Defending champion Jim Walmsley is out of the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc after withdrawing 83km into the 176km race at Courmayeur.
The ultrarunning legend achieved a lifetime ambition of winning trail running’s greatest race last year, moving to France and focussing his whole campaign on the 100-mile showpiece.
No American man had ever won the race in its then 20-year history, but Walmsley broke the barrier to claim the title at his fifth attempt – and in a record time.
But this season the preparation had been very different as he ran to a fourth success at Western States, America’s biggest 100-miler, where he was pushed like never before.
Race turned on its head
Things had looked to be going to plan early on at this year’s UTMB.
After 62km at the Col de la Seigne aid station he was in front and five minutes ahead of France’s Vincent Bouillard.
And it was a similar story at Lac Combal after 70km but between there and Courmayeur, things took a very different turn.
Reaching there he was 13 minutes off the lead which was now held by Bouillard.
And he would officially withdraw at the aid station which was housed in Courmayeur’s Mountain Sport Center, the race’s website giving him a time of 08:55:28 to that point.
A post on his Instagram page confirmed: “Jim’s UTMB has come to an end at Courmayeur aid station.
“Jim has been struggling to shake a knee injury since Western States but wanted to give himself the chance to see what the day would give him.
“More information to come.”
‘Working with the cards you are dealt’
It was always going to be a big ask doubling up at UTMB just a couple of months after Western States – Kilian Jornet in 2011 is the only man to achieve the feat.
And Walmsley had spoken in the build up about the recovery process not being a smooth one with training limited, telling the Singletrack podcast: “Every recovery after ultras is unique and it hasn’t been the smoothest transition [since Western States].
“It’s been a lot more recovery-based and a lot less training-based.
“I’ve had some inflammation problems and had to figure out what I can manage and start working with the cards you are dealt.
“It’s been three years since I’ve tried to do the double and it’s hard doing both races back to back, you’ve got to hope everything goes smoothly.”
Meanwhile the Western States / UTMB double was achieved in incredible style by Walmsley’s fellow American Katie Schide who set a new fastest time when winning the women’s race.
