Rankings and results of the 2025 Diagonale des Fous: Baptiste Chassagne and Blandine L’Hirondel at the peak of their art

The results of the Diagonale des Fous 2025 speak for themselves: this mythical ultra-trail will always have its share of surprises, uncertainties, but most importantly… of strong emotions. Between roots, rocks, scorching heat and biting cold, the Intense Island once again put the bodies and minds of the brave participants to the test. Review of a vibrant edition! 

Another year has passed and the Diagonale des Fous hasn't aged a day: always feared, never matched. 

Traditionally, it is considered that the Diagonale des Fous offers a course of 175 kilometers with 10,500 meters of positive elevation gain. However, this can vary from year to year depending on the terrain and weather conditions. 

This year, the runners have covered 180.3 kilometers and 10,000 meters of positive elevation gain. A little bit of extra has never hurt anyone! 

This year, 2,727 Fous were situated in the starting chamber of the flagship event of the Grand Raid. In the end, there remained (not one, but) 2,064. This brings the number of runners who did not reach the La Redoute stage to 663, resulting in a dropout rate of 24.3%.

We are far from the carnages that the Diagonale des Fous has seen in recent years. A little over 31% in 2024, 26% in 2023… the dropout rate can sometimes reach 40% when weather conditions are particularly challenging. 

But given that the heat was oppressive this year, what could explain such a low number of dropouts? The runners seem to arrive at the start line better prepared. Indeed, we observe an UTMB index that's increasingly higher. 

Moreover, the participants seem to approach the race with caution. Race strategies often involve a 'slow' start, even among elites. We are far from the supersonic first kilometers of races like the UTMB! The latter also has a dropout rate of 33.3% in 2025. While unfavorable weather conditions may have affected this figure, it seems mainly that the runners, both elite and amateur, have a more aggressive race management than on the Diag’. 

Fears surrounding the myth of the Grand Raid? Less brand pressure? Extremely dense elite field in Chamonix? “Normalisation” of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc? Hard to say. Perhaps a bit of all of that at once! 

👏 Nevertheless, this year, almost 8 out of 10 runners crossed the finish line of the Diagonale des Fous! 

The time has come to revisit the heroes of this 2025 edition of the Diagonale des Fous. Let's get to the results and the podiums. 

It was with a knife between his teeth that Baptiste Chassagne lined up for the Grand Raid of Réunion Island for the first time. A lack of experience could have worked against him as the course and the island's intense climate make this race atypical. However, he didn't hesitate. Starting in the lead group, he was caught up by Alexis Sevennec for a time before accelerating strongly in the most strategic, but also the most grueling, part of the course. 

At the exit of the formidable cirque de Mafate, Baptiste was in the lead. He will not relinquish his position until the finish line, slowly but surely widening the gap with Yannick Noël who has started his pursuit. Ultimately, he finished in 23 hours 31 minutes and 54 seconds, followed by Yannick Noël in 24 hours 27 minutes and 33 seconds. It's Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz, the winner of the 2023 edition, who completes the podium in 25 hours 13 minutes and 35 seconds. 

On his social networks, the winner declares: 

But among the great performances of this 2025 edition of the Diagonale des Fous, we can note the fourth place finish of Ludovic Pommeret, 51 years old, who continues to prove that physical and mental performance knows no age. Alexandre Boucheix alias Casquette Verte made a remarkable race by finishing in the Top 10 after a difficult last season. 

One might lie and say that the podium was decided by a slim margin, but the reality is that Blandine L’Hirondel simply crushed the competition from the start of the race. The female runners quickly realized they were competing for second place. 

Starting in front, Blandine set an impressive pace throughout the entire course. Not content with taking first place, she clinched an incredible eighth place in the scratch in 27 hours 26 minutes and 09 seconds. The intensity of La Réunion has definitely worked well for the Frenchwoman, winner in more than one title, who declares: 

Behind her, with more than a 5-hour gap, Manon Campano arrives in second position in 32 hours 33 minutes and 01 seconds. A great performance for the runner who didn't falter and executed a well-managed race. Finally, it's the Canadian Anne Champagne who completes the podium in 33 hours 01 minutes and 03 seconds. 

We were expecting her compatriot Marianne Hogan on the team, but unfortunately, she was unable to see the adventure through due to intense calf pain. Her exchange with ultra-trail runner Camille Bruyas was one of the highlights of this edition, due to the emotions and sincerity that emerged from it. 

Among the island runners, it's Fabrice Payet who is the first to cross the finish line. In 25 hours, 42 minutes and 41 seconds, the native of Reunion Island, who only came to ultra-trail running a few years ago, finished in 6th place in the Grand Raid 2025.  

On the women's side, Amélie Huchet became the first Réunionnaise finisher of the 2025 Diagonale des Fous. She who had abandoned the race last year made a great comeback. She also takes 11th place in the rankings. 

Want to know more about the results of the Diagonale des Fous? Here are the detailed TOP 10 for women and men. 

If you wish to find the complete results of the Diagonale des Fous, as well as other formats of the Grand Raid 2025, you can click here. 

Réunion has once again honored its reputation. High-energy spectators, highly motivated trail runners, all mixed together to create the unique emotions that one feels in the Diagonale des Fous, and more broadly in the Grand Raid. What if you were there next year? (If that's the case, you just need to follow our best advice).