# Ultra-trail running competition and athlete updates

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ultra-trail-running-competition-and-athlete-updates
> Updated: 2026-08-26T09:11:49.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

Louis Calais won the 2026 Echappée Belle ultra-trail, completing the 145 km course in the Belledonne massif in 21 hours, 02 minutes, and 59 seconds. The race was modified due to severe weather, including rain, fog, and near-freezing temperatures.

Calais maintained a lead over Ludovic Pommeret after the 70 km mark, despite sustaining a knee injury during a fall at the 40 km mark. 

In related developments within the sport, Mathieu Blanchard announced he will miss the 2026 UTMB due to persistent heel pain, targeting a return in 2027. He noted that Kilian Jornet is also sidelined for the 2026 race due to a knee injury.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: Ultra-trail running: Mathieu Blanchard targets 2027 UTMB

Mathieu Blanchard targets the 2027 UTMB following injury-related withdrawal from 2026, while Louis Calais wins the 145 km Échappée Belle ultra-trail race.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ultra-trail-running-mathieu-blanchard-targets-2027-utmb

### 2026-08-22: Louis Calais wins 2026 Echappée Belle ultra-trail

Louis Calais won the 2026 Echappée Belle ultra-trail in the Belledonne massif, finishing in 21:02:59 despite harsh weather and challenging course modifications.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/louis-calais-wins-2026-echappe-belle-ultra-trail

---
Cite as: Ultra-trail running competition and athlete updates. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ultra-trail-running-competition-and-athlete-updates