The 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) will go ahead without one of its defining figures. Spanish ultrarunning icon Kilian Jornet announced that he is pulling out because of a persistent knee injury. He will undergo surgery.
The 38-year-old, a four-time UTMB winner (2008, 2009, 2011, and 2022), had hoped to return to Chamonix four years after his last victory to claim a record fifth title and move clear of France’s François D’Haene. That plan has now been shelved.
The race, covering roughly 174-176km with around 10,000m of elevation gain, starts on Friday, August 28, at 5:45 pm local time.
A season derailed
The knee problem has disrupted Jornet’s season since the spring. It led to an unusual 44th-place finish at Zegama-Aizkorri in May, forced a DNF at Western States 100 in June, and forced him to skip Sierre-Zinal. He had been training with an eye on UTMB, taking a conservative approach in hopes of racing. However, a recent long run showed the knee issue remained unresolved.
Frame of a video of Kilian Jornet, when he announced that he won’t participate in the UTMB this year. Photo: Kilian Jornet
Jornet explains
Jornet explained his decision on Instagram.
“Sometimes plans change, and this year I won’t be running UTMB. After several months dealing with a knee injury, we have decided, together with my medical team, that surgery is the best next step. We initially took a more conservative approach, and training was going well. However, after a long effort a few days ago, I realised that the issue was still there, which means we need to find a more permanent solution.”
“I’m an athlete, I’m competitive, and like everyone who loves this sport, it is difficult to say no to a race or a project. But I have experienced injuries before, and each time they have reminded me that these moments are also part of the process, and that learning to adapt is part of being able to continue doing what I love for many years. There are still many unknowns about the next steps, but I will share more when I know more. Good luck to everyone racing in Chamonix; I will be cheering as always!”
Jornet has not detailed the exact procedure or recovery timeline.
Kilian Jornet at UTMB 2022.
