2026 CCC Race Preview

And I quote, the CCC has grown from being the little sister of the UTMB to becoming one of the most prestigious races in the world.

The start line in the center of Cormier overflows with an atmosphere that only Italians know how to create.

After the first kilometers, you will quickly climb to 2,500 meters of altitude to enjoy an exceptional landscape facing the Mont Blanc and the Grand Jaurasses.

The path to the Grand Col Foray invites you to cross into Switzerland, where you will enjoy the incomparable welcome of the volunteers of La Fouly, Champey, and Triant.

Once across the border in France, discover the authenticity of Valorcine before climbing up to Vallon de Cheray, a true corner of paradise with a magnificent view over the Mont Blanc chain.

It is then time to push through and receive a hero's welcome across the finish line in the heart of Chamonix.

So that is the description.

Yes, it should go without saying that Cormier is in Italy.

For those of you guys that don't know the course well, it's in the Aosta Valley, a really legendary valley that I have not been to yet, but it looks absolutely gorgeous and like a trail running paradise.

Uh, other things looking at the race, uh, a lot has been talked about, but basically it starts off pretty much with a climb from the jump.

And there's not a lot of time to get out and separated, uh, like you have in UTMB, uh, where you can kind of, basically create separation the first 15k it kind of just goes straight up a climb uh 1400 meters basically in the first 13 kilometers so pretty punchy uh sorry i'm trying to do mental math 15k is about nine miles so you know we're talking about eight ish miles you're going essentially um three times, essentially 5,000 feet.

So it pretty much is a steep jump from the gun.

And then you go to Bertone, Arnuva, that's kind of like a rolling balcony.

And then you have another big climb up to approximately 2,500 feet beyond Arnuva.

And then you drop down to La Fuli, which is going to be a big descent.

That's where a lot of athletes can get in trouble.

You can have a, let's see, 20k descent um and then you still got to climb up coming to champa lock a little bit of climb and then another climb after champa lock uh just before laguit and then down to triant and then uh climb right after triant and then down into valor scene and then one last climb before you come back down into chamonix so a lot of people can get in trouble with that 20 kilometer descent and not have client legs for those last two and a half three climbs more or less i would say Um, so, and I think they've changed some of the crewing limitations.

I think there's only one or two crewed stations.

I know you don't get to see your crew into like 50 KN and Champe Lock.

Uh, and then I think there might be one other spot at Treant or Valistine where you can see them.

So definitely gear is a big consideration.

Definitely saving your effort is a big consideration.

Um, Speaking of the course, like I said, 101 kilometers, 6,000 meters, or 62 miles, 19,000 feet of vert.

I included in the show notes links to Martino Milanovic's win last year and Francesco Pupi's win as well.

The course record on the men's side is Petter Engdahl.