It was a sweet victory for the U.K.’s Tom Evans, who crossed the line in Chamonix after enduring some of the worst weather seen on the course in recent years, in 19 hours, 18 minutes and 58 seconds.
Evans, who also lifted the Western States crown in 2023, became one of the few athletes to capture two of ultrarunning’s most iconic races. Snow, hail and a course reroute made conditions brutal, yet his patient approach on the early climbs allowed him to surge clear of the other lead runners near the 100K point. The win also carried extra weight for Evans, who failed to finish the past two editions after placing third in 2022. Now a father to baby Phoebe, he celebrated the moment with his wife, British triathlete Sophie Coldwell, and his daughter at the finish. A few moments after he crossed the line, Evans did a “shoey,” guzzling a celebratory drink out of his sweaty, dirty shoe.
Podium stories and big names missing
American runner Ben Dhiman, 32, came through in 19:51:37 to take second place, an impressive showing for a runner who only discovered the sport in 2017 after pacing another runner at Hardrock 100. Britain’s Josh Wade secured third in 20:05:06 in a breakout performance. China’s Ji Duo and France’s Thibaut Garrivier rounded out the top five. Several well-known contenders didn’t make it through the storm, including Hayden Hawks, François D’Haene and New Zealander Dan Jones. Other familiar names shifted to shorter races, with Jim Walmsley—last year’s UTMB champion—opting for the OCC this time, where he edged Italy’s Cristian Minoggio in a sprint finish.
At the time of publication, no women had yet crossed the finish line, but New Zealand’s Ruth Croft was leading. For live results, head here.
