The UTMB® renews its collaboration with French illustrator Matthieu Forichon. After the 2019 colorful poster, in his typical style, the creator of Des Bosses et Des Bulles® signs a sequel. This second creation gives pride of place to the emotion and experience during the event. Let’s have a look at the process of creating the 2020 UTMB® poster:

The collaboration began while he was on holiday in the Mont Blanc region. The runner/illustrator goes back to the UTMB® as a spectator. "When it comes to trail running, I like to go back to the races I love. When it comes to drawing, it's the same thing," he explains. A stay that inspires him to continue the story begun in his earlier work, like the posters of American blockbusters. "I had a lot of time to think between 2019 and 2020. I made the first draft of the poster in an hour, in the evening of the UTMB®. It started with sipping a beer and doodling on the hotel block-notes." The first inspirations take shape, the 2020 poster will be signed by Matthieu Forichon

After his first creation - rich in details and hints - that honors all those who take part in the event, the illustrator now focuses on emotions and the place they occupy during the event. He explains that he was inspired by... the finish line of the CCC®: "I've been thinking that in these big events, if you pay attention, you always manage to find things that touch you personally. I started from an emotion I perceived in Triangle de l’Amitié square. A supporter and friend of Luis Alberto Hernando’s burst into tears when his friend crossed the finish line as the new CCC® winner."

Emotions that "make us move mountains". Whether you are a supporter, a runner, a volunteer... everyone can live these intense moments, give their time, their energy, participate in the event. "I wanted to bring out all these emotions shared between runners, their families, volunteers, supporters..." In short, this poster is for everyone: enthusiasts, spectators, amateurs. It also reflects the image of the event: "The UTMB® is made of all sorts of fans, runners from all over the world and faces that we are happy to see again". In conclusion, "what brings all these people together is also, in a certain way, the mountain".

Matthieu Forichon

Born in Lyon, France, in 1976, Matthieu Forichon left his job as computer engineer in 2001 to pursue a career as a professional illustrator. Self-taught and passionate, Matthieu Forichon discovered running, first as a complement to his combat sports training and then as a discipline. After running few of the most famous races, he created Des Bosses et Des Bulles® in 2012 to talk about this sport through comics. The site is a great success and is named Best Trail Blog in 2012 at the Endurance Trail Festival. Two collections of illustrations published since 2012 have been published by René Charles Publishing. Since then, Matthieu dedicated himself to working for his agency as a publicist illustrator, the development of the Des Bosses et Des Bulles brand and trail running.