Minoggio, 42, wins a muddy CCC; Kaspersen is the first woman to win it twice

Cristian Minoggio of Italy won the CCC on Friday in 10:21:48, and Yngvild Kaspersen of Norway won the women's race in 12:01:14, becoming the first woman to win it twice after her 2023 title. Minoggio is 42.

The race left Courmayeur at 9 am in rain and ran counterclockwise through Switzerland to Chamonix on muddy trails. The course was changed three times: a landslide earlier in the week forced a reroute between La Fouly and Praz de Fort, the section after Champex-Lac was dropped down into Martigny to avoid the Bovine climb, and during the race the late climb to La Flégère was taken out. What was left measured 108 km with 6,200 m of climbing. It was the UTMB World Series final for 100 km and a Western States Golden Ticket race.

Thomas Cardin and Benjamin Roubiol set the early pace, then Hans Troyer of the United States led through Champex-Lac at halfway. Minoggio caught him on the climb toward Trient around 80 km and led the last 40. Miguel Arsénio of Portugal passed Troyer for second in 10:27:25, Troyer held third in 10:33:29, and Luke Grenfell-Shaw and Simon Paccard followed. Cardin did not finish.

Kaspersen was 20 minutes down and outside the top ten at halfway, then ran the second half faster than anyone. Toni McCann of South Africa, the 2024 winner, was second in 12:06:14 and Miao Yao of China, the 2018 winner, third in 12:15:41. Jennifer Lichter, the Western States champion and highest-ranked woman in the field, was fourth.

Three past winners in the women's field, and the one who was tenth at halfway won. A 100 km race is two races, and the second one counts.

Sources: iRunFar; Marathon Handbook.