Vincent Esmiol is the winner of the main MIUT 2026 race, completing the 110 kilometers in 12:49:03 and confirming his dominance throughout much of the race. The Frenchman arrived alone in Machico, in one of the most demanding editions in recent years.
The podium was completed by his compatriot Gautier Airiau, who finished second with a time of 12:57:52, and the American Tyler Green, who closed out the top three with 13:03:10.
In the end, the winner did not fail to emphasize the difficulty of the race, marked by a technical course and demanding conditions, although no statements were immediately available.
Gautier Airiau highlighted his experience on the island and the challenging nature of the race. “First of all, I want to thank you. You have a wonderful island, absolutely stunning. At night we couldn’t appreciate the scenery, but we felt an incredible atmosphere. Thank you very much for that. And then, during the day, the landscape is simply fantastic,” he stated.
Regarding the race, the Frenchman acknowledged the difficulties. “It was very tough. It’s wonderful, but it’s really very demanding. My goal was not to lose time, to do my best, and I was always fighting. I just wanted to get to Machico in the best possible shape,” he said, recognizing the winner’s superiority.
“He was better than me today, and I have to admit that, but I’m very satisfied with my performance.”
Tyler Green, who finished third, was also impressed by the scenery and the course. “It was the most incredible day. I’ve never seen anything like it, a place like this island. It’s simply stunning. It’s spectacular, it’s wild, it’s everything I hoped to find here. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be here,” he said.
The American also highlighted the return to a more technical course. “The route is incredible. More technical, more demanding, and that makes it all the more special,” he emphasized, offering special thanks to those who worked on restoring the trails after the fires.
“I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to get these trails back in good condition. It was an absolute privilege to run on the trails we had the opportunity to ride on,” he concluded.