The Merrell Skyrunner® World Series continue the journey, eighth stop. Return to France, to the Central Massif, a fairy‑tale landscape filled with small medieval villages, with Sainte-Enimie as the heart of the Lozère Trail.
Between the Alps and the Pyrenees, in northern Occitania, the Tarn River has carved for millennia a terrain of modest mountains but steep gradients, technical ground, rocky sections and lush vegetation.
This weekend, the Lozère Trail takes centre stage in French trail running, offering a wide range of distances and elevation profiles:
- Ultra Lozère 110 km ±5600 m (en dues etapes)
- Skyrace® des Gorges du Tarn 25 km ±1800 m
- Lozère Trail 2 rivières 52 km ±2400 m
- Lozère Trail 25 km ±1100 m
- Salta Bartas 12 km ±500 m
Once again, weather conditions shape the race
As has become common in recent years, shifting weather patterns —not the place to debate it— are forcing our sport to adapt to the planet’s new climatic reality.
It is unusual for central Europe to reach temperatures close to 30 °C in May, but that is exactly what happened. A course already demanding became an oven, forcing skyrunners to adjust their nutrition strategies, especially hydration. Despite the organisation’s efforts, constructive criticism emerged regarding the 10:00 start time and the number of liquid aid stations.
Knowing Philippe Miquel and his team, they will certainly take note to improve both safety and spectacle.
International calendars always influence athlete participation, and despite the heavy racing schedule of recent weeks, the mix of U23 (a scoring race) and senior athletes produced an interesting field, blending youth and experience with a very high competitive level.
Women’s race: Patricia Pineda regains her smile
Patricia Pineda (ESP/La Sportiva), last year’s winner, started as the favourite. Eva Delafosse (FRA/Colibrí), second in Matheysins three weeks ago, was also a strong contender. There was also interest in seeing Denisa Dragomir (ROM/Merrell) return from injury, and Maria Christen (SWZ/Scott), debuting in the circuit after two brilliant performances in 2025.
Patricia and Eva led early, opening a gap. At km 15.2, Patricia pulled away decisively and extended her lead all the way to the finish, taking her second consecutive win in Sainte-Enimie with a 4:28 margin.
Behind them, Alice Bausseron (FRA/New Balance) claimed her first Sky podium of the season.
The top six, separated by just over ten seconds, included Anna Darmogai, Perrine Abadie and Greta García, who despite racing Zegama-Aizkorri the previous week, added her third finish of the season.
Maria Christen finished seventh and Denisa Dragomir tenth in her comeback.
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Pineda’s smile at the finish line captured the day: her first MSWS 2026 victory, securing her Skymasters qualification and taking the lead in the overall standings.
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Men’s race: surprise and youth
Jules Mongellaz (FRA/Colibrí Academy Trail) and Lucien Mermillón (FRA/Rossignol), both U23, set a blistering early pace, opening a gap until km 15. From there, Finlay Grant (GBR/Scarpa) took the lead, followed by Baptiste Massot (FRA/CAA) and Tom Spencer (GBR/Inov-8).
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Just before the Castelbouc aid station, Finlay took a wrong turn —a tricky spot familiar to the author— allowing Massot to take the lead and hold it to the finish. Spencer finished second, twenty seconds back, and Grant completed the podium two minutes behind.
Mongellaz finished fourth and Mermillón fifth.
Marcos Villamuera (ESP/Scarpa), strong all race, suffered badly in the heat but held on for P9.
Aniol Pijiula (ESP/FEEC Open Team), likely affected by heat stroke, finished P11 and required medical attention. We hope for a quick recovery.
The km 15.2 aid station, with no external assistance allowed, proved decisive in both races.
We expected the U23 athletes to shine at the Gorges du Tarn Skyrace, but Massot’s victory was a surprise. Will we see him again on the circuit?
Overall
With the race now almost halfway through, there have been no major changes in the men’s overall standings, but Patricia Pineda has taken the provisional lead, as well as becoming the first woman to qualify for the Skymasters:
Qualified Skymasters 2026
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U23 Esteban Olivero Trophy
Martina Gonfaus won the women’s U23 category (P12 overall).
In the men’s race, the results mirrored the senior classification.
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Next stop: Yading Skyrace®
The Merrell Daocheng Yading Skyrace 2026 returns after several years of absence as one of the most anticipated events of the Sky calendar.
Red race (x1.5), 32 km at extreme altitude, reaching 4735 m, in a natural sanctuary dominated by three sacred peaks over 6000 m.
In the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garzé, in Sichuan province, within the stunning scenic area of Daocheng Yading, skyrunners will cross ancient forests, high-mountain meadows and iconic lakes, on a course that combines extreme physical demand with Tibetan mysticism, featuring colorful prayer flags, stone cairns and ancient temples.
Whoever best manages altitude hypoxia and the slow, steady pace of long climbs, masters the changing weather conditions and handles the rocky, scree-filled terrain, will take home the 150 points.
Favorites to conquer sthe Chinesse skys:
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As its tourism slogan says, “The last pure land on Earth” and “The place closest to the sky.”
