Francesco Puppi of Italy and Poland's Martyna Młynarczyk won the 80km Grand Trail des Templiers in Millau, France, on Sunday 18 October, the closing day of the 32nd Festival des Templiers. The race started at 5am in darkness and crossed the technical terrain of the Grands Causses.
Puppi won the men's race in 6:32:20, seven minutes and seven seconds clear of France's Dimitri Morel-Jean, who had led for much of the day before Puppi pulled ahead on the final climbs and descent. Benjamin Roubiol, the 2023 world long-trail champion, took third in 6:44:09, ahead of Pierre Galbourdin and American Tracen Knopp.
The victory continues a strong year for Puppi, who won the OCC in 2024 and the CCC in 2025 and finished second at Western States earlier this year. He had also placed second at Les Templiers in 2023, so this result completes unfinished business at the Millau race.
In the women's race, Młynarczyk led from the start to win in 7:41:18 on her first visit to Les Templiers, having not scouted the course beforehand. Former triathlete Alexandra Cassan-Ferrier climbed through the field to take second in 7:46:22, five minutes and four seconds back, while French trail champion Audrey Tanguy was third in 7:51:05.
Both winners are Hoka athletes, and Hoka is the title partner of the festival, so the weekend ended with a double for the brand. The results arrive in a busy autumn for ultra and trail running, following the Tor des Géants and Run Rabbit Run.