022 UTMB run. He has, however, been running well in 2024, with a win at the 94k Maxi-Race Annecy in June. If he can replicate some of what we saw in 2022, he won’t be far off the front.
Germain Grangier
France’s Germain Grangier outdid himself at the 2023 UTMB, where he placed third, applying pressure to top two — Jim Walmsley and Zach Miller — the whole way to the finish. He did that after an impressive win at the 2023 Mont Blanc Marathon 90k. Grangier also placed fifth and ninth, respectively, at the 2021 and 2019 UTMB races and has shown himself to be on an upward curve.
Having placed third at the 2022 UTMB, while still making his comeback following knee surgery, and going on to win the 2023 Western States 100, the U.K.’s Tom Evans was one of the favorites to win the 2023 UTMB. It wasn’t to be, though, and he was forced to withdraw at the halfway mark with stomach issues. Evans, who won CCC in 2018, has been sharpening up this year by racing cross country at home in England. Thus far in 2024, he’s placed third in the Transvulcania Ultramarathon and second at the Lavaredo Ultra Trail.
Hannes Namberger
Germany’s Hannes Namberger has had two top-10 finishes at UTMB — sixth in 2021 and eighth in 2023 — with a DNF sandwiched in the middle. He had a few below-par races in 2023 mixed in with a win at the Eiger Ultra Trail 100k, and has shown himself to be back on form this year — logging his third win at Lavaredo, ahead of Tom Evans, and just a minute over his 2022 course record. He also won the 2021 Madeira Island Ultra-Trail.
Frenchman Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz has been crushing 100 milers over the past few years and should be in the tussle for a podium spot at this year’s UTMB. While he didn’t finish the 2022 UTMB, he placed second in 2021, having won that year’s Transgrancanaria, and then won both Hardrock 100 and Diagonale des Fous in a brilliant 2023 season. His best run this year so far was third at the 94k Maxi-Race Annecy, behind Mathieu Blanchard and Thibaut Garrivier, and he finished 12th at the Mont Blanc 90k, but past performances would suggest he is better suited to the 100-mile distance.
Ludovic Pommeret
Ludovic Pommeret of France dazzled at the 2024 Hardrock 100, where he won by more than three hours, setting an overall men’s course record. It was his first time racing the route, but his fourth time running on it, as he paced compatriot Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz to victory in the 2023 event and ran the course twice ahead of race day. The 49-year-old Pommeret has a depth of experience on the UTMB course with three top-10 finishes, including fifth last year and a win in 2016. He also won the 2022 TDS, the 2021 Diagonale des Fous, and placed sixth at the 2022 Western States 100. It’s a tight turnaround from Hardrock to UTMB, but assuming he is sufficiently recovered, he should be in contention for a top spot.
The 2023 UTMB men’s podium (left-to-right): 2. Zach Miller, 1. Jim Walmsley, 3. Germain Grangier. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Other Top Men at the 2024 UTMB
Dmitry Mityaev
Dmitry Mityaev has been running well in ultras for a number of years and seems to be on an upward trajectory lately. He won the 2024 Mont Blanc 90k, up from fourth in 2023, and taking 19 minutes off his time. In one of trail running’s aww moments, he shared the celebrations with his wife, Ekaterina Mityaeva, who won the women’s race. Also in 2024, Mityaev placed second at Transvulcania. He won the 2023 Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100k, having shared the win with Hannes Namberger at the 2022 event. In 2021, he placed second at the Madeira Island Ultra-Trail (MIUT). He also placed second in TDS in 2019 but failed to finish UTMB on his first attempt in 2021.
France’s Thibaut Garrivier placed sixth in the 2023 UTMB after a strong fourth-place finish at the 2023 Trail World Championships Long Trail and a win at MIUT 85k. His form has been solid this year, with a second-place finish behind Mathieu Blanchard at Maxi-Race Annecy and a fifth-place finish at Lavaredo, and he should be in contention for another top-10 placing at UTMB this year.
Drew Holmen
It appears that Drew Holmen of the U.S. has only done two 100 milers to date, but he’s made them count, finishing third and fifth in the 2021 and 2022 Western States 100, respectively. In 2023, he won the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile and took fifth in both CCC and the Trail World Championships Long Trail in the Austrian Alps. All that suggests a more mountainous 100 miler won’t be a problem for him, and he could easily run into a top-10 spot or better.
Thibaut Baronian makes his 100-mile debut at the 2024 UTMB, but the Frenchman can’t be discounted for that reason. He comes with years of experience competing at the highest level over shorter distances and placed third in the 2021 CCC, which was his first 100k. Prior to that, he placed second at the 2017 OCC and third in 2016. He also placed fourth in the 2023 Trail World Championships Short Trail. More recently, he took second in the 2024 Mont Blanc 90k.
Arthur Joyeux-Bouillon
Frenchman Arthur Joyeux-Bouillon took ninth at the 2023 UTMB, running just four minutes quicker than his seventh-place finish in 2022 — albeit on a slightly altered course. His UTMB-specific resume also includes a ninth-place finish in CCC in 2018, and third in TDS in 2021. Arguably, the best runs of his career have been at these events. So far this year, he’s placed ninth at Lavaredo amongst a competitive field, and he should be in with a good shot at another UTMB top-10 placing.
Jia-Sheng Shen of China is one of ultrarunning’s rising stars. He earned a name for himself by winning the Hong Kong 100k in 2019 at the tender age of 23. Since then, he’s won over a range of distances at home in China, including The North Face 100 Challenge Moganshan 100k in 2021. He’s had two top-10 finishes at the Western States 100 — fourth in 2023 and eighth in 2024. Last year, he took second at CCC, only losing contact with the winner on the final climb. His form suggests that stepping up to the full loop will be no trouble to him, and he should be a contender for a high placing.
Miguel Heras
Miguel Heras took second in a top field at the 2024 Transgrancanaria, less than a half hour slower than his winning time from the same race 14 years prior (although the course has changed repeatedly), and in more challenging conditions. The 49-year-old Spaniard has a depth of experience in ultra racing. He tends to favor racing at home in Spain and has won the prestigious Ultra Pirineu 100k twice — in 2016 and 2022 — and podiumed there in 2015 and 2023 also. Outside of Spain, wins include the 2016 Les Templiers. He placed second in UTMB back in 2013, and since that has failed to finish on two further attempts — in 2017 and 2023.
Jonas Russi of Switzerland took eighth in the 2022 UTMB but failed to finish upon return the following year. The 2023 Lavaredo winner DNFed the Trail Alsace Grand Est 100 Mile in May of this year, which he put down to an injury sustained in training. He must have shaken it off quickly enough, as he was back the following month with a strong fourth-place run at Lavaredo and was not far off his winning time from 2023. If his luck is in, he could be in the mix for another top-ten finish at UTMB.
Beñat Marmissolle
France’s Beñat Marmissolle took sixth at the 2022 UTMB and went on to place second behind Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz at the 2023 Hardrock 100. While he’s raced a range of distances, his best results seem to be at events over 100 miles, with a win at the 2022 Diagonale des Fous and a third-place finish there in 2021. However, he’s had a rocky year so far in 2024. Following a DNF at MIUT, he withdrew his name from Lavaredo, citing extreme fatigue. It remains to be seen if he will toe the line at UTMB, but we are crossing our fingers for him to return to full health.
Last year’s TDS winner, Canada’s Christian Meier, makes his 100-mile debut at the 2024 UTMB. The technical 145k TDS appears to be his longest outing to date, but he has plenty of experience at the 100k distance and should be well ready to level up. Amongst his best results are fourth in the 2022 Doi Inthanon 100k and a win at the 2023 Trail Andorra 50k.
Baptiste Chassagne of France has been in the top 10 at a UTMB Mont Blanc festival race for each of the last five editions. In 2018, he took fourth at MCC, followed by sixth in OCC the following year. In 2021 and 2022, he stepped up to CCC, placing ninth and 10th respectively. The 2023 UTMB was his first attempt at 100 miles, and he again placed 10th. It’s hard to bet against him for another top-10 finish this year.
Joaquin Lopez of Ecuador has bags of form at UTMB races and looks like a strong hopeful for a top-10 spot. He just missed out on one last year, coming 11th. Position-wise, this was back from sixth in 2019, but an hour faster than his previous time while on a longer course and in a more competitive field. He’s also placed second in the 2022 TDS, where he was 10th back in 2016. More recently, he took third in the Trail Andorra 105k.
China’s Ji Duo placed 14th at the 2023 UTMB and went on to win that year’s Doi Inthanon 100 Mile by almost an hour and a half — and nearly two hours clear of big names like Beñat Marmissolle of France and Robert Hajnal of Romania, who he will be lining up alongside again for the 2024 UTMB. So far this year, he’s won at the Mount Yun 100k in China, and placed 12th at the Western States 100, a course that’s arguably a bit too runnable for his skill set.
Scott Hawker
New Zealand’s Scott Hawker has had some of the best runs of his career at UTMB events, placing 15th in last year’s UTMB and third in 2019. He also took second place in the 2021 CCC. Other top results include second at the 2022 Ultra-Trail Australia 100k.
Italy’s Daniel Jung has form in big mountain 100 milers, having placed fourth in the 2022 Hardrock 100 and won the 2021 Diagonale des Fous. He hasn’t raced UTMB before, but he did come sixth in the 2017 TDS. He also placed third in the 2022 Lavaredo, and this year won the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 100k and the KAT 100 83k.
Miguel Arsénio has had a stack of wins at home in Portugal and a few standout international results, too. These include a second-place finish at the 2023 Transgrancanaria, a win at the 2023 Maxi-Race Annecy, and another at the 2023 Ultra Pirineu 100k. More recently, he won the Swiss Canyon Trail 110k in June of this year in course-record time.
Pablo Villa
Spain’s Pablo Villa didn’t finish on his last outing at UTMB in 2021, but he won the 2019 TDS after two DNFs on that route, so a strong comeback is possible. He has a background in Skyrunning and won Transgrancanaria in 2020 and 2022. He has been preparing in a training camp at altitude in Spain’s Sierra Nevada and looks ready to go all in on this year’s UTMB.
Tom Joly of the U.K. had a strong year in 2023. He placed third in the Transgrancanaria 85k, finished 11th in Trail World Championships Long Trail, won the Ultra Sierra Nevada 59k, took 16th at UTMB, and followed that up by winning the Translantau 129k by more than an hour. So far this year, he’s had a rare DNF at Transgrancanaria but shown good form in some shorter races. He will most likely be looking to improve on last year’s position at UTMB.
Raul Butaci of Romania placed 18th at the 2023 UTMB, but his other results suggest he is capable of a higher placing. He won Transgrancanaria in 2024, up from fourth in 2023, and also placed eighth in the 2022 CCC. While he’s been racing ultras for a few years now, the 2023 UTMB was his first step up to the 100-mile distance, and he will likely be equipped to build on that experience in this year’s race.
Yan-Qiao Yun of China finished just inside the top 20 — in 19th place — at last year’s UTMB. He’s won the Hong Kong 100k twice — in 2013 and 2017 — and placed fifth in 2012. He also placed sixth and 10th, respectively, in the 2019 and 2018 TDS. He had a couple of strong results in the later part of 2023, including a win at the China100 Mountain Cross-Country Race 100k and a second-place at the Translantau 129k. He should be in with a good shot at another top-20 placing.
Seb Spehler
Frenchman Sébastien Spehler has a lengthy resume over a range of distances but is fairly new to 100 miles. He failed to finish his first attempt at the distance — the 2022 Western States 100 — but got it right next time, winning the 2024 Trail Alsace Grand Est 100 Mile by nearly an hour. Prior to that, achievements include wins at the 2017 and 2018 Les Templiers, where he also took second in 2021 and 2022. On the other side of the pond, he was second in the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile in 2019, and won The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile that same year.
Ben Dhiman, an American who lives in France, suffered disappointment in the form of a DNF at last year’s UTMB, but appears to be building well toward a better outcome this year. He bounced back from defeat to take third at the 2023 Les Templiers, won this year’s MIUT, and placed second at the Trail Andorra 100k. His current training ground at altitude in the Pyrenees should help him to replicate the kind of form that saw him win the 2023 Penyagolosa Trails 100k and the 2023 Trail Andorra 100k. He also took third in the 2022 Diagonale des Fous, showing a strong result over 100 miles is well within his scope.
China’s Jia-Ju Zhao is hoping it’s third time lucky on the UTMB course. He finished 11th in CCC back in 2019, but failed to finish either of his UTMB starts in 2022 and 2023. He has strong form elsewhere over the 100-mile distance, having won the 2022 Doi Inthanon 100 Mile, and placed second in the 2020 Panda Trail 100 Mile. More recently, he won the 2024 Chongli 100 Mile in China, and if he can avoid whatever pitfalls took him out on the last two occasions, this could be his year at UTMB.
Frenchman Yannick Noël took third at this year’s Lavaredo. If the UTMB Performance Index can be treated as a reasonable relative metric, this was the best run of his life. He also took third in the 2023 TDS — up from 12th in 2019 — and placed 11th in the 2021 UTMB. His improving form since then would certainly suggest he could be higher up the placings.
Josh Wade has been making waves at home in the U.K. the past few years, winning Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 100 Mile in 2023 by a big margin and taking fourth in the 50k at the same event this year. He failed to finish at last year’s UTMB, but bounced back to take eighth at the 2024 Transgrancanaria. He’s also made it ninth in the 2022 Transvulcania and third in the 2023 Eiger Ultra Trail 100k. He’s probably a strong top-20 candidate going into this year’s UTMB.
Robert Hajnal
Romania’s Robert Hajnal has had form at UTMB in the past, placing ninth in 2022 and second in 2018 — one of the worst weather years for the event in recent memory. He also took eighth place at CCC in 2015. He failed to finish last year’s UTMB, and ran an off-the-boil Western States 100 in 2024, where he finished 24th. However, in between those, he ran a great race to finish fourth at the 2023 Doi Inthanon 100 Mile and recently won the Bucovina Ultra Rocks 88k at home in Romania.
Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz runs in the dark during the 2021 UTMB. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Still More Fast Men at the 2024 UTMB
- Manuel Anguita (Spain) – 5th 2024 Mont Blanc 90k; 7th 2024 Transvulcania; 1st 2024 Tenerife Bluetrail 109k
- Pere Aurell (Spain) – 10th 2021 CCC; 3rd 2022 & 2nd 2021 Transgrancanaria
- Jhon Barrera (Colombia) – 17th 2022 UTMB; 3rd 2023 Kodiak Ultra Marathons 100 Mile; 15th 2024 MIUT 115k
- Alexandre Boucheix (France) – 21st 2023 & 18th 2022 UTMB; 1st 2022 Kullamannen 100 Mile
- Pau Capell (Spain) – 1st 2019 & 6th 2017 UTMB; 3rd 2018 & 6th 2015 CCC; 1st 2016 TDS
- Sylvain Court (France) – 1st 2024 Trail du Saint-Jacques 130k; 2nd 2023 Endurance Trail des Templiers 100k
- Gregoire Curmer (France) – 7th 2021 UTMB; 13th 2023 TDS; 2nd 2023 Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 100 Mile
- Guillaume Deneffe (Belgium) – 15th 2022 UTMB; 4th 2024 Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 100 Mile; 2nd 2022 Kullamannen 100 Mile
- Guo-Min Deng (China) – 1st 2024 Mt Fuji 100 Mile; 14th 2024 Western States 100; 1st 2024 Chongli 51k; 20th 2022 UTMB
- Jordi Gamito (Spain) – 10th 2017 & 12th 2015; 5th 2016 TDS; 2nd 2024 Tenerife Bluetrail 110k
- Gediminas Grinius (Lithuania) – 1st 2024 Amazean Jungle Thailand 147k; 2nd 2023 Doi Inthanon 175k
- Remigio Huaman (Peru) – 12th 2022 CCC; 3rd 2022 MIUT
- Sebastian Krogvig (Norway) – 7th 2024 MIUT; 1st 2021 TDS; 3rd 2021 & 2017 Lavaredo
- Cody Lind (U.S.) – 16th 2023, 9th 2022, & 4th 2021 Western States 100; 15th 2024 Canyons 100k
- Ionel Manole (Romania) – 3rd 2024 Transgrancanaria; 4th 2024 Val d’Aran 50k; 5th 2024 Transvulcania
- Mike McMonagle (U.S.) – 1st 2023 Grindstone 100 Mile; 3rd 2024 Swiss Alps 100 50k
- Jeff Mogavero (U.S.) – 16th 2022 UTMB; 7th 2023 Transvulcania; 3rd 2021 & 2019 Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile
- Sergio Gustavo Pereyra (Argentina) – 20th 2023 UTMB; 19th 2022 CCC; 8th 2021 Patagonia Run 100 Mile
- Gabriel Rueda (Argentina) – 13th 2023 UTMB; 1st 2024 Valhöll Argentina 125k; 1st 2024 Val d’Aran 65k
- Andy Symonds (U.K.) – 11th 2022 UTMB; 6th 2024 Eiger Ultra Trail 100k
- Tim Tollefson (U.S.) – 3rd 2017 & 2016 UTMB; 5th 2021 Western States 100; 1st 2020 Javelina 100 Mile; 1st 2019 Lavaredo
- Canyon Woodward (U.S.) – 28th 2023 & 45th 2022 UTMB; 1st 2024 Canyons 100 Mile
Pau Capell wins UTMB in 2019. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Men Previously Entered But No Longer Racing the 2024 UTMB
- Jon Albon (U.K., living in Norway) – 1st 2021 OCC; 1st 2023 & 2nd 2022 CCC; 6th 2024 Western States 100; 1st 2021 Les Templiers
- Tyler Green (U.S.) – 7th 2024, 2nd 2023 & 2021, 4th 2022 Western States 100; 3rd 2023 Transgrancanaria; 2nd 2019 Javelina 100 Mile
- Jean-Philippe Tschumi (Switzerland) – 3rd 2023 & 2nd 2022 Diagonale des Fous
Call for Comments
- Who do you think will pull off the win?
- What’s your lineup for the men’s top five?
- Who’s going to have an unexpected breakout performance?
