Torn dera Val d'Aran

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 1225m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 843m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Steep 34% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• 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 81.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 132km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.3km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.3km–12.6km · Climb of 804m, descent of 870m averaging 15%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 12.6km–70.1km · Descent of 1225m averaging 10%, descent of 759m averaging 10%, climb of 1134m. Plus 2 more climbs. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 70.1km–132km · Descent of 944m averaging 8%, climb of 1526m, high point 2186m, climb of 575m. Plus 1 more climb and 2 descents. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 132km–139km · Descent of 843m averaging 12%. 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

The course climbs 8000m+. With 49m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 40% downhill and 19% flat. The longest climb runs 22.8km at an average 6.7% grade (1526m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.2km at an average 10.1% grade (1225m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.1% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 37.3% over 0.3km. Surface: 69% trail, 18% road, and 10% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 205.4 FlatKM.

Summits

The course also passes close to Malh Pujavaquèr (895m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 18.6km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 69 of 100), with 48% of the load in the first half: 4 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 81.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 132km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 6.8–12.6 km · 870 m D−, -14.9% · 126.6 km ahead → control
• #1 · 22.9–35.0 km · 1225 m D−, -10.1% · 104.2 km ahead → control
• #3 · 47.7–55.7 km · 759 m D−, -9.5% · 83.5 km ahead → control
• #4 · 70.1–81.3 km · 944 m D−, -8.4% · 57.9 km ahead → control
• 132.2–139.2 km · 843 m D−, -12.0% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 2 more notable descents not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 16°C to 23°C, with around 8°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 31%.

Results

485 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Arthur Joyeux-Bouillon (France) in 16:25:48. Women's winner: Laura Van Vooren (Belgium) in 20:26:37.