Puppi misses Templiers record by one second in Millau
Martyna Mlynarczyk led the women's race from the gun and took 66 seconds off the course record.
Francesco Puppi won the 80.4-kilometer Grand Trail des Templiers in Millau, France, in 6:32:20, one second outside the course record Jonathon Albon set in 2021. Martyna Mlynarczyk won the women's race in 7:41:18, breaking the 7:42:24 mark Caitlin Fielder set in 2024.
The race left Millau at 5:10 a.m. on Sunday, October 18, on a 80.4K loop with over 3,429 meters of climbing through the Grands Causses Regional Natural Park. iRunFar described crisp morning temperatures turning into a mild autumn day, conditions it called prime for fast running.
Puppi sat on the lead all day
Dimitri Morel-Jean of France was the man out front for most of it. He led through 28.5K, pulled nearly a minute clear by Roquesaltes, and was three minutes up on the field at La Salvage at 55K. Puppi and Benjamin Roubiol worked together behind him until Puppi went, taking 33 seconds out of Roubiol over the next 4K and then starting to eat into Morel-Jean's gap. By Massebiau at 69K the lead was under 30 seconds.
The last 11K is the hard part, a steep climb to Le Cade, a short sharp drop, then the final climb to La Pouncho. Puppi surged past Morel-Jean out of Massebiau and had 5:15 on him by the top of Le Cade, then ran it home.
Morel-Jean was second in 6:39:27. Roubiol held off Pierre Galbourdin for third, 6:44:09 to 6:45:00, and Tracen Knopp of the US was fifth in 6:46:27. Morgan False of France, who led the first 22K, faded badly and finished 170th.
Mlynarczyk never gave the lead up
The Polish runner led the women's field from start to finish, per iRunFar, and only lost ground in the closing kilometers. It was still enough for the course record by 66 seconds.
What it means
Templiers is in its 32nd year and now runs as a three-day festival with 18 races, over 13,000 participants and a prize purse of around 69,000 Euro across the events. The Grand Trail pays the top 10, with 10,000 Euro for the win. For Puppi, the result closes out a season that also included a win at the 2026 Chianti 120K and second place at the 2026 Western States 100. One second is one second, but a near-record on a course with 11,250 feet of gain and a technical back half is the strongest kind of result to end a year on.
Puppi let it rip out of Massebiau, surging past Morel-Jean, and powering up to Le Cade and creating a 5:15 gap by the top.
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