ZacUp SkyRace del Grignone

Race strategy

Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.

• Big early climb with 1730m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• Steep 54% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1750m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 17.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–13.4km · Climb of 1733m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 13.4km–17.6km · Climb of 791m, high point 2378m. Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Home · 17.6km–26.1km · Descent of 1750m averaging 20%. 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 2800m+. With 106m/km of climbing, the course is exceptionally steep, with long hiking-grade sections. By gradient, 47% of the distance is uphill, 51% downhill and 2% flat. The longest climb runs 13.4km at an average 13.0% grade (1733m of vertical). The longest descent runs 8.5km at an average 20.5% grade (1750m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 54.0% over 1.0km. The steepest descent drops at 36.6% over 1.0km. Surface: 45% trail, 17% technical, 14% smooth, 13% road, and 10% extreme. Flat-equivalent effort: 50.6 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Grigna Settentrionale (2410m), 17.6km from the start. The course also passes close to Zucco di Meriggio (1206m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 5.4km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 31 of 100), with 24% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 17.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 17.6–26.1 km · 1750 m D−, -20.5% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 11°C to 18°C, with around 8°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 39%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 11% of days around this date.

Results

252 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: WILLIAM BOFFELLI (Italy) in 3:00:02. Women's winner: ELISA DESCO (Italy) in 3:50:15.