With the European autumn in full swing, Challenge Vieux Boucau takes place this Saturday, October 10. The French race serves as the opening event of a busy period on the Challenge Family calendar, which will see races in Peguera-Mallorca, Wanaka, Shanghai, Forte Village, and Barcelona follow in rapid succession.
More than forty professionals will line up in the men’s race. Home favorite Pierre Dupuy enters as one of the key contenders. Currently ranked #68 in the world, Dupuy comes off a recent victory at the Gérardmer XL. He has maintained consistent form throughout the year, finishing in the top ten across all seven of his race starts, including three podiums and a win.
Strong opposition is expected from Britain’s Thomas Davis and Belgium’s Emmanuel Lejeune. Davis has competed nine times this season, including five Challenge Family events, with a season-best seventh-place finish at Challenge Gdańsk and a recent 13th place at the European Long Distance Championship in Almere. Lejeune has claimed two podium finishes in 2026, winning OpenLakes Champagne and placing second at Ironman 70.3 Hradec Králové. Outside the main contenders, athletes such as Joshua Lewis, Casimir Moine, and Maximilian Sperl are also expected to feature prominently.
The women’s race features a competitive 15-athlete field. Finland’s Minttu Hukka stands out as the highest-ranked competitor, currently sitting at #94 in the world rankings. Hukka’s season is highlighted by a third-place finish at Challenge St. Pölten, along with top-12 results at Challenge Sir Bani-Yas, The Championship, and Challenge Samarkand.
Other notable names in the women’s division include Eloise Du Luart (France), Sofia Aguayo (Spain), Jasmine Holmes (Great Britain), and Saskia Haug (Germany). The race will take place over a rolling bike course featuring continuous terrain changes without steep climbs or flat sections, making athlete form on the day a crucial factor.
