01/09/2026
300km. 25,000m of elevation gain. Second team to finish.
PTL is probably the least well-known event at UTMB, but it's also the most brutal: how many other trail races require athletes to carry a helmet and a climbing harness? What makes it more special is that it's run in teams of two. This year Nicholas Lehman and Sébastien Raichon crossed the line in second place, with Nicholas running the route in the Mount to Coast M1. Uniquely, it's an event where position matters less than simply finishing – anyone who completes La Petite Trot a Leon has proven their ability to deal with everything the mountains can throw at them.
What makes it so tough? "There's a lot of sections without a clear track, and also a lot of very exposed ridges" says Nicholas, "it's very difficult, and every year the track changes – this year, it was really the hardest that I did."
Sébastien and Nicholas slept around four hours across the first three nights, but allowed themselves a solid two hours on the final night when it became clear that first place was too far ahead. Four days is a long time to spend with one other person – are they still friends after such an intense experience? "Of course," says Nicholas. "We have the same spirit, so it's easy to run with Sébastian."
Photos by Corentin Bertry
