The 2026 Iditarod felt like one of those years where everything just clicked into place. After the weird route changes and snow issues in recent races, this one went back to the proper northern route from Willow to Nome, and straight away it had that classic feel again.
You could tell early on this wasn’t going to be a slow tactical race. The pace was solid right from the interior, and by the time teams started pushing through places like Kaltag and Unalakleet, it was clear we were watching something sharp, controlled, and pretty ruthless from the front runners.
Let’s be honest, this race was all about Jessie Holmes.
There was always speculation surrounding his win in 2025, was it a fluke or could he be poised to become one of the major players within the discipline? His efforts in 2021 proved that.
Holmes completed his race in Nome after 9 days, 7 hours, 32 minutes and 51 seconds, with all 12 dogs still in harness as evidence of his effective management of the team.
Not only did he cross the finish line but he had built a substantial cushion leading into White Mountain (final required stopping point) as he reached the final leg of his journey providing no question that he was going to win.
The aspect that stood out most throughout the race was how calm and sound Holmes executed his race plan – very little risk-taking and consistent pressure were evident in his ability to create and maintain a lead. Typically, this is the mark that distinguishes a winner from becoming a legendary individual within the Iditarod.
To accomplish back-to-back wins is almost unprecedented, therefore he has definitely placed himself among the greatest Iditarod competitors of all time.
This year’s Iditarod race was filled with every element that makes this iconic sled dog race the adventure it is. The brutal interior sections that test pacing and mental toughness were followed by the long western runs where positioning becomes critical. The last stretch of the last day saw wind, exposure, and a lot of mental toughness make it into the classic Bering Sea nosedive.
Holmes even mentioned during the last stages of the final leg that he believed winds would not bother them and it showed in their performance.
In addition to the quality of their dogs, there was a good amount of strength across the entire field this year. Unfortunately there were not as many total entries as in years past, but the dogs were at a very high quality for the entire race.
The battle for the podium was actually competitive behind Holmes.
With names like Jeff Deeter, Travis Beals and Paige Drobny all vying for podium spots in the final lap of the race, there were quite a few place changes due to the way different teams managed their rest strategies differently than others.
The bottom line is that once Holmes made his move, these guys were not really going to catch him. The battle was for second place, not the win.
2026 stood out for its lack of drama or chaos, but rather for its high level of quality.
A route that was properly marked, a dominant clean performance and the elevation of a musher from “good” to “truly elite” laid the groundwork for this new level of quality.
Now Holmes has;
1) 2 Straight victories
2) multiple top 10 finishes
3) An established team that will be competitive moving forward.
In Iditarod terminology this typically marks the beginning of a proper era.
This race felt like a return to the true essence of the Iditarod – not gimmicky or disturbed, but rather an incredibly legit race through the length of Alaska.
And in the middle of it all was Jessie Holmes, who appeared to be just getting started.
If he continues at this level, we may be comparing him to the Seaveys and Mackeys in years to come.
