HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc / UTMB World Series 100K Final
CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix)
Courmayeur → Chamonix
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The CCC — Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix — is the 101km flagship of the UTMB World Series 100K Final, tracing a spectacular arc around the southern and western flanks of the Mont-Blanc massif from Courmayeur in Italy to the finish line on the streets of Chamonix, France. With 5533m of total climbing and a high point of 2562m, it is a genuine mountain ultra that demands technical trail competence as much as endurance. The course crosses three countries — Italy, Switzerland and France — threading through alpine villages, high-altitude ridges and dense forest trails that keep the terrain varied and relentlessly engaging. Starting at 1221m in Courmayeur, the CCC immediately announces its intentions with a savage opening climb to Refuge Bertone at 2012m in the first 14 kilometres. What follows is 87 more kilometres of rolling alpine terrain, steep switchbacks, rocky ridgelines and valley-floor recoveries before the iconic finish in Chamonix at 1041m. The total cut-off window is approximately 29.5 hours for most runners, making time management as critical as physical preparation.
Course & Terrain Overview
The CCC is far from a point-to-point road race dressed in trail clothing — every kilometre demands attention. After the opening climb to Refuge Bertone (2012m, 14km), the course drops into Arnouvaz (1851m, 27km) before threading through the Val Ferret into La Fouly (1540m, 42km) in Switzerland. This early Swiss section tends to be deceptively runnable on its descents but relentlessly exposed on its ridges. From La Fouly the trail climbs again toward Champex-Lac (1473m, 55km), a key crew and resupply point at the halfway mark. The second half of the race shifts into darker, more technical terrain: forest singletrack around Trient (1308m, 71km), the punishing climb out toward Vallorcine (1288m, 82km), and then the brutal final ascent to La Flegere (1580m, 92km) before the long descent into Chamonix (1041m, 101km). The terrain underfoot ranges from smooth alpine grass and gravel fire road to rooted forest paths and loose rocky ridgeline — expect to use poles throughout.
The Decisive Climbs: Where the Race Is Won and Lost
Three climbs define the CCC's hierarchy of suffering. The opening ramp to Refuge Bertone — roughly 800m of vertical gain in the first 14km — sets the tone immediately and punishes anyone who starts too aggressively in the excitement of a UTMB week race day. Manage your heart rate here or you will pay heavily after 60km. The second pivotal section is the climb out of Champex-Lac (55km) into the night: this is where the race fragments, energy reserves begin to thin, and the psychological darkness of a long mountain night sets in. The third and most decisive moment is the climb to La Flegere at 92km and 1580m — a brutal 290m gain after 90 kilometres on your legs. Many races are lost here, not at the finish. Runners who have managed their glycogen stores and quad strength through the preceding descents — particularly the long descent from the ridge above Trient — will have something left for this climb. Those who have raced hard on the quads early will be reduced to a painful shuffle.
Pacing & Fuelling Strategy
The CCC's cut-off schedule gives useful guidance on realistic pacing. Refuge Bertone at 14km closes at Friday 12:30, Champex-Lac at 55km at Friday 20:15, and the finish in Chamonix at Saturday 11:30 — a total window of 29.5 hours from a typical Thursday evening start. A smart approach is to treat Champex-Lac (55km) as the true halfway, not just in distance but in effort budget: if you arrive there feeling wrecked, the second half will be survival mode. Eat aggressively and consistently from the first hour — the temptation to run on adrenaline in the early kilometres through the Italian Alps is high, but caloric debt compounds painfully in the back half. Target 200–300 calories per hour minimum, using the crew points at Courmayeur, Champex-Lac, Trient and Vallorcine strategically for hot food, drop bags and kit adjustments. Carry warm layers from the start: temperatures above 2000m, especially at night between Champex and Vallorcine, can drop sharply regardless of the forecast.
Conditions to Expect
The CCC runs in late August as part of UTMB week, when the Mont-Blanc massif is technically at its most stable but remains fully capable of delivering cold, wet and windy conditions at altitude. The high point of 2562m means runners will spend meaningful time above 2000m, where afternoon thunderstorms are a genuine risk on the opening Italian section. Night temperatures in the Swiss and French sections — roughly between Champex-Lac (arriving early evening) and Vallorcine (passing in the early hours of Saturday) — regularly fall to single figures in Celsius even in August. The descent to La Fouly and the forested trails around Trient can be extremely slippery in wet conditions. Mandatory kit requirements from UTMB reflect these realities and should be treated as a minimum, not a ceiling. Check the forecast the day before for wind and precipitation on the ridgelines above 2000m, and be ready to add a layer at Champex-Lac if the night looks cold.
Checkpoints, Crew & Logistics
The CCC offers four crew access points — Courmayeur (start, 0km), Champex-Lac (55km), Trient (71km), Vallorcine (82km) and Chamonix (finish, 101km) — which is generous for a 101km race and allows for meaningful support across the second half. Crew should be well-briefed on cut-off times: Trient closes at Saturday 00:35 and Vallorcine at Saturday 03:25, meaning the window tightens considerably in the small hours. La Flegere at 92km is not a crew point and is the last cut-off (Saturday 08:10) before Chamonix — a runner who reaches La Flegere within the cut-off has roughly 3 hours and 20 minutes to cover the final 9km descent, which should be achievable for almost anyone still upright. Aid stations between crew points — Refuge Bertone (14km), Arnouvaz (27km), La Fouly (42km) — are full mountain stations and should be used for water, hot food and time checks against your pace targets. Keep stops short at non-crew checkpoints and save the longer breaks for Champex-Lac and Trient, where crew can handle kit swaps and foot care efficiently.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 1221 m · —
13.7 km · 1980 m · Fri 13:45
26.6 km · 1772 m · Fri 16:30
41 km · 1604 m · Fri 20:15
54.9 km · 1475 m · Fri 23:15
59.7 km · 1340 m · Sat 00:15
71.5 km · 1304 m · Sat 04:00
83.4 km · 1260 m · Sat 07:15
94.8 km · 1875 m · Sat 10:45
101.9 km · 1035 m · Sat 12:00
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