Races
CCC
Courmayeur Friday afternoon. The Tronche climb in the first ten kilometers. Then Val Ferret, Switzerland, and the UTMB finish through Chamonix.
- Start4,006 ft
- High8,374 ft
- Low3,396 ft
- Finish3,396 ft
Terrain
The cruxTête de la Tronche (2,584 m) and Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m)
Course DNA
The Course
Courmayeur to Chamonix through three countries. Refuge Bertone and Refuge Bonatti on the opening climb to Tête de la Tronche, roughly 1,300 meters of gain in the first 10 km. Arnouvaz and Grand Col Ferret at 2,537 meters define the Italian-Swiss border. La Fouly and Champex-Lac are crew points in the Val Ferret. Trient crosses into France. Vallorcine, La Flégère, and the familiar UTMB descent into Chamonix. CCC is the second half of UTMB with a brutal start attached.
The Work
Front-load vert tolerance. The Tronche sets the tone before the legs are warm. Train repeated 3,000-foot climbs and long descents on consecutive days. Grand Col Ferret descents are quad-intensive. Practice eating on steep uphill hiking.
Kit
UTMB mandatory kit. Windproof layer for Grand Col Ferret. Headlamp if a sub-20-hour finish is unlikely. Poles for the Tronche and Ferret climbs. Swiss valley sections can cool off after dark.
Race Day
The Tronche is not a place to find your race. Hike it steady. Run what you earn after Bonatti. La Fouly and Champex-Lac are crew windows. Do not linger. Vallorcine is late but the Flégère climbs still hurt. Save something for the Chamonix stairs.
Official siteBack to racesPredict your timeTrain for this raceCheck readiness