Reigning short-trail world champion Tove Alexandersson will head a star-studded field for OCC at UTMB Mont-Blanc later this month.
The Swedish superstar tops a high-quality women’s start list which also features Swiss duo Judith Wyder and Maude Mathys, plus Olympic marathon bronze medallist Molly Seidel.
And there is just as much quality on the men’s side, where Rémi Bonnet, Francesco Puppi and reigning short-trail world champion Frédéric Tranchand are among the leading contenders.
The 60km race, featuring 3,500 metres of elevation gain, represents the 50K UTMB World Series Final and will finish in Chamonix.
Alexandersson the woman to beat
Alexandersson arrives as the highest-ranked woman in the field with a UTMB Index of 859 – and as the reigning world champion.
The Swede added the short-trail world title to her extraordinary sporting CV in 2025 and will now attempt to underline her status as one of the world’s best over the fast and technical OCC course.
But she faces some formidable opposition.
Switzerland’s Judith Wyder is a proven performer over shorter trail distances and should be particularly well suited to the demands of OCC.
Compatriot Maude Mathys also arrives in excellent form following victory over 50K at Trail Verbier St Bernard by UTMB.
American Lauren Gregory and Britain’s Naomi Lang are among the other leading contenders, while Molly Seidel provides one of the most intriguing names on the entire OCC start list.
Olympic medallist takes to the trails
Seidel is best known for her exploits on the road after producing a superb performance in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics to claim bronze for the United States.
But the American has increasingly turned her attention to the trails and will now test herself against some of the world’s best specialists at OCC.
With a UTMB Index of 803, Seidel is rated level with Lang and only narrowly behind Gregory heading into the race.
However, all of them face a significant challenge if they are to stop Alexandersson adding another major title to her collection.
Unfinished business for Bonnet
The men’s race has an equally compelling favourite in Rémi Bonnet.
The Swiss star returns to OCC two years after his 2024 challenge ended dramatically when he fell and was forced to abandon while running in the lead group.
That gives Bonnet unfinished business in Chamonix – and he heads this year’s field with an imposing UTMB Index of 956.
Just behind him is Francesco Puppi, who takes on OCC after enjoying a memorable 2025 season.
The Italian finished runner-up at Western States before winning CCC, giving him the rare distinction of arriving at OCC as the reigning champion of its longer 100K counterpart.
France’s Frédéric Tranchand completes a formidable leading trio and, like Alexandersson, arrives as a reigning short-trail world champion.
Italy’s Daniel Pattis, Sweden’s Petter Engdahl and Switzerland’s Roberto Delorenzi provide further depth to a men’s field packed with athletes capable of challenging at the front.
With the two reigning short-trail world champions lining up alongside some of the biggest names in mountain running – and an Olympic marathon medallist thrown into the mix – OCC looks set to provide a suitably spectacular conclusion to the 50K UTMB World Series.
