Races
OCC
Orsières Thursday morning. Sixty kilometers to Chamonix. The 2026 course climbs to Tête de Balme before the drop into the Argentière valley.
- Start3,004 ft
- High7,490 ft
- Low2,946 ft
- Finish3,396 ft
Terrain
The cruxCol de Balme and Tête de Balme (2,321 m)
Course DNA
The Course
Orsières in the Swiss Valais. Champex-Lac at km 7. Plan de l'Au and La Giète roll through forest trail. Trient at km 24 is the last low ground before the big climb. Col de Balme and the new high point at Tête de Balme (2,321 m) sit between Switzerland and France. Col des Posettes links into the Aiguilles Rouges. Le Tour and Argentière are crew-friendly. The finish drops into Chamonix on familiar UTMB terrain.
The Work
A fast 60K with real alpine vert. Fifty-eight meters of gain per kilometer. Train one long climb to threshold, then runnable descents. OCC rewards athletes who can hike the cols efficiently and run the valleys without overcooking the opening Champex section.
Kit
UTMB mandatory kit scaled for a single day. Wind layer for Balme. Poles for the Trient to Balme climb. Calorie-dense food you can eat while moving. The redesigned high route can be cold even in August.
Race Day
Champex is social. Do not sit. Trient to Balme is the race. Hike with intent. The Tête de Balme section is new for 2026. Know the line. Argentière is late but not done. The Chamonix finish is flat and fast if anything remains in the legs.
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