Switzerland · Valais
Distance
140 km
Date
Entry fee
—
€ / km
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Trail Verbier St-Bernard X-Alpine 140km: Europe's 16th Biggest Descent and La Chaux Wall
Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB — X-Alpine is a 140 km trail race held in July in the region of Valais, Switzerland. The course gains 8,900 metres over 140 km (63.6 D+/km), starting at 10:00 pm from Verbier — a luxury ski resort village at 1,500 m elevation — and looping back to finish in the same town.
The loop crosses the Grand St Bernard Pass and climbs to 2,826 m at the Orny Hut. On tired legs, deep in the race, runners are met with a surprise at km 124 — the infamous "La Chaux wall" — 1,170 m over 6.3 km at 18.5% average gradient. The descents arent shy either, with the biggest single descent drops 1,610 m — a top 5% descent in our DTR database. Just 11.5% of the course is flat. Nearest airport is Geneva (GVA), 134 minutes by car.
First run under UTMB branding in 2022, the X-Alpine carries 4 Running Stones — the maximum tier in the UTMB World Series. It recorded 254 finishers in 2025 within a maximum field of 600. It suits experienced trail runners chasing UTMB Mont-Blanc qualification or anyone ready to earn those views on one of the steepest courses in the series.
Elevation and Terrain
Total Meters
8,900m
D+/KM
63.6m/km
For context, the Tor des Géants 330 loop has 73 D+/km.
Avg Uphill Gradient
14.7%
Avg Downhill Gradient
-14.6%
Uphill gradient distribution
| 2–5% | 8.3 km | |
|---|---|---|
| 5–10% | 15.1 km | |
| 10–15% | 12.7 km | |
| 15–20% | 9.3 km | |
| 20%+ | 15.4 km |
Route Profile
AnalysedTerrain breakdown
| 44.1% | Uphill |
|---|---|
| 11.5% | Flat |
| 44.4% | Downhill |
Terrain
Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB – 140 km 140km Top Climbs
Top Climbs
| 1 | 7.6 km · 1,348 m gain starts km 38 · avg 17.7% · max 70.0% |
|---|---|
| 2 | 6.3 km · 1,170 m gain starts km 125 · avg 18.5% · max 50.6% |
| 3 | 8.0 km · 969 m gain starts km 62 · avg 12.1% · max 38.7% |
Top descents
| 1 | 12.2 km · 1,610 m drop starts km 14 · avg -13.2% · max -54.5% |
|---|---|
| 2 | 7.3 km · 1,548 m drop starts km 46 · avg -21.1% · max -48.9% |
| 3 | 11.8 km · 1,547 m drop starts km 114 · avg -13.0% · max -42.0% |
How hard is the X-Alpine 140km? (Climbs, descents, and GPX data breakdown)
How difficult is the Trail Verbier St-Bernard X-Alpine 140km?
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Extremely difficult. The course covers 140km with 8,900m of elevation gain (63.6m per km) within a 42-hour cutoff. The biggest single descent drops 1,610m — the 16th largest of 386 European trail distances tracked. The final "La Chaux wall" climbs 1,170m at 18.49% average gradient after 124km already on the legs. The 2022 edition saw approximately 48% of starters finish.
La Chaux: The Defining Final Climb of the Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB 140km
What is "La Chaux wall" on the Verbier X-Alpine?
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La Chaux is the defining final climb of the X-Alpine: 1,170m of ascent over 6.33km at an average gradient of 18.49%, starting at approximately km 124 after more than 100km of racing. Runners describe it as the feature that defines the race. It's preceded by one of the course's biggest descents (1,547m drop), ensuring legs are heavily loaded before the climb begins.
Sold Out for 2026: Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB X-Alpine 140km Registration and the UTMB Waitlist
Is the Trail Verbier St-Bernard X-Alpine sold out for 2026?
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Yes. The 2026 X-Alpine sold out via UTMB's registration system before the standard entry fee was publicly visible. Maximum field size is 600 runners. The race awards 4 UTMB Running Stones — the maximum tier — making it highly sought after for UTMB Mont-Blanc ballot qualification. Check verbier.utmb.world for future edition registration windows.
Getting to Trail Verbier St-Bernard X-Alpine 140km: Geneva Airport and the Journey to Verbier
How do you get to Trail Verbier St-Bernard from Geneva?
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Geneva airport (GVA) is approximately 134 minutes from Verbier by car, or by train to Martigny (around 1.5 hrs) then bus or taxi to Verbier. Verbier sits at around 1,500m elevation, accessible by cable car from Le Châble. Bib pickup is at Châbles in the lower valley on race day. Accommodation in Verbier books out quickly; reserve early.
How many UTMB Running Stones does the X-Alpine earn?
How many UTMB Running Stones does the X-Alpine earn?▼
The X-Alpine awards 4 Running Stones — the highest tier in the UTMB World Series. This qualifies finishers to enter the UTMB Mont-Blanc ballot on any race and counts toward the UTMB 100M Index qualification. With a maximum field of 600 runners and consistent sell-out status, the X-Alpine is one of the more competitive routes to 4 Running Stones.
Getting to Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB – 140 km
Nearest airport
Geneva (GVA)
Notes
Start: ~2–2.5 hrs by car or train to Martigny + bus/taxi to Verbier / Public transport: good (train to Martigny) + bus to Verbier / Accommodation: strong but fills fast in Verbier; book early
