Ultrarunner Tom Evans is aiming high for the UTMB

He's already won Western States 100 this year, but can Britain's top ultrarunner improve on his third place last year to conquer the UTMB?

'This is the last big run in the mountains this year,' says Britain's Tom Evans, sitting in a lounge chair in the garden of a hotel in Chamonix. It's the pre-UTMB press conference, and the small garden is packed with some of the most famous faces in trail running. Most of them would probably rather be putting their feet up, but are professional to the last and happy to chat race goals.

Evans goal, he says, it to have fun. 'I want to go out and have a really good time – I love nothing more than pushing really hard and giving it absolutely everything,' he says.

His running CV certainly shows he can do that, and then some. In his relatively short career so far as an elite runner, he has added some seriously impressive silverware to his trophy cabinet. After bursting onto the scene with a third place at the Marathon des Sables in 2017, he turned from the desert to the mountains and won the CCC (the UTMB's 101km race) in 2018.

Since then, many podiums have followed, and earlier this year he won the Western States 100 by 24 minutes – the fourth fastest time in its history.

That victory means that though he finished third here last year, and might therefore be considered a favourite – especially in the absence of the mountain GOAT Kilian Jornet – the relatively short recovery period means it's a step into the unknown. The Western States/ UTMB double is notoriously difficult, and only Jornet has ever done the double in the men's race. In the women's, Courtney Dewaulter is not only going for a rare double but a historic treble – she's already won Western States and Hardrock 100 this year and is hoping to add the UTMB crown.

If such doubles (or trebles) are rare, then Evans is well aware of it. Perhaps it's even taken the pressure off. 'The UTMB was never on my list of races to do this year,' he explains, 'But following Western States I've recovered really well and I'm just in a really good place, mentally and physically.'

'What does a good race look like? It's me collapsing on the finish line, regardless of the position.' He pauses and laughs. 'Well, I would say that, and don't get me wrong, I'd love to win both. The goal is definitely to finish at the sharp end, and improve on last year's third.'

'But 100 miles is, well ... the first 10 hours normally goes to the playbook. And then the second 10 hours. No one knows what's going to happen.'

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