adidas TERREX MaXi-Race 2026: Hugo Deck and Toni McCann walk on water
The 15th adidas TERREX MaXi-Race delivered a spectacular weekend of racing in Annecy. After a genuine mano a mano with Théo Detienne, Hugo Deck won the flagship event for the second year running in 9:48:14, while South Africa’s Toni McCann produced a perfectly controlled race to win the women’s title in 11:25:20. As expected, the Shokz Demi-Tour du lac went to local runner Simon Paccard and New Zealand’s Ruth Croft.
On a brand-new course, run in the opposite direction to previous years, the flagship 100 km race was thrilling and wide open right to the finish, with the winner breaking the 10-hour mark. Hugo Deck claimed his second straight victory. “This is the best race of my life. I still can’t believe what I’ve done,” the Team adidas TERREX athlete said beneath the finish arch. His runner-up, Théo Detienne, clearly felt the same way, flashing a broad smile after the race and telling him: “You were unbelievable.” Théo Detienne, Yannick Noël and Hugo Deck had been billed as the leading favourites, and all three delivered. Detienne was the first to make a move. After 17 km and the first aid station, he opened a gap on the long climb towards Pointe de Talamarche. By km 28, he led Deck and Yannick Noël by 1:18, extending that advantage to 1:49 at km 31. The gap dropped back under a minute at Doussard, the km 45 aid station. A lightning-fast stop put Hugo Deck into the lead at the start of the second half, with Yannick Noël 47 seconds back and Théo Detienne 1:03 down.
While Yannick Noël began to fade, Théo Detienne clawed his way back and accelerated into the lead at km 61, opening a 3:32 gap on Deck. Deck retook control on the climb towards Semnoz. “He went past me without even looking back, probably climbing at 1,500 metres an hour,” said Théo Detienne. He was incredibly strong.” From that point on, Deck’s lead grew with every kilometre. The Team Provence Endurance runner crossed the line alone in 9:48:14, 8:39 ahead of Théo Detienne and 22:11 clear of Yannick Noël.
“This is the best race of my life”
This is the best race of my life. I still can’t believe the time I ran. You have to be proud of yourself when you put in a performance at this level. I set out aiming for 10:15 or 10:30. I finished in 9:48. I didn’t think I was capable of that. I think I managed it thanks to Théo [Detienne]. He was also at an incredible level today. His time is seriously impressive too. Today, I just found grace. Théo messed with our heads by constantly speeding up and slowing down. That’s what makes him so incredible. The way he runs is destabilising. It was hard to stay with him, and at one point I even thought I might miss the podium because of how much he had worn me down after Doussard. I clawed back some ground on the descent, then made the difference on the climb up Semnoz. I gave everything to win and never stopped to think. By the end, I was exhausted. I was dragging my feet. Beating Théo, who used to put seven minutes into me over 7 km when we were juniors, is no small thing. I’m proud of my race.
Hugo was incredibly strong today. We had a great battle between us. It was a bit of ‘I pass you, you pass me’. I stuck to my pacing from the start. At one point after Doussard, I opened a gap, but when he came back, his attack was sharp. For me, the job was done. It was a brutal battle.
Toni McCann never in doubt
After withdrawing a year ago, Toni McCann lined up this year for the “tOur du lac”. The South African was the overwhelming pre-race favourite and lived up to her billing. She opened a gap on the rest of the women’s field within the first few kilometres. A lead of a few seconds quickly became several minutes, passing the hour mark by the finish. “I’ve been living in Annecy for two years now. The finish in Semnoz was tough. Overall, I managed my race well. I was aiming for 11:25 and ran 11:25. Everything went according to plan. I’ll be back next year and I’ll do better.” Britain’s Anna Llewellyn (12:28:20) and France’s Blandine Orsini (12:30:41) joined her on the podium.
Simon Paccard too strong to catch
The 15th adidas TERREX MaXi-Race came to a close on Sunday with the Marathon e-Xperience and the Shokz Demi-Tour du lac. Both races featured new courses. The former, designed to give runners their first taste of the marathon distance, was a hit with every participant. The latter was the weekend’s second major event after Saturday’s tOur du lac. Covering almost 57 km and 3,500 m of elevation gain, with a start in Doussard and the finish in Annecy, it promised an intense challenge. It delivered, with the heat making conditions particularly demanding. Simon Paccard quickly moved to the front.
The 25-year-old from Annecy had been announced as the clear favourite, and he made the difference early, breaking away for good and winning in 5:16:32. “It was a great day. I didn’t expect to be out front, but that’s how the race unfolded. Joaquin [Narvaez], Dylan [Ribeiro] and I moved clear together. I was worried about the heat, but it ended up going well. I ran the perfect race. In the past, being the favourite could sometimes get in the way. Not today, although racing at home is never straightforward. I took it in my stride. You have to keep things in perspective. I’m really pleased with my race. This is one of the best races of my career.”
The battle for the remaining podium places was far less predictable. In the leading group from the start, Andorran Samuel Ponce soon settled into second place. After a long tussle with Argentina’s Joaquin Narvaez, he had to hold off a late charge from Jura native Dimitri Morel-Jean, who kept gaining ground as the kilometres ticked by. Samuel Ponce ultimately finished second in 5:26:48, ahead of Dimitri Morel-Jean (5:29:36).
Ruth Croft, who else?
Also billed as the clear favourite, Ruth Croft left little room for suspense. The New Zealander, winner of the 2025 UTMB, triumphed in 6:20:52 ahead of two Team adidas TERREX teammates, Louise Serban-Penhoat (6:32:47) and Anaïs Guillot (6:38:18). The two young women traded second place during the race, with Louise Serban-Penhoat finally securing the runner-up spot after Semnoz. “I returned to Europe ten days ago. It’s different from New Zealand and Australia, with longer climbs. This was my final race before UTMB. I prefer to put together a long training block.”