The "Mountain of Hell" Returns: 1,000+ Mountain Bikers Descend Les Deux Alpes

Have you ever looked up at a ski run and thought, ‘It might be fun to ride a mountain bike down that?’

Me either, but this past weekend, over 1,000 people not only had that thought, but acted on it at the 2026 Mountain Of Hell race. The race is held at Les Deux Alpes, France, and after a mass start at 11,200 ft. of elevation, the course descends 8,200 vertical feet through the 2 Alpes Bike Park over a 17-mile course.

Between the mass start, sections of snow, ice, other variable conditions, and steep terrain, the Mountain of Hell is absolute chaos. Forget UCI Downhill, this race is not messing around when it comes to bike handling skills at top speeds. The race is open to pros and amateurs, which adds layers of competition and entertainment for spectators.

Some of the best mountain bikers around, such as Kilian Bron, Ed Masters, Brendan Fairclough, and more, have been known to take on the formidable race.

This year, French rider Kimi Viardot took the win in the men’s category with a blistering time of 23:57:05, and Kiwi racer Lucy Jenkins Jablonski nabbed the women’s win with a time of 32:37:76.

You can watch Viardot’s full race POV video below.

A race like this takes a notably incredible amount of stamina, for one. For reference, the average UCI World Cup Downhill race lap usually lands somewhere between 2 and a half minutes and 4 minutes, which means racing Mountain of Hell takes nearly ten times as long.

However, a race this iconic draws riders from all disciplines, allowing them to play to their strengths. Viardot races both downhill and enduro, giving him a leg up in speed and endurance.

In his video, Viardot can also be seen grabbing the uppers on his fork in an aero-tuck. A similar technique was used by Kate Courtney in the 2025 Leadville 100 cross-country MTB race on her course-record-smashing run. To see the same technique used in such different races also puts into perspective just how fast Viardot was going.

The event website notes the success of the 2026 event, which was due in part to the collaboration of local institutions, rescue services, partners, volunteers, and the community’s continued enthusiasm. 2026 was the largest competition field in the history of Mountain of Hell.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

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