To be classified as a finisher, every UTMB® runner must navigate two inseparable concepts: the overall time limit for their race, and the cut-off times that punctuate the course. Here is everything you need to know for the 2026 edition.
Time limits by race at the UTMB® 2026
Each race in the UTMB® programme sets a maximum time for every runner to complete the course. This time naturally includes any stops for refuelling, sleep and rest breaks. It has been calculated on the basis of minimum average speeds and should, in principle, allow every participant in good shape to finish within the allotted time.
- The UTMB®: approximately 174 km in 46h45 maximum, with a start on Friday 28 August at 5:45 pm and a finish before Sunday 30 August at 4:30 pm.
- The CCC®: approximately 101 km in 26h30 maximum.
- The TDS®: approximately 145 km in 44h55 maximum.
- The OCC®: approximately 60 km in 14h30 maximum.
- The MCC®: approximately 40 km in 10 hours maximum.
What is a cut-off time?
A cut-off time is a deadline set at certain checkpoints along the course (aid stations or rescue points). It has been put in place by the organisation for three reasons: safety (to prevent isolated runners from being left alone at night in the mountains, far behind the field), logistics (to allow volunteers to stand down within a reasonable time) and sporting fairness (to ensure every participant moves at a pace consistent with the spirit of the race).
How do the UTMB® cut-off times work?
A cut-off time is the deadline by which a runner must have left a checkpoint in order to continue the race, regardless of when they arrived there. Rest time does not extend the cut-off — refuel quickly. A runner who misses a checkpoint cut-off is pulled from the race: their bib is removed and they are transported back to Chamonix by the organisation.
UTMB® 2026 cut-off times, checkpoint by checkpoint
Thirteen checkpoints have a cut-off time. The pace column shows the minimum average speed required from the start to arrive within the time limit, rest stops included.
| Checkpoint | Km | Cut-off time | Required average pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint-Gervais | 22.8 km | Friday 10:00 pm | 5.4 km/h |
| Les Contamines | 32.5 km | Saturday 12:00 am (midnight) | 5.2 km/h |
| La Balme | 41.1 km | Saturday 2:00 am | 5.0 km/h |
| Les Chapieux | 52.2 km | Saturday 5:15 am | 4.5 km/h |
| Lac Combal | 69.5 km | Saturday 10:00 am | 4.3 km/h |
| Courmayeur | 83.4 km | Saturday 1:15 pm | 4.3 km/h |
| Arnouvaz | 101.7 km | Saturday 6:15 pm | 4.2 km/h |
| La Fouly | 116.2 km | Saturday 10:30 pm | 4.0 km/h |
| Champex-Lac | 130.5 km | Sunday 2:30 am | 4.0 km/h |
| Trient | 147 km | Sunday 8:00 am | 3.8 km/h |
| Vallorcine | 158.4 km | Sunday 11:15 am | 3.8 km/h |
| La Flégère | 169.8 km | Sunday 2:45 pm | 3.8 km/h |
| Chamonix, finish | 176.8 km | Sunday 4:30 pm | 3.8 km/h |
Three checkpoints have no cut-off time: Les Houches, Checrouit and the Bertone refuge.
The toughest cut-off is not the one you think
Reading the pace column, one fact stands out — and it goes against intuition: the most demanding cut-off in the entire UTMB is the very first one.
At Saint-Gervais, at kilometre 22.8, you must have maintained an average of 5.4 km/h from the start. At the finish, after 176 kilometres, the requirement drops to just 3.8 km/h. In other words, the vice loosens progressively as the race goes on.
The practical consequence is counter-intuitive: a too-cautious start can cost you the race before the first night is even over. Runners simply aiming for finisher status would do well not to fall too far behind in the first thirty kilometres, even though every instinct tells you to conserve energy.
A second point to watch is the very end. Between La Flégère and Chamonix, 7 kilometres remain to be covered in 1h45 — that is 4 km/h — after forty-five hours of effort. It is a descent, but your legs do not always respond.
Where to check this data
Cut-off times are published by the organisation on each race's official page and in the Runner's Guide. They may be adjusted if the course is modified for weather or safety reasons. Check them on the official HOKA UTMB Mont-White website before your race.
Frequently asked questions
What is the time limit for the UTMB 2026?
46 hours and 45 minutes. Start on Friday 28 August at 5:45 pm, finish to be completed before Sunday 30 August at 4:30 pm.
How many cut-off times are there on the UTMB?
Thirteen, from Saint-Gervais to the finish. Les Houches, Checrouit and the Bertone refuge have none.
Which is the toughest cut-off on the UTMB?
The first, at Saint-Gervais, which requires an average of 5.4 km/h from the start. That is the highest pace demand of the entire race — yet at the finish line, only 3.8 km/h is required.
Does the cut-off apply to the arrival time or the departure time at the checkpoint?
At the departure time. A runner must have left the checkpoint before the cut-off, regardless of when they arrived. A long rest stop buys you nothing.
What happens if you miss a cut-off time?
The runner is pulled from the race, their bib is removed, and the organisation arranges their transport back to Chamonix.
