Held from April 24 to 26, 2026 around Malaucène, the second edition of the Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB brought more than 4,000 runners from over 50 nations to the foot of the Giant of Provence. The weekend delivered four races, four winners, and one of the most stacked elite line-ups of the early-season UTMB World Series calendar. Heat, dry rocky terrain, and the brutal final ascent of Mont Ventoux did the rest, separating the favourites from the rest.
UGP 125 km: Andy Symonds turns back the clock
On the headline Ultra Géant de Provence (125 km, 5,700 m D+), British veteran Andy Symonds, age 44, signed his first major Ventoux victory since 2012. After starting cautiously, he took the lead at the 30 km mark and never looked back, crossing the line in 13h07. Aubin Ferrari (Team Altra) closed in worryingly during the climb of Mont Ventoux but could not match Symonds on the descent, finishing second in 13h24. Sébastien Poesy (Brooks Trail Runners) completed the podium in 13h31 on his first attempt at the distance.
"The last two hours were very tough, but I'm thrilled. It has been a while since I won a big race, and especially here." (Andy Symonds, post-race)
In the women's race, world team champion Jennifer Lemoine ran a controlled, authoritative race, building a lead of more than 20 minutes over American Christine Selman by km 110 and finishing in 16h28. Selman held on for second in 17h13, with Laura Berruer rounding out the podium in 18h44. Lemoine confirmed her status as one of the references in long French ultra-trail.
GEV 87 km: Chassagne sets the tone, Hegemann does the double
On the Grande Épopée Ventoux (87 km, 4,200 m D+), Baptiste Chassagne (On) controlled the race from the front and dipped under 8 hours by 24 seconds, clocking 8h00. Nicolas Gourdon (New Balance) took second in 8h15 and Spaniard Oriol Barbany Bofill (La Sportiva) third in 8h32. Chassagne used the day as a sharp mid-season checkpoint before his summer goals.
Defending champion Ida-Sophie Hegemann (The North Face, Germany) confirmed her stature with another win in 10h00, finishing an exceptional 19th overall. Compatriot Julia Langeder followed in 10h20, with Emily Cambier completing an all-European podium in 10h57. Hegemann conceded the conditions were tougher than the previous year and that she had to fight harder for the title.
MMT 50 km: Kiplimo strikes after Bonnet's brutal fall
The Mistral Marathon Trail (51 km, 2,500 m D+) was the major novelty of the 2026 edition, the route now climbing all the way to the 1,909 m summit of Mont Ventoux via the GR4. It produced the weekend's biggest twist. Long in the lead, Swiss star Rémi Bonnet (Salomon) suffered a violent fall, lost crucial minutes, and could only salvage 18th place. Kenyan Nashon Kiplimo (Salomon) seized the opportunity, surged after the summit, and built his advantage on the descent to win in 3h58. Frenchman Simon Paccard followed in 4h07 and Clément Lalba completed the podium in 4h08.
The women's race went to Swedish multi-discipline phenomenon Tove Alexandersson, who ran a measured race to win in 4h30, also placing 15th overall. Candice Fertin-Baccon (New Balance) was second in 4h57 and Swiss Maëlle Minnig third in 5h05. Alexandersson described the course as "incredible" and her day as one to remember.
TDC 20 km: Tranchand and Poncet, all-French podiums
On the Trail des Coteaux (26 km, 1,100 m D+), reigning short-trail world champion Frédéric Tranchand (Merrell) left no suspense, controlling the race from the first climb to win in 1h43:49. Behind him, the fight for second place was decided by 4 seconds: Swiss Adrien Briffod took the runner-up spot in 1h45:41 ahead of Killian Allaire in 1h45:45.
In the women's race, Elise Poncet (Arc'teryx) attacked from the opening climb and held off the field to win in 2h14:00, taking 24th overall. Mélanie Ratel (2h21:56) and Agnès Fabre (2h22:05) completed an entirely French podium, mirroring the men's race.
Adaptive trail running takes the spotlight
Beyond the elite results, the Grand Raid Ventoux made room for the Team Adaptive by UTMB. Yanis Debaud, who runs with paralysis of his right foot, lined up on the 87 km. Jonathan Naboulet, tetraplegic, took on the 20 km in a joëlette. Fanny Barbara, who lives with a single lung, and Julien Veysseyre, a tibial amputee, both finished the new 50 km. A reminder that the Ventoux can be conquered in many ways.
What it means for the rest of the season
With Running Stones for every finisher and qualifying spots for UTMB, CCC, and OCC at Chamonix on the line, the Grand Raid Ventoux 2026 confirmed its place as a true early-season benchmark. Symonds, Lemoine, Chassagne, Hegemann, Kiplimo, Alexandersson, Tranchand, and Poncet all leave Provence with a fresh statement of intent for the months ahead.