UTMB CCC 2026 results: Kaspersen and Minoggio too good for rivals

Yngvild Kaspersen produced a superbly-judged late charge to claim a historic second CCC title at UTMB Mont-Blanc, while Cristian Minoggio delivered an emphatic victory in the men’s race.

Norwegian Kaspersen came from behind to overhaul former winners Toni McCann and Miao Yao inside the closing stages before winning in 12:01:14, exactly five minutes ahead of McCann. Yao completed the podium in 12:15:41.

Minoggio had earlier made his decisive move on the climb towards Trient before powering on to Chamonix in 10:21:48. Portugal’s Miguel Arsenio came through strongly to take second in 10:27:25, with American Hans Troyer third in 10:33:29.

CCC – Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix – is the 100K UTMB World Series Final and normally takes runners on a journey of around 100km from Courmayeur in Italy, through Switzerland and into Chamonix in France.

But the threat of thunderstorms forced organisers into a late course alteration for the 2026 race. The ascent to La Flégère, traditionally the final significant climb, was removed in a change announced after the race had already started, with the revised route measuring 107.8km and featuring 6,198 metres of elevation gain.

Women’s race – Kaspersen times her charge to perfection

Kaspersen’s victory was a masterclass in patience as the Norwegian resisted the temptation to get involved in an absorbing early battle between McCann and Yao.

The two former champions repeatedly swapped first and second during the opening half of the race, with just 11 seconds separating them at La Fouly.

They were still effectively together when they reached Champex-Lac, roughly halfway through the race, with Honoka Akiyama around six minutes behind in third and Western States champion Jennifer Lichter also in contention.

There was then an unusual interruption after 68km when the barriers came down at a level crossing with a train approaching. McCann was hit hardest but Yao was briefly held up too.

By Vallorcine, McCann and Yao remained locked together at the front but Kaspersen was now the big danger, just four minutes behind in third. Lichter was fourth, another 10 minutes further back.

McCann appeared to have made the crucial move when she caught and passed her adidas teammate Yao with around 15km remaining.

But while the two leaders had spent much of the day racing each other, Kaspersen had judged her effort beautifully.

She rapidly erased the deficit before sweeping past both McCann and Yao inside the final 10km and powering clear towards Chamonix.

There were echoes of Lauren Gregory’s OCC victory 24 hours earlier, when the American also came through late to pick off the two women ahead of her after allowing the race to develop in front.

By the finish there was no doubt about the outcome. Kaspersen stopped the clock at 12:01:14, having turned a four-minute deficit around Vallorcine into an advantage of exactly five minutes over McCann.

And the victory was a historic one.

Kaspersen, who first won CCC in 2023, became the first woman to win the race twice and joined two-time men’s champion Hayden Hawks in achieving the feat.

It was also a remarkable podium consisting entirely of CCC champions. McCann, the 2024 winner, took second in 12:06:14, while 2018 champion Yao was third in 12:15:41.

Lichter finished fourth in 12:24:01 and New Zealand’s Caitlin Fielder rounded out the top five in 12:25:17.

And Kaspersen still had enough energy left for one final celebration.

Soon after crossing the line, the Norwegian performed the ‘Viking Row’ celebration which has become synonymous with Norway’s football supporters – an appropriate way to mark a famous second CCC victory.

Men’s race – Minoggio makes his move

The men’s race was won in very different fashion as Minoggio produced a strong and aggressive performance to take control during the second half.

Thomas Cardin had been among those setting the pace early before Troyer moved into the lead following Champex-Lac.

The American was running alone on the trail at times, but in terms of the clock there was very little separating him from Minoggio and Eli Hemming.

And the chasing pack was still very much in contention, with Andrzej Witek and Benjamin Roubiol only around a minute further back.

Minoggio began to assert himself on the descent, moving narrowly ahead of Troyer and Hemming before the crucial climb towards Trient.

It was there that the Italian started to make his strength tell.

Minoggio, using poles on the ascent while Troyer went without them, gradually eased clear. Hemming’s challenge was also beginning to unravel, with the American briefly stopping on the climb to stretch out his back.

By the time Minoggio left Trient he had established an advantage of around three minutes over Troyer.

Behind them the picture had changed significantly. Arsenio had surged through the field into third, around eight minutes off the lead, while Hemming had slipped to fourth, 11 minutes behind Minoggio.

Britain’s Luke Grenfell-Shaw was another making significant progress and had climbed to fifth with around 28km remaining.

From there Minoggio never looked back.

The Italian had come agonisingly close to victory at OCC in 2025, when he pushed Jim Walmsley all the way before finishing just 20 seconds behind the American.

Stepping up in distance to CCC 12 months later, this time there would be no late heartbreak.

Minoggio continued to push all the way into Chamonix – even sprinting down the finishing straight – before breaking the tape in 10:21:48.

Cristian Minoggio wins CCC UTMB 2026 — Cristian Minoggio wins CCC [Photo credit: UTMB]

And there was an unusual reception waiting for him.

The start of UTMB had been delayed by two hours because of the threat of thunderstorms, meaning many of the athletes preparing to tackle the week’s blue-riband race were still in Chamonix to cheer Minoggio through the finishing chute.

Arsenio’s superb second half was rewarded with runner-up spot in 10:27:25, 5:37 behind the winner, while Troyer held on for third in 10:33:29.

Grenfell-Shaw completed an impressive charge through the field to take fourth in 10:47:23, with France’s Simon Paccard fifth in 10:50:59.