UTAX

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 553m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 27% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• 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 59.3km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.1km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.1km–12.8km · Climb of 531m, descent of 553m averaging 7%. 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 · 12.8km–52.8km · Descent of 366m averaging 14%, descent of 789m averaging 14%, descent of 473m averaging 8%. Plus 4 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.
• Fade · 52.8km–91.1km · Descent of 694m averaging 11%, climb of 922m, climb of 742m, high point 1192m. Plus 2 more 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 91.1km–99.5km · 8.3km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

The course climbs 5622m+. With 55m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 42% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 13% flat. The longest climb runs 11.6km at an average 8.0% grade (922m of vertical). The longest descent runs 7.6km at an average 7.3% grade (553m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.8% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 47.4% over 0.3km. Surface: 47% smooth, 33% trail, and 16% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 169.6 FlatKM.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 15.0km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 56 of 100), with 47% of the load in the first half: 5 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 59.3km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 5.3–12.8 km · 553 m D−, -7.3% · 86.6 km ahead → control
• #4 · 20.9–23.5 km · 366 m D−, -13.7% · 75.9 km ahead → control
• #2 · 29.8–35.3 km · 789 m D−, -14.2% · 64.2 km ahead → control
• #5 · 39.7–45.2 km · 473 m D−, -8.5% · 54.2 km ahead → control
• #3 · 52.8–59.3 km · 694 m D−, -10.8% · 40.2 km ahead → control
• 83.8–91.1 km · 623 m D−, -8.4% · 8.3 km ahead → your pace
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 10°C to 17°C, with around 14°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 45%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 16% of days around this date.

Results

80 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Armando Teixeira (Portugal) in 14:06:37. Women's winner: Guida Fontes (Portugal) in 16:43:21.