Francesco Puppi of Italy and Poland’s Martyna Młynarczyk won the 80-kilometre Grand Trail des Templiers in Millau on Sunday 18 October, the centrepiece of the Festival des Templiers in southern France. Puppi finished in 6:32:20 and Młynarczyk in 7:41:18, on a technical route through the Grands Causses that began at 5am in darkness.
In the men’s race, Puppi finished a little over seven minutes clear of France’s Dimitri Morel-Jean, who was second in 6:39:27. Benjamin Roubiol took third in 6:44:09, with Pierre Galbourdin fourth in 6:45:00 and the American Tracen Knopp fifth in 6:46:27. The top five finished within just over 14 minutes of one another, which underlines how competitive the front of the field remained deep into the race.
Młynarczyk won the women’s title in 7:41:18, ahead of France’s Alexandra Cassan-Ferrier in 7:46:22 and Audrey Tanguy in 7:51:05. Finland’s Anna-Stiina Erkkila was fourth in 7:55:29 and Charlotte Mouchet fifth in 8:04:14. The margin of just over five minutes to second place was comfortable by the standards of a race that length, but the French contingent kept the pressure on throughout.
Both winners are familiar names at this level: Puppi and Młynarczyk also won the CCC at UTMB in 2025. The Templiers has long been a marker for form at the end of the European season, and this year’s results reinforce their standing over mountain distances.
Elsewhere in the sport this month, Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson beat Courtney Dauwalter by 42 minutes over 50 kilometres at the Tsaigu Trail in China. With the European calendar winding down, attention turns to the U.S. Collegiate Trail Running Championships in November.