François d'Haene wins Mont Blanc ultra marathon
The Mont Blanc ultra marathon (UTMB), one of the world's most difficult races, resumed on Friday after having been cancelled in 2020 because of Covid-19.
Around 2,300 people were at the starting line in Chamonix, before running up and down the mountain passes between Italy and Switzerland by headlamp.
Before the start, the conditions appeared to be a recipe for a historically fast race, with talk that the 20-hour barrier could be broken for the first time.
The leaders went off fast but most of those pushing the pace early on were soon paying for it.
In the men’s leading group, the favorites stuck together in a star-studded pack of 10. This year, the American Jim Walmsley, continuing his quest to become the first male American runner to win the UTMB, did not make an early break, probably having learned from his previous blow-ups.
In the morning, the French were in full control of the men’s race and at Gran Col Ferret, 103km in, Frenchmen occupied the first six positions, with D’Haene leading the charge.
With only the final descent to the finish line in Chamonix remaining, D’Haene was well ahead of his compatriot Auelien Dunand-Pallaz, and Dauwalter was showing no signs of fatigue, fighting for the sixth overall position.
Greeted by enormous crowds, D’Haene crossed the finish line in 20 hours, 45 minutes and 59 seconds. Dunand-Pallaz finished second, thirteen minutes behind and Mathieu Blanchard third in 21:12.43. France completed a clean sweep of top five men’s places.
Francois D’Haene approaching the finish line. Photo: Laurent Salino/UTMB
