PTR 55

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 509m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 36% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1590m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 39.0km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 39.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–13.6km · Climb of 671m, descent of 509m averaging 10%. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them.
• Work · 13.6km–34.0km · Climb of 772m, descent of 419m averaging 22%, climb of 1390m, high point 1811m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 34.0km–39.4km · Descent of 521m averaging 11%. Plus 1 more climb. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 39.4km–56.6km · Descent of 1590m averaging 9%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

By gradient, 39% of the distance is uphill, 39% downhill and 22% flat. The longest climb runs 12.4km at an average 11.2% grade (1390m of vertical). The longest descent runs 17.2km at an average 9.2% grade (1590m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 36.1% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 33.8% over 0.2km. Surface: 53% trail, 22% smooth, and 21% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 89.3 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Pedra da Macela (1850m), 34.0km from the start.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 6.9km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 40 of 100), with 32% of the load in the first half: 3 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 39.0km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 39.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 8.8–13.6 km · 509 m D−, -10.5% · 43.0 km ahead → control
• #2 · 19.7–21.6 km · 419 m D−, -21.6% · 35.0 km ahead → control
• #3 · 34.1–39.0 km · 521 m D−, -10.6% · 17.6 km ahead → control
• 39.4–56.6 km · 1590 m D−, -9.2% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 22°C to 33°C, with around 19°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 50%.

Results

644 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Rudney Da Silva (Brazil) in 6:30:33. Women's winner: Patrícia Andrade (Brazil) in 8:17:25.